28 TRANSACTIONS 



tion," which was further discussed by Messrs. Elmen- 

 dorf, Bartlett, Dwight and Stevenson. 



MARCH 4, 1884— EIGHTEENTH REGULAR MEETING. 



J. Elmendorf, D.D., president, in the chair ; nineteen 

 members and one hundred thirty guests present. 



The amendments to the by-laws proposed at the last 

 regular meeting were adopted. 



Mr. John I. Piatt read a paper on ' ' Education by the 

 State, 11 of which the following is an abstract : The pur- 

 pose of the State in providing education is to secure its 

 own welfare by training good citizens, and no other ob- 

 ject can justify the use of public money for the support 

 of schools. The attributes of good citizenship are peace- 

 ableness, honesty, patriotism, virtue, thrift, intelligence 

 and sufficient information. Of these virtue and dutj- are 

 more important than learning, and the training of char- 

 acter is more important than the training of the intel- 

 lect. Character is formed and morality is inculcated by 

 teaching, and no system of education is or can be com- 

 plete which does not include the princirjles of morality 

 and thrift in its course of study. There should be text 

 books prepared for this purpose and these things should 

 be taught as a required study in every school. And, 

 finally, religion is too closely connected with the welfare 

 and usefulness of the individual and the strength and 

 honor of the State to be neglected. While we must re- 

 spect freedom of opinion religion should not be excluded, 

 and any plan that will permit it to resume its proper 

 place in our common schools without offending the preju- 

 dices of sect, should be welcomed, and wherever and 

 whenever practicable should be put in force. 



The subject of the paper was discussed by President 

 Elmendorf, and Messrs. Gardner, Crosby, Mian, Dwight 

 and Stevenson. 



