The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-11-04
EDUCATIONAL CONVENTION.
From he Salisbury WIatchman.

This Convention organlzed Oh Tue @lsC
uIt., by the appointmentOf DR.. j. L. Wheat
of the University of n. c., President; E.
w Ogburn, of Greensborough, Vice Pres
icIcnt: c. C. Cole, of Greensboro. and II.
III. Brown of AsheborO', Secretaries; and
Prof. Kerr, of Murfresboro', Treasurer.
We are not prepared TO give in detail
the proceedings of this highly interesting
Convention, which continued it sessions
until Friday evening last. There were
Il large number Of delegates in attendance,
representing nearly all portions of the
State aud many of the most important In
stitutions "f learning within its bounds
Teachers of Common Schools were there,
and the friends of education. We have
rarely seen a body which presented an
aS.cmblagc of men of greater intelligence
Among the most important subjects
which occupied the time and attention of
the Convention, we would name the fol-
lowing:
The permanent organization of State
Educational Association was determined
on and Committees appointed to mature
the plan, draft a Constitution. x. This
Association will have subdivisions, with
District and County Associations.
MIR. II. Brown, of AsheborOugh, present
ed to the Conventions copy of Manuscript
Spelling Book, of which he is the author
which was described as possessing new
and important features and improvements,
and asked the Convention to appoint
a Committee to examine it and report upon
its merits. The Convention received the
application, and appointed Committee ac-
cordingly. We learn that Mr. Benjamin
Sumner. of this vicinity was appointed on
this Committee, which, by the way, was a
most capital selection, there being few
more critically accurate scholars.
A number of learned and labored essays
were read to the Convention, all bearing
upon the general subject of education in
some one or the other of its various in
tercsts. Some of these were desinged in
especial reference to the free schools of
our State, and their authors devoted them
selves to the development of plans and
suggestions looking to the greater ctfcicn-
cy and success of that system. These es-
SAYS, in the main, were interesting and
as they were open to discussion, gave rise
TO frequent and able debates. They will
probably be published, and may hereafter
| become valuable as instituting changes
and improvements in our educational sys-
| tenn.
Mr. Il. Sumner moved a Resolution, de-
| claring that we ought to have Military
| School in this State or a school designed
on the plan of the West Point Academy.
He sustained his motion by reading to the
| Convention an able paper, prepared by
himself, in favor of such an establishment,
which met q very fattcring reception
! The resolution was adopted, and the Con-
vcntion requested the author to furnish the
Execution Committee with copy of his
views as read in their hearing.
Mr. ID. A. Davis, of this place, offered a
resolution to mcmOrialise the Legislature,
for the establishment of Normal School
in each Judicial or Congressional District
of the State, for the purpose of qualifying
Young men to become teachers in the Com
mon Schools of the State.
This we think, if carried out as we heard
it explained, will prove q most important
! ACQUISITION to the free school system. Ac-
cording to the plan as detailed, the pupils
of these schools arc TO be educated at the
charge of the school districts, each district
contributing for this purpose, its pro rata,
! (Which will not exceed two or three dol
| lars. to a sum sufficient to pay the teach
crs salary, being all that will be required.
The pupils, thus educated free of charge,
will be required to teach school in this
State, for term not less than that they
were in the Normal School. The plan is
calculated to supply force of competent
teachers TO the common schools of approx
ed qualification, and as such, is deserving
of serious attention.
DIR. Z Nyc Hutchison, NJ d Johnston. and
Rev f I Rockwell were the delegates in
attendance from Mccklenburg county.