404 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



may be inferred frora the following passage, which I read 

 from the last report of the Trustees of the Public School 

 Society of New York : 



" A circular, sent to the teachers of the public schools about three weeks 

 since, resulted, before they closed, in not less than ten thousand elementary- 

 cabinets of geology for nearly the same number of families, collected, 

 labeled, and assorted by the pupils ; securing, in very many instances, a 

 hearty interest, and essential aid from their parents and other friends. 

 Public school No. 15, collected, prepared, labeled, and distributed not less 

 than four hundred such cabinets in one day," &c. 



These are interesting facts. They show that the science 

 of education is advancing with the general march of im- 

 provement ; and they render no longer doubtful the propri- 

 ety and importance of devoting a portion of the means of 

 this national institution, to assist in carrying forward, even 

 more rapidly, this great movement of the age. 



The bill provides for the " preparation of sets of illustra- 

 tions, specimens, apparatus, and school books suited for 

 primary schools." I consider these provisions of the highest 

 importance. ITcxt to the furnishing of proper teachers, is 

 the necessity for proper instruments of education. Indeed, 

 I do not know but this should be placed foremost in impor- 

 tance ; for, with the best illustrations, apparatus, and books, 

 the teacher could scarcely fail to perform his part with the 

 greatest advantage and the best success. The propriety of 

 having " professors of the most useful sciences and arts " 

 connected with the " normal branch " of this institution, 

 is too obvious to require a single remark. 



The bill does not propose (for indeed the proposition 

 would be absurd) to give to such school books as may be 

 prepared, any authority, other than that which the charac- 

 ter of the institution, and their own intrinsic worth, would 

 impress upon them. But it is very certain, that able and 

 experienced men, directing their minds particularly to that 

 object, would be prepared to give to the world something 

 far better than we now possess — something in the way of 

 elementary books, which would essentially contribute to the 

 uniformity and efficiency of general education. I think it 

 will be acknowledged, by all who know anything of the 

 subject, that such books for primary schools are at this mo- 

 ment a great desideratum. I know of no means by which 

 greater benefit could be conferred upon the people at large, 

 than by the judicious preparation and cheap supply of such 

 books. They would be equivalent to a great plan of edu- 

 cation, emanating from the highest and best authority, 

 causing; the lio-ht of all modern science and modern im- 



