The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-09-09
No. 10

Industrial exhibitions are powerful agencies
for the diffusionaof knowledge By them farm
ers and mechanics have done much to promote
their interests. They are becoming not mere
" part but the soul Of school systems In
New York SCHOLARS FAIRS are held twice
year. At some of these exhibitions. more than
half of the States in the Union have been rep
resented by specimens of penmanship, draw
Ings needlework, mechanism, minerals. plants
shells, Ut other productions Of nature and OF
art.
After exhibition comes distribution. School
products, from young hands and generous
hearts in the Empire City, have been sent to
all nations A professor from the Glasgow
University, on receiving several hundred spec-
mems, remarked IL never saw anything so
beautiful; | shall distribute them through
Scotland Great numbers have been sent
abroad by foreign ministers, consuls, and other
Government lunctiOnaries of different nations
A Senator of the United States has proposed a
| provision under our Government for collecting,
| by consuis and other tunctonaries abroad, in
formation by specimens and otherwise, of prac-
teal science especially such as relates to the
interests Of farmers and mechanics The pro-
vision only needs to be made. to have the object
accomplished great object.
| BY members of Congress Judges school su.
perintendents, teachers, scientific conventions.
and other agencies, specimens of juvenile skill
from the New York schools have been sown
broadcast over our entire country. few DAYS
since several beautiful drawings were received
from that source prepared expressly for the
President of the United States among them 9
head of Washington with exquisite finish
These specimens from the Empire City have
put in train some from our national city for
the same object. BY great law of mind, those
who radate most light are themselves most
enlightened. Hence the New York schools
stand highest in their own character, because
they have done most to raise the character of
others
Works of nature and of art, used for inter
changes, have led to a "WoRLD's FAIR" and
must lead to FAIRS all over the world. Indus
trial exhibitions and SCIENTIFIC EXCHANGES
are rapidly maturing into system-THf
GREAT SYSTEM, not for the consolidation of i'm
practicable theories and deceptive speculations
but the diffusion of productive science. lr
most OF the States commissioners. superintend
ents, or other school officers are provided by
legislative enactments for counties In somC
States these officers are required to hold meet
their townships precincts, election districts, OF
other civil divisions in their respective counties
Such conventions are at least the beginning,
of industrial exhibtions-of course, scientlf,
exchanges, When matured in each State, anC
assimilated by enlightened, generous rccipro
cations in all States and ali countries, the re
suit will be an animatng and nvigorating al
yancement, if not a glorious triumph, of tn,
"DEMoCRACY OF SCIENCE
In the progress of this great enterprise o
"SCIENcE, WEALTH, and MORALS" four fact
are worthy of special regard Younger mem
bers Of schools and families are more hearty il
it than the older; the rcputed worst scholar
are changed into the best the more clemcnta
ry and fnr-reaching the principle, the NOR
eager the mind and hand to illustrate it
key unlocking a million of rooms is NOR
eagerly sought for than one opening a hun
dred those who give most receive most
liberal hand maketh rich