Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-09-16

I
BUHiNEAs.
Special Repor. for Ms Commercial.
Third Day. the 1ltli, WAS the day for the gem
eral meeting Of tho Frst-Ddy School people be-
longing to Concord Quarter. The meeting was
held in the venerable meeting house in Willis
town, six miles back from the West Chester IL
Philadelphia Il. Il , in the southeastern part of
Chester county. Around the place the hills roll
up in great green pillows, crested with heavy
| woods, and the solid white roads wind among
| the rich farm slopes, or climb the steep ridges
| that overlook the
VALLEYS or CRuM AND CHESTER CREEKS.
A stone built into the wide, low gable, (the
| house is nearly square, the end being about as
broad as the front, bears the inscription "W
| NJ. (Willistown Meeting 1795." Though an old
| house now, it il not 30 ancient as many other
| Friends meeting houses in Pennsylvania At
| the time of 'the separation, it was retained by
tie Ilicksites, and the remains OF small stone
| foundation, on one side of the wide green en-
| closure, mark the spot where the Orthodox built
| to themselves house of worship. But their
numbers dwindled away, and the house was
| long since removed
| An enterprising, Intelligent community ap-
| pears TO be this of Willistown, which occupies
comfortable and handsome homes, crowning the
slopes and decking the valley. Every yard and
| lawn is gay with geraniums, dalilias and petlIn-
| ias tile orshards and the grape-arbors hang
heavy with ripa fruit; the horses are large, we'll
| fed and swift; the corn fields are dark and rich;
tho cattle sleek and fat and in the houses, there
are books in the cases. pictures on the walls and
| kindly hospitality in the hearts of tho people.
| At the meeting houae,a table was spread in the
| shade. where sandwiches and coffee were dis
pensed with qniet politeness and smiling well
| como and when all were refreshed and the greet
ings were over the people gathered into the
| house
TO HOLD the MODEST COUNCIL
| for which they had met.
M. L. Bartram and NJ Garragues were in their
| places as clerks, and after some words of well
come from the farmer, at whose home meeting
we were assembled, the delegates names were
callod and the reports from the ton schools which
now form the Union were read and commented
| upon. There was another school at Chichester,
| but it has been given up for tho present, and
| report to that effect only was sent
| The others all appear to be in a ilouriahing
| condition except Middletown, which has some
| very earnest active members, but who have not
hpen able to keep up the tone OF the school, of
0!te. Encouragement was given, and it is hoped
| that it will improve. Remark5 upon questions
vital tothe cause of lstDay schools accompanied
all the reports, and essays upon topics OF more
general interest were read. which called forth
markablo degree OF unanimity Of expression
| though there WAS great variety in tho thought,
and wide range OF ideas.
Much was said, as heretofore, about the
LITERATURE OF THE SCHOOL,
this being spoken OF at length in the Whining
ton report, and all agreed that care should be
taken to pnt only reaily cnttabie reading mat
tor into tho hands of children, and to avoid as
much as possible the flood of ''milk and water"
books, which though not positively bad perhaps,
yet only escape being pernicous by their weak
ness, and contain for every grain OF gold. a
very disproportionate quantity of alloy. This
snbject was ably discussed by Henry s. Kent,
DR.. Edwin Fussell, Of Media, Morgan Hall,
Henry Fussell, Thos. Worrell, Phebe Griffith,
and Martha Dodgson.
An excellent report whioh savo rise to iuter-
esting questions and remarks, was sent from
| West Chester, one of the largest and best con-
ducted schools it told Of their habit of having
| minutes kept by a clerk and read each succeed
| ing week. giving the number Of pupils and
| teachers present. the remarks of visitors, the
exercises gone through with; and the report
was supplemented by explanations from Phebe
| Griffith, Phneas Garrett and others. This was
| thought by tho meeting to be an excellent sns-
| gestion and one worth adopting by others. This
report also said that III teaching, there were no
doctrines insisted upon, but only the following
| of what appeared to be the truth at the time
| Goshen report spoke OF
THE RE-roysIBrirY OF PARENTS
in setting good example to their children, that
| they should lie what they wlah their children to
| be. In commenting upon this the quotation was
| used /" an ounce of mother was worth a pound
of preacher" which called out some spirited re-
| jonders that all tho responsibility should not
| be shifted upon the mother that the father
should take his share, and that he did, whether
| knowingly or not, exert a powerful influence
over his CHILD for good or evil. There was an
| extended discussion upon the questions gwen to
the pupils in West Chester and Wilmington
| schools and answered by them in general class.
| From the instances and explanations given, tho
method was thought interesting and Instructive.
| While speaking of Literature Joel Sharpess
| took occasion to speak in high terms OF the
| Chitirens Friend, and Scattered Seeds and
| ,1,ars. ~ hnf ia
served and bound and the volumes placed upon
| the shelves OF the First-Day school libraries.
| Dir. Russell suggested the Life of Mary Somer-
vile and Thomas Garrigues the Life OF Amos
| Lawrence, al suitable works. Morgan Hall
spoke of the list of books examined and recon-
mended by the Unitarian Association of Boston
as being excellent, and read extracts from the
| introduction to the catalogue, the sentiments OF
which were warmly endorsed by several
| II. S. Kent hoped the Society of Friends could
soon have such a committee, and mentioned
| ANN pREsToN's MANUSCRIPTS,
which If corrected and revised would make some
valuable volumes. He and many others remem-
bered her little book "Cousin AIMS Stories,
now ont of print but winch had 80 large hold
| upon the minds of children, and did SO much to
| incucate good morals and habits among them
| 1t was hoped that some steps would be taken to
| collect her writings. Martha Dodgson feared
| too much attention was paid to intellectual cul-
| ture and not enough to the spiritual TOO nuch
nor Fountain, which must be sought afresh eve
ry day. and which will be found to elevate the
higher nature. After the reading of an excel
lent essay from member OF Wllistown school
and remarks from Joseph Powell and others,
there was a recess taken for lunch aud for So
cia pleasures. In The afternoon the reports
| were continued and the subject OF visiting
schools was discussed at length by J.. Powell, 3
Palmer, Lydia Garrett and others. Though all
admitted the benefit araing from the practice,
vet the absence from classes Which it necessita-
ted was felt to be great disadvantage. 1t was
CONCLUDED TO HAVE VISITING COMMITTEE e
| composed of those who are not teachers.
| Lewis Palmer, Martha Traviila, and Lydia Gar
rett, with others, spoke very acceptaby to the
meeting on general questions of interest. Dol
egates to the Philadelphia Association, which
is TO meet in Wilmington the 10th of next
month, were appointed. The next Union will
be held in Chester. The aggregated reports
show list of 592 pupils and 9G teachers in the
Union. H. W.