Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-27
Amer,cau institute of Ins,ruc.ion.

this appear; if they are true, let the guilty
person be dealt with as he deserves.
American Institute of Instruction.
The forty second annual session of this body
began at the town hall in Ftchburg, yesterday,
the president Abner J. Phipps, of West Med
ford, in the chair, and D. W. Jones, of Boston,
secretary. stated meeting of the directors
was held in the forenoon, at which the princi-
pal business was in reference to financial aid.
The public exercises of the institute began at
halfpast two p M. The meeting was opened
with prayer by Rev. Mr.. Jones of the Episcopal
church, Fitchburg, after which the president,
Mr.. Phipps, made the opening address, which
comprised among other things the following in
teresting historical statement of the origin of
this body:
On the 18th of March, 1880, a meeting of
teachers and other friends of education was
held in Boston. 1t was continued by adjourn
ment until the 18th, and occupied with state
ments relative to the condition and wants of
schools in different parts of the New England
states. A committee was chosen to prepare a
constitution for permanent society, and to re-
port at future meeting. Of the seven mem
bers constituting this committee, only two sur
viye-Dr. George B. Emerson and Gen. H. X.
Oliver. August 10, 1880, the convention met
in the representatives hail. Boston 1t consist
ed of several hundred persons, most of them
actual teachers from twelve different states.
The constitution reported by the committee was
discussed for several days, and unanimously
adopted August 81. The name proposed by the
committee was ''The New England Association
of Teachers" but as several of the middle,
southern and western states were represented in
the convention, and many persons not teachers
wished to become members of it, the name il
now bears, "The American Institute of Instruc
tion," was adopted, and its object was stated to
be, TO diffuse knowledge on the subject of edu'
cation.
The constitution originally required the an
nual meetings to be held in Boston, but in 1886
a change was made. OF the forty-two meetings
of the Institute, twenty-one or twenty-five have
been held in Massachusetts, the rest in the other
New England states, with the exception of one
in Troy, N Nearly 400 lectures have beer
delivered at these meetings, on great variety
OF educational topics, by prominent persons Of
the different professions. Very many of these
lectures are to be found in the annual volumes
published by the Institute, and are of great
value.
The reason that the places of meeting and
sphere of operations of this american" body
have been confined almost exclusively to New
England, is, that by far the largest portion o.
~.
country. The society was incorporated by the
Massachusetts legislature in 1885, and while this
state has for thirty-seven years made annual ap-
preparations for its support, amounting in all to
$4,000, not a cent has been appropriated By
any other state. OF the 400 members during
the third year of its existence, 800 were from
Massachusetts, u2S of them from Boston) Is
from New York, II from New Hampshire, Ii
from Maine, II from Rhode Island, from Penn.
sylvania, from Connecticut, from Vermont,
3 from South Carolina, from Virginia, and ]
each from Maryland Ohio and Illinois.
OF the thirty-six persons, representing twelve
different states, elected officers of the society
forty-two years ago, only six are known to be
living. At the time it was established, there
through its widespread influence in various
ways other organizations have sprung NJ, like til,
state board of education, normal schools, stat
and county teachers associations, etc. Whethe
or not it has fulfilled its mission, and should
now give way TO other organizations
national and state, which have sprung up o
late years, and in measure have diverted in
terest from it, or whether we shall rally
around it with increased zeal and make il the
life and centre of all our educational efforts is
question that forces itself upon our considera.
ton.
After the transaction of some business of a
financial nature, very interesting paper was
read by Miss Elizabeth P. Peabody. Of Cam.
bridge, on "Kindergartening; the Gospel for
Children" She occupied about one hour, and
was listened to with great interest and atteu.
ton. Miss Peabody is a sister of Mrs Horace
Mann, and is lady Of marked talent and
character.
After allusion to the present historical crisis
of our nation, when it is proposed TO difTnse
throughout the United States the benefits of the
best educational system, she said, in explana.
ton Of her plan:
The fundamental or rather root point by
which FroebePs method differs from that of ali
educators is this: He takes up the human being
IN the iull tide Of that prodigious but blind ac.
tvity IN which he comes into the world, and
seeks 70 make itintelgent of itself and of thinos
around it by employing II 10 produce nainahIt
enects, at once satisfactory to the heart anG
fancy 0i chldhood and true TO nature b,
knowledge OF whose order and Organization thu
human UNDERSTANDING is built up in soundness
ana truth. froebel undertakes a Dractical 80
luton of the natural inherent ,endancv Of ~,
child for action in the wrong directio4 n mo-
trained Alright by seizing upon This v,1 a.
IN us earnest infancy, and gently guiding IN intC
the producuoh Oh effects that crafty the intens,
desires of the soul, and cause ii actual 10 l,
duce the beauty and use at which il has b1;Ipt,
aimed. Entering with genial sympathy jntS
that primal activity which we call cbudsi
play, he guides the child first to emsody an,
then carefully observe eternal laws, even on M
humble plane, by which he surprises and d,
lights himself with the beauty or use In,
grow under his hands, and therefore absorb b
attention.
After Miss Peabody's lecture, of which ii
above is but an imperfect outline of some point
general discussion Of the subject was partiC
pated IN.
At the evening session, an address was to
given by Rev. Richard Edwards, d. D., of
hnois, with readings by Mrs. Miller.
This forenoon there will be q paper by WI
y; Harris Of st. Louis, on " Prescription
Modern Education" TO be followed with a nan
Dy Kew. A. n. Hudson, on "The Teachings
History"
This afternoon there will be a paper by {.
Perkins of Boston, on "The importance
Drawing as branch of Education" and OF
by Gen. II. X. Oliver, on "The way / w
Taught" This evening, lecture by Prot. d.
Gilman of Yale college, on Scientific Schoo
in relation TO Colleges and High Schools"
II is expected that ex-Gov. Washburn, al
Secretary White Of the board of education, W
be present to-day, and take part in the discu
sion Of the question, How far may the sta
provide for the education Of her children at pr
JIG costT