Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-11-21
PRICE TWO CENTS.
FIFTH EDITION.



LECTURE BY SECRETARY HoRTHRoP, OF ooNsxoTf-
CUT, YESTERDAY. -...
. Large meeting Of the Teachers Institute was
held At ~ o'clock, yesterday, at Public School
No. !, and addressed by Hon. B. G. Northrop,
Secretary of the Board of Education of Conneo-
ticut, on the Kindergarten or ''object' system of
teaching children. He Illustrated the subject
with number Of objects designed to develop
and train the senses of young children, and ex-
planned the methods adopted in the KindergaT-
ten schools of Europe. He closed his lecture at
about half past five o'clock.
In the evening, at West Presbyterian Churah,
there WAS large and appreciative audience,
though the house was not crowded MIR. Nor
throp, who has travelled extensively and observ-
cd closely, in Europe, spoke on the topic .The
New Era in Europe, and Its Lessons for U.s."
He was listened to with the deepest interest, and
all present enjoyed the lecture rare intellec-
tual sat- In our necessarily brief notice, we
can only give general outline of the leee.rs
which nothing but full report could do justice
to.
Reconstruction, the Doctor said was tie spirit
OF the age, and the day of mere dogmss had
passed away before the general spread of light
and knowledge. The prevailing ignorance
amongst the masses Of the English people was
deplorable and was exciting the fears OF many
OF the leading statesmen of Great Britain, while
the pauperism of England was in proportion TO
the ignorance of tue people, and from
1850 to 1870, increased one thousand per cent.
This is easily accounted for, when 1t becomes
known that the one half of England belongs TO
141 persons, and one half of Scotland belonged
to 70 persons. This could not be the case where
education was properly disseminated, and in hap
py contrast with this picture was that Of Swift
zerland with her free schools. England spent
five times more for the support OF pauperism
than for education. Switzerland paid seven
times more for education than for the support
of paupers.
The Lecturer had fallen in love with Switzer-
land the first time he ever saw it, and not for
her akeator riverH her.mountans or her glaciers.
but for the independent spirit of her citizens,
| aud her splendid system Of free schools.
| or her citizens 100000 were landholders, and
| when the Prussian Army crossed corner of
| her territory to invade France, 100000 men con-
fronted the invaders, and l00,0 900 more were. on
| the way. The national motto of Switzerland
was "All for One, One for All"
| England found herself outstripped at the Paris
| Exposition by France, aud nearly all others of
| the Continental nations, after which she inves-
| tigsted and attributed the failure to the want
| ofgeneral education
| Austria learned lesson at the battle Of
sadowa, where her. defeat was attributed
more to cultivated brains than to the needle
gun. Count Won Beust the Austrian minister,
taking in the situation said sAustris defested in
| arms, it is ours to cultivate the arts CT peace,
| and not, like France, seek revenge Austria
| was now making more rapid advance In educa-
ton than any other country in Europe except
/ Switzerland fr ,
| The battle Of Sedan set the French TO think
| ing and they too were now discussing the pow
| ers of brute force and education.
| He. then referred to the educational progress
| made in Russia, where Is, 900 schools have been
| established, and in Italy, where great work Ia
needed to be. DONE In concluding. he spoke
| particularly of the handsome specimens of draw
| ing he had seen at No. school, aud favorably
referred to the schools of this city.