Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-02-24
From the New York School journal.
National school Mac hinery,

upon to report progress in the workings of gov
eminent machinery in aid of schools and practi-
cal science / will now confne myself to one
wheel in this machinery--the Census Bureau.
j. O. G. Kennedy, the Superintendent OF this
Bureau is doing a magnificent work for schools,
for science, and for the world. As functionary
of our government, he is about presenting to the
world system of statistics which will furnish
more complete view of the condition of human
| beings, and the circumstances producing or at
fecting such condition, than ever before furnished
by any nation; in aid of which he has visited
Europe to avail himself of the statistics of diff
| ferent nations.
| As foundation to start from, he recognises
the great natural platform-the earth itself-as
the most appropriate Under such view of the
subject, after receiving returns in answer to the
| first circular sent to marshals and assistant mar
| shals, he caused more than three thousand let
| tiers to be written requesting more full returns
on the subject of geology, embracing rocks, soils,
mineral fertilizers, &c. BY the additional re-
turns the census report will give to the public
vast amount of information interesting to schools,
to science, to agriculture, and to the useful arts.
The report of Maryland, forthcoming in few
Idays, Will be specimen of the whole; copy of
which, if authorized by Congress- Mr. Kennedy
offers to send, under his frank, to every school
in that State. Thus, by single revolution of
this government Wheel not only the schools, but
the citizens generally of whole State, will be
informed of the natural productions, and of the
resources of science and of wealth. within their
reach.
| This same government wheel-the Census
Bureau-by another revolution, may bring more
directly and more fully to view the natural re-
sources of the Empire State. Among the addi-
tional returns brought by the letters mentioned
was geological map of Madison county, by Wm
f. Bonney, an assistant marshal This map des-
tl,n,
statement the agricultural products connected of
every town in the county, furnishing an example
likely to be followed through our entire coun-
try-it may be over the whole world-producing,
by such an operation of government machinery,
better geological explorations and reports than
were ever yet given to the world; eventually, by
| enlisting in the work schools and families too,
| furnishing to every farmer and farmers sons
knowledge of the character and the capabilities of
| the fields they cultivate For the resources of
the Empire State the census report will contain
| minute statement Of the salt-works of New York,
| made out from statement of Robert Gere, late
| superintendent Of sat-works, and Others by s,
Corning Judd, one Of the clerks in this Bureau,
citizen OF Syracuse, who has on his desk two
small cases oflabeled specimens, the one of geoo-
gy, and the other mineralogy, both of essential
aid in his work-proving that the momentgov-
| erment machinery commences working for SCI
ence, the work of science will come to it's aid,
Simple justice to the eleven thousand schools
for some fifteen years under your supervision, as
State superintendent, requires statement OF the
fact that to them is due no small credit for the
great work and still greater prospects by the sci
| entifc operations Of the census Wheel not to
mention various others in our government ma
| chinery. SuchSat least are the views of Mr..
Kennedy, who conildctsits motions with SO much
foresight, sdll, and prodactiveness. You well
recolect the rich present from the schools of the
| Empire City to the members Of the State legisla
| ture giving to each, as the work of their own
| hands, map of his county, embracing some
beautiful pencillings of geological formations,
agricultural products and other natural re-
sources, called upon by industry and science to
contribute to human wants and human progress.
These offerings to science and to patriotism from
the generous young spirits in the Empire City,
distributed through the Empire State by the
hands OF its legislators, were joined by SINH
| lar offerings from the same source, still more
abundant furnished to the school superintend-
| ents of the State and used by them in their
various school campaigns as their most powerful
artillery. Following these generous offerings of
generous and patriotic spirits, made to their
State, came others, in still larger abundance to be
| scattered over the nation by the hands of our
| national legislators, by whom they were acknowl-
edged and distributed among the friends of the
cause, in their Congressional districts and their
States, with the same spirit of patriotism which
animated these young producers in their work.
| This combined operation Of the machinery of
| government and the machinery of schools started
| by the joint action of muscle mind and soul
animating those in the Empire City, explains, in
a measure at least, the mighty movements now
| in progress over our country and through the
world for the advancement. of science of kind
! and generous recprocations, and of enlightened
| policy among the nations of the earth.
In company with this report, in its visits
| to the schools of Maryland, will go another from
| a committee on as school products" at the Mary
| land Agricultural Fair held in Baltimore in Oc-
| tober last. This committee consisted of Rev. J.
N. McJilton, superintendent of the Baltimore
| schools; DIR. Monmonier, president of the board
| of trustees and three other members, who spoke
| in strong Commentator of specimens coming un-
| der their inspection-especially some from the
school, of Mrs. Kesey, in Westinghouse beautiful
and appropriate, illustrating the elements both of
agriculture and mechanism. They closed their
report by recommending to agricultural societies
special provisions for juvenile products at their
future exhibitions, and to schools special atten-
ton to practical exercises on subjects directly
| interesting to the two great classes of human
society-farmers and mechanics.
Here will be recognised, am sure, by my en-
lightened friend Randall and by the eleven
thousand teachers with many of their pupils, to
| whom he speaks through his journal, cord with
three strands, each strong in itself, but greatly
increased in strength by its connexion with the
| other two. The three strands are, the Census
Bureau, Agricultural Societies. and American
Schools-by their combination able to move and
| raise, not one nation but all nations.
| Thus, my excellent friend, l speak what /
| know, and testify of what have seen; still and
| ever remaining your fellow-laborer in the great
cause, JOSIAH H0LBR0OK.
| slippery Walking.
i Il. - !.