MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER; AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY JOURNAL. 
15 
(IBbiicntiniml Itpartnuiit. 
BY L. VVKTIIERELL. 
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mTRODIJCTOIlY. 
Iw proceeding to fullil the undertaking 
announced in the Prospectus of this paper, 
wc, in obedience to comnion usage, avail 
ourselves of the oi)i)ortunity to present an 
outline of our plan. 
The title of our Department will natu¬ 
rally turn the mind of the reader to the 
subject of Education as the theme of dis¬ 
cussion. The word Education, or its equiv¬ 
alent, is found in the language of every nation 
upon the face of the earth, and with it each 
and all associate what is viial to the pros¬ 
perity and ultimate success of every enter¬ 
prise in which man engages. It can be 
easily shown, we think, that what is usually 
denominated a “good education,” is as es¬ 
sential to the farmer and the gardener, as 
to the physician and the lawyer. The tiller 
of the soil, if ignorant of its qualities has 
no more reason to complain, because he luis 
not a bountiful harvest to gather, than the 
empiric in medical practice has because 
success does not crown his ignorant experi¬ 
ments. We shall try to demonstrate to all 
who are engaged in the vocation of agri¬ 
culture, and to the young, espccialh/, who 
propose to pumue this primitive calling, the 
necessity of a thorough intellectual training. 
Gov. Fish in his mes-saffc to the Leeisla- 
time last Avinter, “ recommended the endow¬ 
ment, by the State, of an Agricultural 
School, and an institution for instruction in 
the mechanic arts.” The Assembly respon¬ 
ded to tills recommendation in appointing 
an able Board of Commissioners to consider 
the subject, and to report a plan for an Ag¬ 
ricultural School. The Government of the 
French Republic has under its patronage 
122 Agricultural Schools, and 300 minor 
institutions for the promotion of the art of 
cultivating the earth. 
We have Theological, Medical, Law, and 
Normal Schools, and why should we not 
have schools to improve and advance the 
Science of Agriculture and the Mechanic 
Arts? 
What we have to say on the subject of 
Education will naturally come under the 
three folloiving diiisions: Intellectual, Phys¬ 
ical, and Moral Education. The art of arts 
is that wliich consists in knoAving how to 
educate and train in a, perfectly systematical 
manner the powers of the Intellect; tliis 
being well done, early in life, it becomes 
comparatively easy to teach as well as to 
learn obedience to both the physical and 
the moral laws. We shall strive to furnish 
our readers Avith the best thoughts of the 
best writei-s and the most able teachers on 
this important art 
Having presented for your consideration 
an outline of our plan, Av'e enter upon the 
field of labor Avith confidence that we shall 
be sustiiined by the liriends of Popular and 
Universal Education. Here upon the pages 
of this weekly visiter, may there be found 
incentives to turn the Avearied citizen aside 
from the hum and dusty path of physical 
toil and labor, to the calm and SAveet con¬ 
templation of truth and philosophy — to the 
happy boAver sought and loved by the poet 
’— to the evening attended Avitli “ the sweet 
influences of Pleiades and the bands of 
Orion.” Here may nothing be reflected 
that shall in the least tend to vitiate the in- 
nocency and purity of early childhood; or, 
that shall mislead any honest inquirer after 
truth. We shall seek to make our columns 
the Reflectois of truth in all that pertains 
to Human Culture. 
LECTURES BY PROE. JOHNSTON, 
BKKORK THE N. Y. STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Syllabus of a course of Lectures on the general 
relations of Science to Agriculture: by James F. 
W. Johnston, F. II. S. &c. 
1. The relation of Physical Geography to prac¬ 
tical Agriculture. 
2. The relation of Meteorology to practical Ag¬ 
riculture. 
3. The relations of Botany and Zoology to 
practical Agriculture. 
4. The relations of Geology to practical Agri¬ 
culture. 
5. Relations of Chemistry to the soil and its 
practical improA-ernent. 
6 . Relations of Chemical Physiolog)' to the plant 
and the modes of promoting its growth. 
7. Relations of Chemical Physiology to the 
Animal; its food and its growth. 
8 . Relations of Chemistiy to the Doctrine of 
Manures. 
9. Means by which general scientific knowledge 
may be diftiised, and made available for the im¬ 
provement of practical Agriculture and tlie general 
elevation of the Agricultural claas. 
Lectures will commence early in January. 
B. P. Johnson, Sec’y. 
Wii presume the lectures are to be delivered in 
tlie Agricbltural Rooms, Albany.—Ei>. 
A'lEAV OF A PRIMARY SCHOOL HOU.SK. 
PRIMARY SCHOOL HOUSES. 
[School Architecture, so long neglected 
throughout the countiy, is beginning to attract at¬ 
tention. We shall devote some time and space to 
the subject, and present such articles and illustra¬ 
tions as will lead to improvement in a matter so 
important. _For our present number wo have se¬ 
lected the accompanying plan and description of a 
Primaiy School House in Providence, R. I. We 
copy from Barnard’s School Architecture — an 
excellent work, by the way, which should be in 
every School Ijibraiy' in the State.] 
These buildings are located in different parts of 
the city, and are designed for the accommodation 
of children from four to six or seven years of age, 
or until they are prepared to enter the intermediate 
schools. 
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INTERIOR OF A PRIMARY SCHOOL HOUSE. 
ranges; each range containing ten seats and desks, 
of three different sizes, and each scat and desk ac¬ 
commodating tAvo scholars, or one hundred and 
tAA'enty in all. 
The center aisle is three feet and a half Avido, and 
each of the others about two feet. 
The desks are over three feet long, by sixteen 
inches Avide, Avith a shelf beneath for books. The 
upper surface of the desk [a], except about tAA’o 
inches at the top [/»], slopes one inch and a half 
in a foot. 
The front of the desk, constituting the back of 
the next seat, slopes one inch in a foot. The seat 
also inclines a very little from the edge. The seats 
are of four different sizes, varying from seA'en to 
These school houses stand back from thirty to 
sixty feet from the line of the street, and near the 
center of lots varying from eighty to one hundred 
feet in breadth, and from one hundred to one hun¬ 
dred and tAventy feet in length. Each lot is in¬ 
closed by a neat and substantial fence, six feet 
high, and is divided into two yards — one for boys 
and the other for girls — Avith suitable out-build¬ 
ings, shade trees, and shrubbery. 
These houses are each forty feet long by thirty- 
three feet Avide, with tAA'ch^e feet posts, built of 
wood, in a plain, substantial manner, and, Avith 
the fences, are painted Avhite, presenting a neat and 
attractive exterior. 
The entrance is into a lobby [A] and thence in¬ 
to an open area, Avliere stands the stove [a]. A 
portion of the lobby is appropriated to bins for 
charcoal [c] and anthracite [d], which is the fuel 
used in all the schools; the remainder [B] is oc¬ 
cupied by a sink, and as depositories for brooms, 
brushes, &c. Each room is arched, thereby se¬ 
curing an average height of 
thirteen feet, Avith an opening 
in the center of the arch, two 
feet in diameter, for ventila¬ 
tion. The ventilator is con¬ 
trolled by a cord passing over 
a pulley, and descending into 
the room near the teacher’s 
desk [6]. In each end of the 
attic is a circular AvindoAV, 
which, turning on an axis, can 
be opened and closed by cords, 
in the same manner as the 
ventilator. 
The teacher’s platform [C] 
is five feet wide, tAA'enty feet 
long, and seven inches high, 
with a black-board ten feet 
long and three feet Avide on 
the wall in the rear. 
The fioor is of inch and a 
half plank, tongued and grooA'- 
ed; and for the puqiose of se¬ 
curing Avarmth and firmness, 
and avoiding noise, is laid on 
cement. 
The windows, elcA'en i.n 
number, of tAventy-four lights, 
of seven by nine glass, are 
hung Avith weights and furn¬ 
ished Avith inside blinds. The 
sides of the room and entries 
are ceiled all round with wood 
as high as the AvindoAV-sills, 
Avhich are four feet from the 
fioor. The rest of the walls 
are plastered, and covered Avith 
white hard finish. Each room 
is provided with sixty seats [s] 
and desks [f], placed in six 
View of Top of a Desk, and Sectional Vieio of 
Primary Seats and Desks. 
ten inches wide, and from nine to fourteen inches 
in height, the loAvest being nearest the teacher’s 
platform. 
COMMON SCHOOLS. 
Depart.ment of Common Schools, > 
Secretary’s Office, Albany, Dec. 21, 1849. ^ 
To Trustees and inhabitants of School Districts: 
An impression e.xtensively prevails throughout 
the State, as indicated by the daily corre.spondence 
of this department, that the omission of the boards 
of Supervisors of the respectiA'e counties to raise 
the additional amount of public money required 
by the ueAV school laAV, dispenses with the neces¬ 
sity of preparing the estimates and voting the taxes 
required by that act, for the support of schools for 
the ensuing year, and that in such cases resort 
may bo had to the old rate bill system. The Su¬ 
perintendent deems it of the utmost importance 
that this erroneous impres.sion should bo removed. 
There is no other mode knoAvn to the laAv for the 
support of the schools of the State, subsequently 
to the period Avhen the noAV laAV took effect, (Nov. 
30) than that which is prescribed by that laAv; and 
no rate bill can legally bo made out, under any cir- 
cunustances, for terms expiring after that day, or 
for any future school terms. The omission of the 
board of supervisors to act, in no resjiect effects 
the poAvers or duties of inhabitants and trustees of 
districts as prescribed by the law. In many of the 
counties, the annual meetings of the board had 
already been held before the noAV act took effect; 
and in others an adjournment had taken place be¬ 
fore the Supervisors Avere officially notified of the 
adoption of the neAV law and of their duties under 
it. In all such cases, the estimate prepared by 
tnistees and submitted to the inhabitants at their 
annual or at a special meeting called for that pur- 
po.se, must be ba.sed upon the existing apportion¬ 
ment of public money; and the balance requisite 
for the support of schools for the ensuing year, 
after the application of the public money, so ascer¬ 
tained, can only bo raised by a distinct tax. 
The Superintendent earnestly trusts that the 
temporarA' additional burthen of taxation cast upon 
the districts in tho.se counties where the Supervi¬ 
sors haA'O been unable to come to their relief in the 
mode prescribed by the new Iuav, will not be per¬ 
mitted to operate injuriously to the interests of 
common school education, by restricting the term 
of instruction to a less period than eight months, 
tho average heretofore maintained; and that the 
same enlightened and patiiotic views AA'hich dicta¬ 
ted the adoption of tho free school system by a 
inajority so decided, Avill bo manifested in effi¬ 
ciently sustaining that system, especially at its 
outset. Christopher Morgan, 
Sup’t of Common Schools. 
All N. Y. papers are requested to publish above. 
Literary Institutions of the United 
States.— The following is a brief summary 
of the latest collegiate intelligence: 
o o 
Number of Colleges in tho United States... 120 
Do Instructors in do ... 896 
Do Theological Seminaries. 42 
Do Instructors in ditto. 118 
Do Law Schools. 13 
Do Instructors in ditto. 24 
Do Medical Schools. 36 
Do Instructors in ditto. 2.38 
Harvard has sent forth the largest num¬ 
ber of graduate.s; Yale the next to the largest; 
Princeton the third; Union the fourth; 
Dartmouth the fifth, etc. Yale h<is the 
gTcatest number of students in attendance; 
Union ranks next; and Harvard third. Har¬ 
vard is the oldest college in the U. States, 
having been founded in 1638. 
Important Hint to Parents. — Foav 
pei-sons realize how much their children 
may be taught at, home, by devoting a few 
minutes to their instruction every day. Let 
a parent make the experiment Avith his son 
of ten yeai-s old, for a single week, and only 
during the hours which are not spent in 
school. Let him make a companion of his 
child, converse Avith him familiarly, put to 
him questions, ansAver inquiries, communi¬ 
cate facts, the result of his reading or obser¬ 
vation, aAvaken his curiosity, explain difficul¬ 
ties, the meaning of things, and the reason 
of thing's, and all this in an easy, playful 
manner, Avithout seeming to impose a task, 
and he Avill liimsidf be astonished at the 
progress Avhich Avill be made. 
Industry.—E xcellence is ncA'er granted 
to man, but as the reAvard of labor. It ar¬ 
gues, indeed, no snicill strength of mind to 
persevere in habits of industry Avithout tho 
pleasure of perceiving those advantages, 
Avhich like the hand of a clock, Avhilst they 
nicike liourly approaches to their point, yet 
proceed so sloAvly as to escape observation. 
luiiriu] HfcaMng. 
THE VALUE OF COMMON VmTUES. 
A spirit of fault finding, an unsatisfied 
temper, constant in'itability, little inequalities 
in the look, the temper or manner, a broAv 
cloudy or dissatisfied—your husband or wife 
cannot tell Avhy—will more'^than neutralize 
all the good you can do, and render fife any 
thing but a blessing. It is in such gentle 
and humble virtues as meekness and for¬ 
bearance, that the happiness and usefulness 
of life consists, far more than in brilliant elo¬ 
quence, splendid talents, and illustrious deeds 
that shall send the name to future times.— 
It is the bubbling spring Avhich floAvs gently, 
the little rividet that glides through the 
meadow, and runs along day and niglit 
by the farmhouse, that is useful, rather 
than the swollen flood or the roaring cata¬ 
ract Niagara excites the Avonder and Ave 
stand amazed at the power and gTeatness of 
God there, as he pours it from his hoUoAv 
hand. But one Niagara is enough Tor one 
continent or a world, Avliilst that same Avorld 
needs thousands and tens of thousands of 
silver fomitains, and gentle rivulets that shall 
Avater every farm, and eA'ery meadoAA', and 
every garden, and that shall flow on, every 
day and every night, AAnth their gentle and 
quiet beauty. So Avith the acts of our fives. 
It is not by great deeds only, like those of 
IIoAvard, not by gi'eat sufferings only, like 
those of the martyrs,—that good is to bo 
done; it is by the daily and quiet A'irtues of 
fife—tho Christian temper, the meek for¬ 
bearance, the spirit of forgiveness in the 
husband, the Avife, the father, the mother, 
the brother, the sister, the friend, tho neigh¬ 
bor, that good is to be done; and in this all 
may be useful.— Barns. 
An Indian’s Idea of a Mother’s Influ¬ 
ence. — When residing among the ChoctaAV 
Indian.s, I held a conversation Avith one of 
their principal chiefs respecting the success- 
iA'e stages of their progress in the arts and 
virtues of civilized fife; and first among other 
tliing.s, he informed me that at their first 
start they fell into a great mistake — they 
sent only their boys to school. They be¬ 
came intelligent men, but they married uned¬ 
ucated and uncivilized wives, and the uniform 
result Avas, that the cliildren Avere all like 
their mother; and soon the father lost his 
interest in both Avife and children. “ And 
now,” said he, “ if we would educate only 
one class of our children, we would choose 
the girls, for when they become mothers 
they Avould educate their sons.” This is to 
the point, and is true. No nation can be¬ 
come fully and permanently ciA'ilized and 
enlightened Avhere the mothers are not, to 
a good degree, qualified to discharge the 
duties of the “ home work of education. — 
Rev. S. Dyer. 
Honor your Parents. —General George 
Washing-ton, Avhen quite young, was about 
to go to sea as a midshipma.n; every thing 
was arranged, the vessel lay opposite liis 
father’s house, the little boat had come ashore 
to take him off, and his Avhole heart was 
bent on going. After his trunk had been 
earned doAvn to the boat, he Avent to bid 
his mother farcAvell, and saAv the teai-s burst¬ 
ing from her eyes. HoAvever, he said noth¬ 
ing to her; but feeling that she Avould be 
distressed if he Avent, and perhaps neA-er be 
happy again, be turned round to the servant 
and saiil: “ Go and tell them to fetch my 
trunk back. I will not go away to break 
my mother’s heart.” His mother Avas struck 
=Avith his decision, and she said to him: 
“ George, God has promised to bless the 
children that honor their pai-ents, and I be¬ 
lieve he will bless you.” 
Love of Children.— Tell me not of the 
trim, precisely arranged homes Avhere there 
are no children; “Avhere,” as the good Ger¬ 
man luis it, “the fly traps ahvays hang- 
straight on the Aval!;” tell me not of the 
never disturbed nights and days, of the tran- 
quel unanxious hearts, Avhere children are 
not! I care not for these things. God sends 
us children for another purpose than merely 
to keep up the race—to enlarge our hearts, 
to make us unselfish, and full of kindly sym¬ 
pathies and affections; to give our souls 
higher aims, and to call out all our faculties; 
to extend enterprise and exei-tion; to bring 
round our fireside bright faces and happy 
smiles, and loving, tender hearts. My soul 
blesses the Great Father every day, that he 
has gladdened the earth Avith little children. 
Condensed Argument.—A A-ery cele¬ 
brated Scotch divine says: “ The Av-orld Ave 
inhabit must have had an origin; that origin 
must have consisted in a cause; that cause 
must have been intelligent; that intelligence 
must haA-e been ultimate; that ultimate poAv- 
er must have been supreme; and that Avhich 
ahvays Avas, and is supreme, we knoAv by 
tho name of God. 
Inratriit dBtoiioim]. 
GOO D COOK ING. 
Good cooking does not consist in produ¬ 
cing the highest seasoned dishes, nor such 
as to foster a morbid appetite; but in pre¬ 
paring every dish Avell, hoAvever simple or 
common it may be. There are, for instance, 
fiimilies Avho never eat any good bread from 
one century to another, and have no idea 
in what it consists. Nor are meats cooked 
any better within their precincts. Those 
little, simple, and healthy delicacies, Avhich 
the good housekeeper knows intuitively 
hoAv to produce, are never seen here. Even 
a dish of potatoes cannot get themselves 
Avell boiled. A member of the family 
might as Avell fall among the Hottentots, 
as far as any proper nursing- is concerned. 
These things ought not to be, nor is there 
any need of their existence, if the Avife has 
any just notions of her obligation to herself 
and those about her. 
If your life has been so irreproachable as 
to leave your enemy no opportunity for de¬ 
traction Avithout inventing a calumny agmn.st 
you, consider Avhat a comfort it is that malice 
cannot hurt you Avithout the aid of fiilsehood. 
And Avhere this is the case, you may trust 
to the genuine fairness of your character to 
cleiu- itself in the end. 
Corn Starch—A neav Article of 
Food.— Many of our readers are aware 
that the best and purest starch to be found 
is now manufactured in this country from 
Indian corn alone. Such is the avcU known 
“ Pearl Starch” manufactured by J. J. Wood, 
(late Clark and Wood) of Columbus, also 
the “OsAvego Starch” in Ncav York. It is 
manufactured by a peculiar process for 
Avhich a patent avhs gTanted a few yeiu-s 
ago; and of this we shall speak at another 
time; our object at present being to infonn 
our houscAvife friends that this same Corn 
Starch is a very wholesome and delicious 
article of food; and dishes prepared of it 
are becoming highly popular among the 
families where knoAvn in this city, and also 
in Ncav Y ork. It is easily prepared and can 
be used in a great variety of Avays. The 
folloAving have been tried by some of our 
most skilful houscAvives and found to be 
excellent We can testifiy from experience 
to the good q^uality of the recipes: 
Corn Starch Pudding.— Take .six table 
spoonfuls of pure Corn Starch—add suffi¬ 
cient neAv milk just to dissoh-e it—then add 
three eggs and beat thoroughly together; 
noAv have one quart of iicav milk, a little 
salted, and heat nearly io boiling, then pour 
in the mixture of starch and egg-s, stir briskly 
and boil for three minutes, and it is ready 
for the table. For sauce, use cream and 
loaf sugar beaten together—or any othcr 
that may be preferred. 
Delicate Cake.— The whites of 14 eggs, 
lb. of butter, 1 lb. sugar, ^ lb. flour, -)• lb. 
starch, pounded and sifted, ^ teacupful sour 
cream, Avith a little soda or saleratusin it. 
Another. — One teacupfuf of butter, 2 
do. of sugar 1-i do. of starch, do. of sour 
milk or cream AA-ith a little soda in it, 8 
Avhites of egg, flavored Avith grated lemon 
peel or any thing you prefer — Ohio Cnlt. 
> # 
Peeling and Boiling Potatoes. — The 
loss of the most nutritious portion of the 
potato is incurred by peeling off tho rind 
and parts directly underneath, as in those 
the nitrogenized matter, but no starch, chiefly 
reside, Avhich are dissolved by cold water 
and coagulated by Avater Avhile boiling. If 
potatoes, therefore, are throAvn into cold 
Avater, and heated, much of their nitrogen¬ 
ized principle Avill be extracted before the 
Avatei- reaches the point of ebullition; where¬ 
as if it be made to boil before they are in¬ 
troduced, the coagulation Avill cause the 
matters to bo retained within the ti.ssue of 
the vegetables lying contiguous to the rind. 
The best way to cook potatoes is to steam 
them; an old iron pot Avith a close fid and 
a little Avater, Avill do the business. — Sci. 
American. 
Neav Cement for mending Earthen 
Ware. — Take a piece of wheaten flour 
dough, and knead and Avork it under water 
till the starch is all Avorked out and the Avater 
comes clean. The remainder is gluten. — 
Put this int<)^some vessel, keep it in a warm 
and damp place, like a cellar; and when it 
has undergone the putrefactive fermenta¬ 
tion, Avhich may be known by its becoming 
pasty and giving off an offensiA-e smell, ap¬ 
ply it to the edges of the broken articles and 
confine tiU diy-. If the edges are free from 
grease and fresh broken, neither heat nor 
hot Avater effects it 
This recipe is peddled as a secret. 
Butter Making.—T hose Avho only make 
a small quantity of butter, and of course do 
not churn CA’cry day will find the foUoAving 
very importint: When the cream of each 
day is put into the jar or pot in which it is 
kept, let the Avhole be stirred together thor^- 
oughly. If this is not done, the cream of 
each day Avill remain in layers as it is put 
in, and the loAver strata will become sour 
and bitter, and Avhen the churnmg is done, 
Avill taint the Avhole. So says a butter ma¬ 
ker of the class alluded to. 
Cleansing Paint.—T he best thing for 
cleansing oil paint is a sponge dipped in 
ammonia Avhich has been copiously diluted 
Avith water. Soap dissolves the turpentine 
as well as tlie linseed oil, and not only de¬ 
stroys the smooth and shiny surfiice,. but 
exposes also the lead to the influence of the 
water and air, and is, therefore, not practical 
