Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-08-21

NORWICH, CT.i Aug. ~.
The American Institute of Instructions TWEEN.
ty'nnth annual meeting, which commenced here
on Tuesday afternoon. and closed last evening,
brought such an influx of teachers, professors,
clergymen. and general friends of education, +"
as to nearly overflow the hospitality, and general
capacity for public entertainment, of this pleas
ant city. Not that the hospitality has any lin
its; but it did not expect such an inroad. and so
at first was not prepared to meet it. They had
been instructed to expect some two or three hun.
dred, and had arranged accordingly but when
six hundred, strong, poured lin Tuesday, the
citizens had busy time in properly bestowing
them. All were provided for, nevertheless,
though some we're inconvenently put to bed, the
first night on cot beds, sofas, chairs, &c. The
commodious Wauregan House spread itself to its
utmost capacity, and the attentive host, T. Nor.
ris, ESQ.,, was diligent to make all his guests as
nearly comfortable, as his ordinary fare always
is.tas possible, under the circumstances, so that
all who enjoyed his care could but feel, that he
was model landlord of model hotel. Com
mend me, and all travellers to the Injuries of the
larder, the neat comfort Of the lodgings and the
attentive interest of the landlord, of the Waure-
gan at Norwich.
This meeting was one of the m ost fully attend
Gu anu interesting tHdt the institute nave ever
held, since its organization in 1880. And its lee.
lures and discussions being of an eminently prac-
teal and able character, and from some of the
best minds in the country, can but have salu.
taTy effect on all who attended, sending them
home with new inspiration and zeal for their
work
The lectures were by Rev. Barnas Sears D. D.,
of Brown University, Rev. ]. P. CULVER, of
Norwich, Benz w. Putnam, Esq, of Boston
Prot John Foster, of Union College, N Y,
Prof S R. Cathorp, of Bridgeport. CT and T..
W. Valentine, Esq, of Brooklyn, N. Y.
The discussions embraced the following sub
jects, viz The Education of the Sexes To
gether in Public"-"Ought Public Schools to be
Entirely Supported by General Taxation ?"-
docs the Diffusion of High Education tend
to Degrade Manual Labor ?"-and, being pa1tic
ipated IN by some of the ablest men present. were
necessarily Of most interesting character A
large number of the teachers present were ladies,
as matter of course, as they comprise the larger
part of all the teachers employed both in public
and private schools But it must not be inferred
from the fact hat they did not participate in the
public exercises Of the Institute, that they are
not possessed of "strong minds for they ara
tolerated only as honorary ~ members of the
Institute, without the right to speak or vote.
Yesterday afternoon session was omitted to
participate in free excursion down the river
Thames and into Long Island Sound on the fine
steamer Connecticut, Of the Norwich and New
Institute, for the occasion, by H. B. Norton,
Esq, of this city, President of the Steamboat
Company. Nearly a thousand persons went
down, and so Unexpectedly loaded the boat that
a delay of more than an hour was necessary to
wait for tide enough to take the boat over the
bar. very pleasant excursion was had, never
theless. The Norwich Brass Band, who volun-
teered their services, discOursed fine music the
way down and back, interspersed with some fine
singing BY the choir of the Grammar School, and
altogether it was excursion to be remembered
by all the partcipators.
The meetings were held in the spacious hall of
the Free Academy. This institution has been
built within few years and appoin tments in the
way of library apparatus, &C., at a cost altogeth.
er Of some forty to fifty thousand dollars, and
with cash fnnd invested for the permanent sup.
port thereof, of more than fifty thousand dollars,
all contributed by the muni6cence of the worthy
citizens OF Norwich, instigated thereto mainly BY
the diligent zeal and personal influence of Rev.
John L. CULVER, pastor of the Orthodox church
of the city. This Free Academy is a madel in
stltuton, emitting its founders and nstigators to
respect of which they may well be proud. And
the distinguished educational SaoonS present this
week pronounce the institution unequalled in
New England.
Norwich has also a new school house for the
accommodation of its secondary and grammar
schools, that is externally an ornament to the
city, and internally complete and perfect in all
its arrangements, fitted with all the modern i'm
provemeuts and appliances that are calculated to
make education easy and pleasant, as well as
most thorough. This city has really taken bold
strides forward in its munifcenG endowmen of its
public schools, and has made itself an example
worthy the emulation of all other New England
cities
A new brick church recently built BY the soci.
ETY. OF which Mr.. Gullver is pastor, attracts the
eye OF the stranger as a substantial specimen of
chaste modern church architecture, while the in.
ternal arrangements and finish seem to harmon.
lze at once the eye that loves rich convenience
and good taste without CANDY show and "trip
perry. JAN