The Portland daily press., 1870-12-28

Maine Classlca, Srbco,

Inc Christian Mirror of last week contains
letter from Amos Brown, L L D., of New
YORK State, many years ago the popular and
successful teacher of Gorham Seminary. His
many pupils scattered througbt this State will
De pieased 10 learn that he still chershes re-
membrance of that institution, and that hi,
Judgment comedies with the general senti.
ment OF those that best understand the subject
Speaking of the animsdversions of Prof. Sew.
ell OF Brunswick en- Gorham as the place for
the Classical School, he says:
The remarks in his article, in regard to Cor
nam nam ana tne school buildings there, do not
seem TO me to be quite just.
Geographically considered as resnacts .ho
territory OF the State, Gorham is nor central
But practically Considered, owing to tbe fact
OF ITS cont.guity to Portland, where steam boats
rom an the more easterly harbors and rivers
CT the State, fnd their landings: and wbere
cars from every point of the conn pass Fl adj their
stations, it IS one OF the most easily apd CHEAP.
~ accessible points for the entire population Of
the state to be found In it. The Professors
second thought will assure him Of this sucees-
The school buildings at Gorbam have. II ia
true' the disadvantage of being somewhat an
t'que. they have, however, many more ex.
ceIiencies, am Sure, than the Professors de-
seT'ptlon OF them wonld lead one to conclude.
was at one time familiar with these build.
ipss, and at no great outlay, 1 am couhdeut,
they Gould be made well to subserye ell the
ends of first-cass academy. sl'f,.f.
Mr.. Browns long experience and Indictment
In regard to all matters relating to schools ia
worthy of the highest consideration. His
views are thus stated:
The Professor advocates the Joint education
OF the sexes in schools of the grade of This con-
tempiated one, and on the whole, think, iust-
az mi
Die from such combined process, are, I am
persuaded, real L am, however equally well
persuaded, it should be added, that tbey will
on investigation be found not 10 be universal.
ine fractional exception applicable to the
statements, may not be large, perhaps: out IL
Is grave, and IL Is. 1t will be found to be prom
erly about equally divided as be weeu the seq
es: speaking, generally, it is probably safe to
a1nrm that nine-ten,hs OF the pupils at least,
OF eacn rex, WHEEL mutually collected for study
ana disclpllne, In schools of the grade of our
n'gher academies and seminares, are, from the
solteulpg, the stimulating, the Rstbetic aud
right moral effects thus produced, especially
Denentted by the arrangement; and that Just
are advantaged by the operation, will the other
tenth, from it, to them, distractiDg and tasci-
mating effects, be harmed thereby.
Such, indeed, Is my judgment, derived from
long, and both pleasant and painful expert
ence i'll the work of the joint education OF the
sexes commit it to you for what it is worth.
He differs from Prof Sewell on another
question and gives his reasons as follows:
Permit me now TO express in a word what
my conviction is OF the desirableness of board
ing, female pupils in particular, in buildings
constructed designedly for the purpose and
submitted to the supervision of academic Of
iicials. 1t is this: If the plan is not found TO
be the most desirable, may say in all respects
the fault in the case, Ibeleve, will not be in
the plan, but rather 10 the improperly con.
strncted edifce, or in the ineficiency of teaci,-
er-. Let only discipline be thorough that is,
nrm and eommon-seose; let play, attention to
studies, the formation Of ssaan ess, the PROMO
tion of couTort and of morals be properly d.
vlded, and each and all of them be properly
attended to by both teachers and pupiis In
joint association, and it must be an intractable
assemblage indeed, if the best results TO be
reason ably hoped for tn I'm in this condition.
do not actually derive to them.
1t was my belief, and that of my associate
teachers from their situation best qualified to
1udge, through many years, that the advant-
ages OF this plan over that of boarding sepa-
rately in families. were in the relation of three
to two; that is, that two terms of study to a
pupil boarding at the Seminary with her teach
ers, We're, in all respects equal to three terms
OF study to the same student il boarding in a
private family, And the same is the belief of
the President, DR.. Cowles-aud Professors of
the Elmira Female College, as am assured,
derived from long and aaiotsxf=v observation.