New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-08-10
EDUCATION.
American Institute Of Insiruction.
From Our Special Correspondent

| From Our Special Correspondent
BURLINGTON. VT. August l. 1866
FIRST DAY.
The thirty annual meeting Of tho American in
ST utc Of Instruction composed of teachers and Others
gagged in educational work in the United States commenced
in the City Hail. Burlington to-day at q o'clock p IN, Mr.
b. G-Nonhrop Of Massachusetts, President in tho chair.
After prayer had been offered by the Rev Mr. Morse Of the
Baptist Church. the customary speeches Of reception and
congratulation exchanged, Professor Matthew H.
Bucklaw Of tho University Of Vermont welcoming the
members of the Convention to the city and State and
President Norihrop rejoning These preliminacs were
quite brief and when finished, the Conyention-wbch
was very large and which included great number OF the
most prominent educators of tho countyproceeded to
the serious work which the directors had planned for the
| present gathering.
On motion Of Mr.. A. p Stone Of Portland, the Chair
was authorized 10 appoint the usual Committees and also
Committee TO consider the subsc of amending or re-
ysng the Constitution OF the Association Subsequently
| the following were announced by the Chairman, VIZ
Providence Higgins OF York Adams Of Vermont Law
| ysr Il Connecticut and lIaear Of salem. Mass
| OS TTACHtRs AND 1EACHEKs pLACE5-Messrs walton ana
Litsfell Of Mussactuses and Morrison OF california 81,
on AMrSpNG rnE C9fsIH,TioN-M ess,s. Philprcs O.,
Boston NoThend Of Hartford stone OIL iorAhl cAAu' VI
| Nrw.York and Foster 81 Chicago.
The Treasurer, Mr. William L. sheldon Of Boston, pro-
senlod his report from which IT appeared that the receipts
Of the year .S!i So sd the expenditures sS 1O
balance hand slgl 81 The report and documents were
referred to Auditor Mr.. III A. Hubbard, ouPeFlheH'
| dent OF Schools in Springfield. Mas
The first subject brought before the meeting for remarks
vas that Of our Schools their influence on Agriculture,
! Commerce Manufactures, Civil Polity, and Morals
Mr A. T. Stone Of Portland took the floor aud gave nm
interesting address directed 10 show the influence OF eauea-
ton Oh tho commercial interests Oh our country anu
other propositions set forth, one IN which he urseu inc
nroductou of the Spanish language branch oi learn
ing 10 be taught in High Schools Of land He also
dweli upon the importance TO mercantile men Of irSuea
ing IN school instruction punctuaty, eDabiity and other
qualities Of great importance 10 business Intercourse.
The Rev Dr. Miner, President Of TUFTS College spoke
% The points suggested by the relations between school IL
strucion aud public morals.
| The venerable AbsAlom Peters NJ. ID Of NevYork
and Coicge Reric on being called out responded in an
interesting line # remarks In pursuance Of The hints given
| by previous speakers.
Boston, presented the author OF the system of
moral trimming and Influence pmctccd In that largo
school, Mr. ;. having abolished physical punishment
means Of discipline Mr.. Sheldon spoke very entertain.
ngly and narrated several incidents from his personal ex-
percrces His address tended 10 show the effect Of pub
lie ed'caton as administered by his system upon the gen
Mr. D. W. stevens, Superintendent of Schools a, Fail
River Mass, next spoke. lie stated during remarks
concerning tho influence OF education manufactures
that wien certain mills in Fall River shall have been
put operation that city will be ahead of Lowell in point
Of the Of her Manufactures the number of spndo
then running at Fall River being IN excess OF those nov
running 1t Lowell.
Professor Crosby Of Dartmouth College spoke colo.
quiay with Mr.. Sheldon Of Boston relative % tho moth
dds OF the latter before alluded to- after which the Rev
Dr. Mneragain addressed the Convention, naratng per-
sona experiences in COLI discipline. He stated that tho
present Sophomore Glass IN Iufts College had In response
~ what they had supposed be the wishes Of the Faculty
and out of moral Of the heretofore disgacefl
practice Of hazing freshmen, presented 10 him series
Of resolutions agreed 10 with entire unaniiy by thcm
condcmnng the practice unworthy, and pedging them
selves 10 q dguihed and genicmany treatment Of
the incoming class Of that institution.
Mr.. Ladd II Providence gave IN an amusing manner
advic, 20 lady teachers Of the smaller country
schools as Il the most efecua methods by which TO
s o sGfD % 10
The Committee, at this point took recess until even
ing and at Socoek the meeting reassembed the hall be-
ing densely fled both floor and galleries Mr. Moses L.
Brown OF Cincinnati was introduced to deliver lecture
| upon Reading as Fine Art"
| hR. NJ. T. Browns LECTURE
| In commenting his discourse tho lecturer quoted
selection from GOethes Faust where there dialogue
between Faus and student es TO declanaons from tho
Greek dramasts the rules of eocuon being cnunciated
with great dearness and power. There has been no
chang, in the Of oraory from the days of Horace
and Quntiliai till the present. Horace said: "You will
not touch tho learts OF men with your oratory unless 1t
flows from you own heart Tho lecturer considered the
objections rasd against this general rule and urged that
the law Of natalness is not too general but IS alike ap
picable TO painting statuary, music and elocution.
The common criticism OF pulpit orators is that they
dull and 1t void really that with the body OF pulpit
speakers duncs is meant to be synonymous with pety
Since Tho deah of Starr King, Mr. Beecher is the most
conspicuous example Of those preachers who rise above the
dead ye Of pulpit oatory aud entrance men With their
power Of uterace The speaker referred severely TO the
| q
| scous, and dull in the extreme.
Thesecker after knowledge in this line OF inquiry asks:
]. How power of eocution be gained and hat are
the ns and underlying principles TO guide the utcrance
II is in oatory in art and music, that simple and iden
cal rules TO be held constant view nasmuch they
underie the vocal expression equally with the
sciences named These DC observed with reference %
thought feeling emotion and passion as IN art and music
Hence tie evident claim oil reading to DO regarded
| Of the fnears.
The Enfish contributions 10 knowledge touching this
science been chiefly Steele, Sheridan and Walker
OF Americans, the most eminent have been DIR. James
Rush Prd. W. \. Russell and j. T.. Murdoch. The dis
glish elocnonists reviewed with great ncity Dr.
Rush's sysem iErucatcd, primarily, fidelity to the ma
ural mode of uerance the most important guide TO
success in elocuton The lecturer took up and
ncd the theory Of Dr. Rush and viewed with much
full anal ysshe corrcatiye ideas of quantity form, time,
stress and Pitch. Tho inquiry comes whether these ideas
arbitrary or whether they have such foundation in
effect, to show that the laws OF oratory equal and
natural.
Art is tn attempt of the soul 10 create expressions Of
nature, eher yisiby or audby. Tho creation is Gods
expressioQf nsf and subOrdr lely man repeats this
lesson In 80 Asaold ways which the varying tastes and
habits OF t suggest Tho passions, wants or tastes
OF men thu lind expression according 10 circumstances,
said rac,fnds becs or motives to art. In reading
We have tn printed page, the arbitrary symbol and tho
infections )f the voice, the two inStrunentaltles
wherewth depict the emotions OF the SOUL Here q
parallel wgdawn between reading and elocution, 10
show the ea clam Of the former To rank with the latter
The tones dthe voice the natural means 81 expressing
the emoiiogrf the soul equally with the notes OF music
or thVstl SIhe brush. IL was this which gave TO
Whdel, aud Clay, and Jenny Lind, and Madame Rachel
their maical and yet varying power All reading Is tho
attempt e4lreSs the wilton thought or emotion 10