The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-02-24
THE FLOATING SCHOOL.

Commissioners relating to the character, objects,
discipline and success of the Floating SCHOOL,:
The Floating School presents one of the most in
teresting as WELL perhaps, as of the most useful
! features of our system of public instruction. Al
though late in its presentment, unlike the advances
of education generap, which are slow and difficult,
it was rapid in its process of development and early
in the production of its results. Immediately after
the organization of the school, it was discovered
that secondary element in the view of its nstitu
| tion was brought into actual exercise, which is
now exhibited in its primary importance A class
of boys. most of whom could neither be persuaded
nor compelled to attend the ordinary schools, and
others who were addicted to truancY, was attracted
by the novelty of the enterprise and made appca-
! tion for admission into the school. Nor was the
novelty that arrested their attention and awakened
| their interest mere temporary inducement. The
interest it excited has been continued and increased
by the exercises of the institution; and the lads
| many of whom considered incorrigible and
therefore neglected or left to their own will in the
indulgence of their vicious habits, have become the
most punctual and regular attendants of the SCHOOL,
and they are as obedient to their teachers and as
orderly In their department the pupils of any of
the schools. The main feature in the organization
OF the Floating School is the elevation of the pro-
fession and character of the sailor.
From the material of which the school is COM
posed it may be readily imagined that its seats are
occupied by boys OF different ages and characters
and of various degrees of proficiency In fact, the
benefits of the institution not limited to the
younger members of the community. Men of ex-
| perience seamen, but wholly uneducated have
been admitted as students, and by their industry
and application they have made rapid advancement
| in the pursuit of knowledge. The ages of the pu-
| pills range from eight to thirty years, and their
| studies begin with the alphabet and continue
| through the higher branches of theoretical and
practical navigation. The grown man is seated
| beside the boy of eight years and engaged with
| him in studying the letters of the alphabet
One of the most remarkable features of the
Floating School is its mode of discipline. 1t is al
| together of moral and intellectual character. No
| instance of corporal punishment has taken place
since its establishment, and yet the order Of the
| school is not exceeded by that of any of the
| ganzed, it was determined by the Committee hav-
ing charge of it and the teachers that the expert
ment of selfgovernment should be fully and fairly
tested and such has been the of the effort
that the boys are as proud of their moral character
as their teachers. and frequently reiterate their
boasts that the order of their school is maintained
| without the use of the rod
The Nautical Department presents the most at
tractive feature of the school, and the in which
| most of its novelty consists. An ordinary school
| on shipboard would doubtless present attractions
for boys who fond of the sea; but these attrac
tons must to be effective when the novelty is
! worn off by familiarity and habitual enjoyment.
This is not the case, however, in reference the
nautical eVolutions performed in the actual work
| ing of a ship. These evolutions practised
| every day in connection with the other studies.
| They render the novelty perpetual, and produce
continually increasing desire TO enjoy it. In the
nautical department, the theory of Navigation is
exhibited and taught in the application of its prn-
| cples to practical use. All the operations neces
| sary for the working of the ship are performed
| even to the records of the Log Book; and
| these are complete in everything but the div-
| sions of the Log-line-the knots run by the
| actual passage of the ship through the
| waves, and even the knots are taken by sending
out the ships boat and measuring her speed. In the
pursuit of lesson diagram of the ships course
| is drawn upon the blackboard, marking the several
| directions caused by fair and head winds. The
lines measured with accuracy, noting the varia
tiOns. The entire course of the ship, from port to
| port, is thus traced and measured and the record
made The manner of taking lunar observations;
of calculating attitudes; of finding courses and dis
| tances by the sun and mOon and in cloudy weather;
| IN determining the ever-changing relations of the
ship to the earth and the heavens-al are practi-
| cally described and illustrated in accordance with
different and varying theories upon those subjects
At every stage of the lesson the boys are required
| to answer such questions as are appropriate in
! their own language.
The Floating School is enterprise of philan-
! thropy as well as of eXpedency 1t is service to
| humanity as well as the Improvement of profess
sion. 1t elevates c ass of men from condition of
degradation to of prOprety and respectabilitv.
In this relation it has attracted the notice of resi-
dents and officials of other States, and it is likely
| that the example of Maryland will be initiated by
| all the Atlantic States. Preparations are now in
progress for the establishment Of institutions of
| similar character in Massachusetts,, New York,
| South Carolina and Louisiana. The Legislature
| of Massachusetts, has appropriated twenty thou
i
of the Governor IL the purchase of a ship and pro
viding for the necessary school accommodations.
| The report says that there is feature of the
plan proposed for the organization of the school in
Massachusetts,, which is so thoroughly exceptiona.
| Bile, as not only to admit of the propriety ofre
monstrance on the part of Maryland, but to render
| such remonstrance necessity. 1t is the intention
| OF Massachusetts, to engratt her Floating School
the State Refur III School for Juvenile uelIn-
! quents, penal institution similar to our House of
| Refuge. The incorporation of this feature upon
the paD of marine school is pntirnlV of
| the phanthropic purpose of the founders of our
institution in the removal of degradation from the
pursuit of the sailor, and the elevation of his pro-
tession and himself toa respectable standing. 1t
can hardly be possible that Massachusetts, when
she properly considers the Importance of this sub
ject, will persist in fixing stain upon the profess
sion which it is the design of Maryland to improve
by the education of the parties who are to pursue
it. The argument urged in favor of the measure
Is, that the marine school will become an impor-
tant agent In the reformation contemplated by the
penal school. Suppose such should be the case
will not the damage to be sustained by the sailors
profession in the penal feature than overbal-
ance the benefits the schOo.may produce?
There is a striking contrast between the designs
of Maryland and Massachusetts. Maryland edu-
Gates the boys Of her Floating School in the prin-
cipies of morality. She instils into their minds
and hearts the knowledge and desire to pursue the
path of virtue; and she sends them forth with their
diplomas of proficiency and character without a
bemish upon them. Massachusetts takes from her
prison the offenders against the laws of the State
her Marine School; she then transports them to
mingle with the sons of Maryland in foreign lands
And who upon the distant shore will ask whether
the sailor has been educated in the Floating School
of ofMaryland the Reform School of Massachusetts,?
The contrast is clear. Maryland would remove re-
proach from the profession of the sailor. Mas.
sachusetts would tasten that reproach upon it
forever Maryland in the accomplishment of
her purpose associates her effprt with the best
system of public instruction pursued in the
State. Massachusetts turns aside from her
common schools and identifies her marine with a
| prison. The result of this measure may be antic-
pated. Great injustice will be done to an important
and necessary profession. The idea of dignity will
be dissociated from its labor. Men of intelligence
and ability will still become dissatisfied with its
pursuit, and seek in other empoyments the means
of support. Instead of being elevated the pro-
lession will either be depressed to a still greater
degree or remain in its present condition. 1t is
question which may be readily determined whether
not, it is the true policy of State to cast dis
honor upon pursuit which sends out the repre-
Sentatves of its character to every seaport in the
civilized world Instead of thus depressing the
sailor, it is thing to be anxiously desired that
the States of the seaboard should cooperate in the
enterprise contemplated in the establishment of our
school on board the ship, and unfurl the American
flag a free unblemished Floating School in
every seaport of the Union.
THE CENSUS OF MARYLAND.-In an article on the
eighth census of the United States, which will be
taken this year, the Phila lepbia North American
makes the following estimate of the probable re-
| turns for this State:
HarylanG.-Ths member of the "olG thirteen
advanced in wealth and numbers steadily but slow
| ly, from 1890 till 1910, when she took a sudden
bound. The springboard for that bound was Bal
timore, which gained in the next decade nearly
| 10000 people. The same city in lS50-54 gained
over $4,000 more. Although its progress appears
since to have been a little slackened, it has doubt
less made another advance of at least 000 and con-
tans population of240, 900 to 250 00O For the State
at large our data are not very good The porpor-
tions of voters to the white inhabitants in 1S40 IA
'48, and 52, to oil; SO; 55; and 5S5. The
average of these, in 5.39, We will take for 1866
The vote certainly in weaker ratio For,
besides the known fraudulent voting in Baltimore
the four years advance of II 900 votes when all
previous four years terms had made average ad-
vances of only 600, looks very suspicious This
ratio applied and continued, makes the present
white population sos, 900. The free blacks and
slaves, being at the same rates of advance with
previous periods, $4,000 and 1000. The
former number is doubtless near right. The latter
may be wrong by some thousands, as we know lit
tie of the population that may have been "so'd
South" The whole forms aggregate of 68S, 900,
gain 1850 of 105 900, and at the rate of Is per
cent. To this gain Baltimore has contributed prob
ably two-thrds.
District Of ColumJio-This territory improved
very slowly from 1920 to lS40. In the next ten
years, including Alexandria, retroceded in that pc
riod it gained II 600. Almost all this progress
was made in that part of the District still remain