Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-09-23

Concord First-Day scheos Union.
MEETING AT wILLIsTowN, ON TUEsDAY-THs OLD
HOUSE AND ITS OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF TUE
| BUSINESS.
| Special Rspor. for tbs Commercial.
| Third Day, the l4tli, was the day for tho gem
ersl meeting of the First-Day School people be-
longing to Concord Quarter. The meeting WAS
held in tho yenersbls meeting -house in Willis.
| town, Elk miles back from tho West Chester d
Philadelphia r. Il in the south eastern part Of
Chester county. Around tho place the hills roll
| up in great green hilawB crested with heavy
woods. and tho solid white roads wiud among
| tho rich farm slopes, or climb the steep ridges
| that overlook the
| VALLEYS OF oRUM AND cuEs TER GREEKS.
| A stone built into the wide, low gable, (tbe
| house is nearly square, the end being about ~
| broad as the 'front.' bears the inscription NV.
| III. (Wlllistown Msetng) 1713" Though an old
house now, 1t is not 30 ancient as many Other
| Friends meeting houses in Pennsylvania. At
the time of 'the separation" it was retained by
| tho Hickstos, aud tho remains of "a small stone
| foundation on one side of the wide green en-
closure mark the spot where the Orthodox built
| to themselves q house OF Worship But their
nn'nbers dwindlad away, aed the house was
long since removed.
An on5erprising Intelligent clmnunitY ap-
pears to be this Of Wistown, which occupies
comfortable and handsome homes, crowning the
slopes and deciding the valley. Every yard and
lawn is gay with geraniums, dahlias and petun.
ias the orchards and the grape-arbors hang
heavy with ripe fruit; the hOrIea are large, well
fed and swift; the corn folds are dark and rch
the cattle sleek and fat aud i'll the houses, there
are books in the eases, pictures on the walls, aud
kindly hospitality in the hearts Of the people.
at the meeting. hOueea a table was spread in the
shude whore sandwiches and coffee were dis
pensed with qnior politeness and smiling well
come and when all wers refreshed and the grent-
lngs were over, the people gathered into the
house
TO uoLD THE MODEST COUNCIL
for which they had met.
NJ L. Bartram and NJ. Ga.ragues were in their
places as clerks, aud after words of well
come from the farmer, at whose homo meeting
we were assembled, the delegates names were
called and the reports from the ten schools which
now form the Union were read and commented
upon, There was another school at Chichester,
but it has been given up for the present, aud
report to that effect only was sent.
The othera all appear to be in y fourishin9
condition except Mlddletown, which has zone
very earnest active members, but who have not
been able to keep mp tue tone Of the school, OF
late. Encouragement was given, snd 1t ia hoped
that it will improve. R9maIk5 upon questions
vital to the cause OF Day schools accompanied
all OF the reports, and eRsays upon topics OF more
general interest were read which called forth
markabie degree Of unsnimty of expression
and a wide range of ideas.
Much was said, az heretofore, about tie
LtrERATuGs OF THE school,
this being spoken of at length in the Whining
ton report, and all agreed that should be
takeu to put only really catttlble reading mat
ter into the hands Of children, and to avoid as
much Us possible the flood of ''milk aud water
books, which though not positively bad perhaps, |
yet only escape being pernicious by their weak
ness, and contain for every grain of gold,
very disproportionate quantity of alloy. This
subject was ably discussed by Henry S. Keut. |
DR.. Edwin Fusseil, of Media, Morgan Hall, |
Henry Fnssell, Thos. Worrell, Phebe Griffith,
and Martha Dodgson.
An excellont report which gave riss to inter-
eating questions aud remarks, was sent from
West Chester, ono of the largest and best con-
Quoted schools it told Of their habit of having
minutes kept by clerk and read each succeed |
ing week, giving the number OK pupils and |
teachers present, the remarks OF visitors, the |
exercises gone through with; and the report
was supplemented by explanations from Phebs
Griffith, Phipeas Garrett and others. This was
thought by the meeting to be an excellent sug-
gestlon and one worth adopting by othera This
report also said that in teaching, there were no
doctrines insisted upon, but only the following
of what appeared to be Ete truth ut tho time,
Goshen report spoke OF
THE Responsibility OF PARENTS
in setting good example to their children, that
they shonld he what they wish their children to
bCt III GDuDtuGhtlnh upon tulh tUt tlniIhIDu NlS
used 81 an ounce OF mother was worth pound
of preacher" which called out come Bpiri ed re-
joinders that all the responsibility should not
be shifted upon the mother that the father
should take his share and that he did, whether
knowingly or not, exert q powerful influence
over his child for good or evi There was an
extended discussion upon the questions given to
tire pupils in West Chester aud Wilmington
schools aud answered by them in general class
From the instances and explanations given, the
method was thought interesting and Instructive |
While speaking of Literature, Joel Sharpless
took occasion to speak in high terms Of tie
Chttdren's frt.nd, aud Scattered Seeds, and
hoped that the numbers of b ith would bs pre-
served and bonnd and tho volumes placed upon
the shelves OF the Erst-Day school libraries. |
Dr. Fusseli sug Ieeted the Life of Mary Sumer- |
Sille aud Thomas Garrigues tho Life of Amos
Lawrence, al suitable works. Morgan Hall |
spoke Of the list of books examined and reopm-
mcuded by the Unitarian Association of B1ston
as being excellent, and read extracts from the
introduction to the catalogue the aentimonts of
which We're warmly endorsed by several.
II. $. Kent hoped the Society OF Friends could
soOn have such colnInittee, and mentioned
ANN rREsros's MAEuecRpTs,
which If corrected and revised would make some
valuable volumes. He aud many others renem- |
bered her little book "COusin AIMS Stories,"
now ont OF print, bu5 which had So large n held
upon the minds of children, and did So much TO
iuculcate good morals and hablEs among theut
IL WAS hoped that some step5 would be taken to
collect her writings. Martina DoigsOn fearei
too much attention was paid TO intellectual cul-
ture, and not enough to che spiritual !; too much
time devoted TO baukr and too little to the H.
nur Fountain, which mliEt be sou hit afresh eve
ry day, aud which will be found to elevate the
higher nature. After the reading of an excel
lent essay from member Of Wlil!stown school
and remarks from Joseplt Powell aud others,
there was recess takGn for lunch mud for So
csl pleasures. lu the afternoon the reports
were continued and the subJec. OF visiting
schools was DISCUSSED at length by j. Powell, $.
Palmer, Lydia Garrett and others. Though all
Admitted tlie belef. arising from tho prscGice
yet the absence from classes which 1t necasHita'
ted was felt TO be great ditaivsntase. 1t was
cSsoLuDED TO HAVE VISITING COMMITTEE.
composed of those who arc not teachers.
Lewis Palmer, Martha Trgvin, and LYDIA GAR
rett. with Others, spoke very acceptabiy to the
meeting on general questions of interest. Del
egatee to the Philadelphia Association, which
ID To msat in WILMINGTON tho 16sh OF next
month. were appointed, Tie next Union will
ba held in Chester. The aggregated reports
| sl:ow list of 502 pupils aud 98 teachers in the