MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER; AN AGRICULTURAL ANI) FAMILY JOURNAL 
61 ; 
(l&uratlnnal lt|iartinGrt. 
BY L. VVETIIERELL. 
CONDIONT SCHOOLS OF HFW YORK. 
Wfi invite the special attention of our 
readers to the following important extracts 
from the last Annual Report of the State 
Superintendent of Common Schools: 
The tchole number of Common ii^ckools in the 
^'tate. — F^rom the abstracts furnislied by the sev¬ 
eral County Clerks, of the reports of the respect¬ 
ive Town Superintendents of Common Schools, it 
appears tliat there were, on the first day of July 
la.st, in the 878 towns and 81 wards of cities in the 
State of New York, 11,191 School Districts, of 
which 8,411 are composed of territory wholly sit¬ 
uated in the town where the school house stands, 
and the remainder are joint districts formed from 
tw'o or more adjoining towns. Reports have been 
received from the Trustees of 10,928 districts; 
leaving 263 only from w'hich no sufficient returns 
have been made. 
Average length of the Schools kept by quali¬ 
fied, Teachers. — In the several reporting districts, 
schools have been maintained by duly qualified 
teachers for an average period of eight months du¬ 
ring the year embraced in the returns. 
Number and attendance of Children. — The 
whole number of children between the ages of five 
and sixteen residing in the respective districts from 
which returns were received, was 739,655, and 
the whole number of children taught in the seve¬ 
ral District Schools during the year, w'as 778,309, 
being an increase of 2,586 over the number taught 
during the preceding year. Of the number thus 
taught, 6,687 had been in attendance on the 
schools during the entire year; 21,793 for ten 
months and upwards; 165,968 for six months and 
upwards; 315,430 for four months and upwards; 
508,671 for two months and upwards, and only 
269,638 had attended for a less period than two 
months. 
Private Schools. — In the several towms and 
cities from which reports have been received, there 
were 1,893 private and uliincorporated schools, in 
which 72,785 pupils were instructed during the 
whole or a portion of the year reported; and 35 
schMls for the instruction of colored children, com¬ 
prising 4,006 pupils, the expenses of which were 
defrayed by the appropriation of $2,866 97 from 
the public money applicable to the payment of 
teachers’ wages, and $1,149 60 raised by rate 
bills on those sending to the schools. 
Expenditures of the Year. — During the vear 
embraced in the Annual Report of the Trustees, 
the sum of $1,153,916 27 w'as paid for teachers’ 
wages, of which $653,704 53 was received from 
the State Treasury and from the avails of town 
and county taxations and local funds, $489,696 63, 
contributed on rate bills by those who sent to school, 
and $10,515 11 raised by taxation on the inhabit¬ 
ants of the district to meet the amount due on the 
rate bills of such indigent persons as were ex¬ 
empted by the trustees from the paymettt of their 
share of such bills. The number of children so 
exempted in the several reporting districts is stated 
at 16,900. 
The aggregate amount of money expended du¬ 
ring the sarno year in the purcha.se of books for 
the district library and school apparatus, authorized 
by law, was $93,104 82. 
The following sums were raised by the inhab¬ 
itants of the several districts during the same year, 
by a tax on the real and personal estate of the 
districts for the. respective puriioses enumerated 
on the 1st day of January, 1849, was 1,409,154, 
being an average of about 125 volumes to each 
district. Many of the larger and wealthier districts, 
howev'er, generally exceed this average, and the 
disproportion is the greater where it should least 
exist. In the cities and large villages, where ac¬ 
cess may most readily be had to extensive and well 
selected public and private libraries, the share of 
the libraiy fund appropriated to the re.spective dis¬ 
tricts is in the ratio of the population and far be¬ 
yond their real wmnts and necessities; while in the 
poorer and more remote districts, where books are 
most needed and most difficult of access, the pit¬ 
tance annually doled out from the library’ fund is 
too meagre to enable the Trustees to do more than 
purchase a few cheap and comparatively worthless 
volumes. 
Normal School. — This institution is .steadily 
progressing in usefulness and popular favor. Du¬ 
ring the past year a large and commodious edifice 
has been erected for its use from the funds appro¬ 
priated for that purpose by the Legislature, at its 
last session, and between four and five hundred 
pupils from every section of the State, annually 
avail themselves of the valuable course of instruc¬ 
tion there communicated. At the expiration of 
their respective terms these pupils, thoroughly pre¬ 
pared for the work of instruction, go into the sev¬ 
eral school districts where their services may be 
required, and, with but few exceptions, diligently 
devoted themselves to the business of teaching as 
a permanent profession. It is difficult to e.stimate 
the value of the services thus rendered by this in¬ 
stitution in elevating the standard of qualifications 
of teachers of our Common Schools, in diffusing 
oyer the entire surface of the State a higher appre¬ 
ciation of the work of Education, and enlisting a 
deeper feeling in behalf of our elementary institu¬ 
tions of learning. The permanent footing on 
which it is now placed is a matter of sincere grat- 
ulation to every friend of Eductation. 
School Architecture. — The Superintendent is 
gratified in being able to state that through a fund 
provided by the liberality of the late James Wads¬ 
worth, Esq., of Geneseo, a copy of a valuable 
work on School Architecture, referred to in the 
late annual report from this department, by the 
Hon. Henrj' Barnard, late Commissioner of Tub- 
lie Schools of Rhode Island, and now State Super¬ 
intendent of Connecticut, has been forwarded to 
the Town Clerk of each town in the State, for the 
use of the various school officers of the town, who 
may have occasion to consult the same. The sub¬ 
ject of School Architecture is rapidly assuming 
that high appreciation which it deserves; and the 
varied experience and undoubted abilities of Mr. 
Barnard, entitles his suggestions and recommend¬ 
ations to the highest regard. If a copy of this ex¬ 
cellent work could be placed in each of our school 
district libraries, there is no reason to doubt, the 
expense would be a thousand fold compensated by 
the increased convenience, elegance, and beauty 
of our numerous school houses.” 
THE BRANT. 
Natural 
THE BRANT. 
NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
Elements of Natcral Philosophy: by Ai.onzo 
Gray, author of Elements of Chemi.stry &c.— 
Illustrated by 3G0 wood cuts. New Y'ork: Har¬ 
per & Brothers. 1850. pp. 406. 
We deem this the best text book for such 
For purchasing sites. $25,002 25 
For building school houses. 196,770 53 
For renting houses or rooms for the 
school. 6,227 78 
For repairs and insurance. 63,387 87 
For fuel. 55,618 95 
For school books, furniture, and ap¬ 
paratus. 14,040 18 
For deficiencies in rate bills. 15,547 35 
For other district purposes authorized 
bylaw.. 77,203 56 
Amounting in the aggregate to. ,$453,798 47 
This sum when added to the amount 
raised by rate bill on the inhabi¬ 
tants sending to school.$489,696 63 
And the amount raised by tax to pay 
the rate bills of those exempted by 
the Trustees. 10,515 11 
Exhibits an aggregate of..$954,010 21 
contributed by the inhabitants of the several dis¬ 
tricts during the year reported, for the support of 
the schools; and the entire amount expended for 
that object during the year, including the sum ap- 
portionated from the Common School Fund, the 
sums raised by the Boards of Supervisors of the 
respective counties and the local funds belonging 
to the several towns applicable to 
t school purposes, W'as. $1,607,714 74 
Add to Uiis the amount paid for 
additions to the several district 
libraries. 93,104 82 
And tlio entire aggregate will 
amount to. $1,700,819 56 
The whole amount of public money received 
from all sources during the past vear by the seve¬ 
ral Town Superintendents and other officers charg¬ 
ed with the receipt and disbursements of school 
moneys, was $846,710 45, of which $625,456 69 
has been apportioned among the several districts 
for teachers’ w'ages, $88,075 32 for library purpos¬ 
es, and the balance for contingent expenses in the 
several cities and large towns, where special pro¬ 
vision for its expenditure is made. 
Money raised by Tazation.-The several amounts 
raised ui the respective school districts throughout 
the State, by direct taxation, for the various pur¬ 
poses authorized by law, have been ascertained, 
during the preceding year, for the first time, from 
the reports of Trustees of the .several districts._ 
The information has been deemed valuable, as w’ell 
for the purjiose of showing the practical re.sources 
and enterprise of the several districts, as of refuting 
the allegation occasionally put forth, that the small 
additional amount of taxation required by the act 
establishing F'ree Schools, would be felt' as bur¬ 
densome and oppre.s.sive. The entire amount rais¬ 
ed throughout the State, on rate bills, for the pay¬ 
ment of teachers’ wages, during the t’ear last re- 
iwrtod, after applying the public money,’was .$466,- 
674 85; or $12,876 38 only, more than the aggre¬ 
gate amount voluntarily raised in the several 
districts for ordinary district purpo.ses. Is it then 
to be supposed, that the more substitution of dis¬ 
trict taxation for rate bills, will, under such circum¬ 
stance,s, and w'ith the prevalence of such a spirit, 
create any serious dissatisfaction, or be regarded 
as in any sense an unwelcome burthen? The 
Superintendent cannot, for a moment, permit him¬ 
self to entertain this idea. 
District Libraries. — The whole number of vol¬ 
umes in the several district libraries of the State, 
as wish to study and learn the science of 
Natural Philosophy that we have seen.— 
The author is a Professor of Chemistry and 
Natural Philosophy in the Brooklyn Female 
Academy; and in order to render the work 
as free from errors as possible, he used the 
lirint.pd sihocUt in the insrmetion of his olataj 
they were, also, subjected to the inspection 
and scrutiny of several eminent Teachers 
and Professors: among the latter w'e may 
mention Prof Snell of Amherst Collco-e, 
and Prof Loomis of the New York Univer- 
sity. One of the excellencies of the "work, 
and we deem it a very important one, is 
that analysis is given in the form of propo¬ 
sitions at the beginning of each section, in 
order to give the student a general vieiv of 
it. These fundamental principles are de¬ 
signed to be fixed in the memory. Anoth¬ 
er good feature of the work is the problems 
designed to render the knowledge gained 
practical. It contains algebraic formula 
and geometrical demonstrations which may 
or may not be used. The work is well illus¬ 
trated with diagrams, and will be found a 
useful aid to the teacher in working exper¬ 
iments. 
We invite the attention of teachers to this 
work, which is for .sale by D. M. Dewey, 
Arcade Hall, Rochester. 
Elements of English Grammar, Analytical 
AND Synthetical; Arranged in Progre.ssive Ex¬ 
ercises; by Wm. C. Kenyon, A. M. 2nd edition, 
Rochester; Erastus Darrow —1850. 12 mo. 
pp. 328. 
This book is divided into four parts: the 
First is devoted to an analysis of the sim¬ 
plest structures of the language—and the 
examination of the parts of .speech in their 
order:—the Second explains the varieties 
of each part of speech by numerous exerci- 
ces:—the Third is a recapitulation of the 
rules of agTeement, construction, &c.:—and 
the Fourth contains a brief view of poetry^ 
and is designed to aid the student in this 
important part of grammatical investigation. 
The author is an eminently successful teach¬ 
er in this department of knowledge, and ive 
invite the attention of teachers to his work. 
For sale by the Publisher, Main st. Book¬ 
store, Rochester. 
Water and Vegetable Diet in Con.suniption, 
Scrofula, Cancer, Asthma and other Chronic Dis¬ 
eases: by Wm. I.amhe, M. I)., Fellow of the Roy¬ 
al College of Physicians of London: with notes 
and additions by Joel 8hew, ill. D.; New York- 
Fowler &, Wells. 1850. 12mo. pp. 258. 
We commend this work to all such as 
have a hereditary tendency to consumption 
and its train of diseases. Part second con¬ 
tains the mode of treatment, and the results 
of about thirty cases. For sale by Dewey. 
Anas beniicla, Iasnj£VS ; Brent Goose, Pe.n- 
NANT. Arct. ZooL, vol. 2, p. 551. 
The Brant, Wilson; Am. Orn., vol. 8, p, 131, 
pi. 72, fig. 1; Bonap. Ann, Lyc., N. Y., vol, 2, 
p. 387. 
Desckiption.— Bill small, much shorter 
than the head, subconical, turned down 
at the tip. Nasal groove elongated. Nos¬ 
trils subbasil, elliptical Tibia bare for a 
.short distance. Tarsus 2.0, compressed, and 
longer than the middle toe. Tail very short, 
much rounded. 
Color. —Head, neck, shoiddens, and up¬ 
per part of the breast, blackish. Bill and 
feet black. Lower eyelid, spot on the chin, 
and a few tips of feathers on the sides of 
the neck, white. Dorsal plumage, brown, 
margined with gi-eyish. Quills, tei-tiarics; 
rump and tail, greenish-black. Sides of the 
rump, and the. vent, and of the upper and 
under tail-coverts, white. Flanks barred 
with white and gray. Female, slightly 
smaller, but in no respect diftcrent. Young, 
no white patch on the side of the neck; 
plumage above and beneath, barred with 
reddish brown. Length* 22.0, 25.0. 
The Brant is considered as one of our 
most savoiy birds. In its transit from its 
breeding places, near the Arctic sea, it ap¬ 
pears in great numbers on the coast of N. 
York in the first or second week in October, 
and continues passing on to the south until 
December. Some few have been observed 
to remain all winter. They arc again seen 
with us in April and May,’on their way 
iionh, when iliey are in tile best condition. 
Feed exclusively on Zoster a marina, or eel- 
grass, and other marine plants. Tlie his¬ 
tory of its migrations is not yet complete. 
On the Atlantic coast it has been observed 
from 7.3 ° to 38 ® north. On the Pacific, 
it appears to range from Columbia river, 
where it was seen by Mr. Townsend, to the 
26th parallel The Brant is capable of do¬ 
mestication, and is found on both contin¬ 
ents.—A^a#. His. of N. Y. 
THRILLING ANECDOTE OF A TIGER. 
The tiger has the reputation of bein" 
among the fiercest of all animals. Several 
years ago an Englishman, by the name of 
Mcnro, was killed by a tiger in the East In¬ 
dies. The particulars of this distressing- 
scene are given by an eye-witness: 
“ We went on shore,” says the writer of 
the narrative, “ to shoot a deer, of which we 
saw innumerable tracks, as well as of tigers; 
notwithstanding which, we continued our 
diversion till near three o’clock, when, sitting- 
down by the side of a jungle to refresh ou^ 
selves, a roar like thunder was heard, and 
an immense tiger seized our unfortunate 
friend, and rushed again into the juno-le, 
dragging him throughout the thickest bu'sh- 
es and trees, evei-ything giving -w'ay to his 
monstrous strength; a tigress accompanied 
his progress. The united agonies of horror, 
regret and fear, rushed upon us. I fired on 
the tiger; he seemed agitated; my compan¬ 
ion fired also, and, in a few minutes after this, 
our unfortunate friend came up to us bath¬ 
ed in blood. Every medical a.ssLstance was 
vain, and he expired in the space of twen¬ 
ty-four hours, having received such deep 
wounds from the teeth and claws of the an¬ 
imal, as rendered his recovery hopeless.— 
A large fire consisting of ten or twelve 
whole trees, was blazing by us at the time 
this accident took place, and ten or more 
natives were with us. The human mind 
can scarce form any idea of the scene of 
horror. We had hardly pushed our boat 
from that accursed shore, when the tigress 
made her appearance, almost raging mad, 
and remained on the sand, exhibiting signs 
of the utmost ferocity, all the while we con¬ 
tinued in siirht.” 
THE SWORD FISH. 
Zeusfaber, Lin. This genus is characterized by 
a body oval, compressed; jaws strongly protractile; 
teeth crowded; spinous portions of the dorsal and 
anal fins separated from the others by a deep notch; 
scales projecting, and spinous scales at the base of the 
vertical fins, and between the ventral and anal fins. 
This fish is very common in the Mediter¬ 
ranean, and is much esteemed for food by the 
Sicilians, who consider it as equal to the 
sturgeon. It is also found on the coasts of 
America It grows to a very large size, up¬ 
wards of twenty feet in leng-th. It is of a 
long and rounded body, largest near the 
head, and tapering by -degrees to the tail. 
The skin is rough, the back black, and the 
belly white. It has one fin on the back, 
running almost its whole length. It has one 
pair of fins also at the gills. But the most 
remarkable part of this fish is the snout, 
which, in the upper jaw, runs out in the 
figure of a sword, .sometimes to the length 
of three feet, and is of a substance like a 
coarse kind of ivory. The under jaw' is 
much shorter. 
The Hedgehog. —It is said that the 
Hedgehog is proof against poisons. Mr. 
Palkis states that it will eat a hundred can- 
tharides without receiving any injury. More 
recently, a German physician, who wished 
to dissect one, gave it prussic acid, but it 
took no effect; he then tried ai-senic, opium 
and corrosive sublimate, with the same result 
The sword fish has wonderful strength.— 
The Leopard man-of-war was struck by one 
of them; and though the animal was fol¬ 
lowing the ship, and consequently gave the 
blow with less force than it otherwise would 
have done, yet the sword penetrated nearly 
a quarter of a yard through the sheathing 
and timber, and was broken off by the shock. 
ICig-Lfc or ni»ic atrokce from » Lainmcr Trciglt 
ing a quarter of a hundred weight, would 
be required to drive an iron pin the same 
depth into wood. In the British Museum 
there is also a plank of a ship, through 
which a fish impelled the whole length of 
his sword; not, however, without losing his 
life by the effort. 
The sword fish has an antipathy to the 
whale, and no sooner meets than he assails 
liim. Two will sometimes combine in the 
attack. The whale can defend liimself only 
with his tail, which the activity of his ad¬ 
versary generally enables him to evade.— 
The w’hale dives in vain, for he is pursued 
by his pertinacious tonnentor, and he is at 
length compelled to take flight—Azirary 
of Natural History. 
Sagacity of the Dog. —The shepherd’s 
dog is no doubt the stock from which every 
sort has sprung-^ he is the root and trunk 
of the tree — and how extraordinary their 
sagacity! They can “ do almost evei-ytliing 
but speak.” I was riding, a short time back 
(says a traveller,) along a road in South 
Wales, and met a flock of sheep (a happy 
omen, by the way: at least so say the old 
w'omen,) driven by a man and dog. I heard 
the man say something in Welsh to his 
faithful follower, but did not understand -what 
it was till I saw the dog jump, over the 
hedge, and make a circuit which brought 
him to the entrance of a lane: I then saw 
that he had been desired to go there to pre¬ 
vent the sheep going the wrong road. On 
the hills the shepherds’ dogs know their 
master’s sheep amongst some thousands, and 
will gather them together. The Scotch are 
preferred to the Welsh dog-s, as being more 
sagacious and easier taught 
The Elephant and the Camel. — Ele¬ 
phants have the bitterest enmity to camels. 
When the camel scents the elephant it stops 
still, trembles in fUl its limbs, and utters an 
uninterrupted cry of terror and affright— 
No persutision, no blows, can Jnduce it to 
rise; it moves its head backwards and for¬ 
wards, and its whole frame is shaken with 
mortal anguish. The elephant, on the con¬ 
trary, as soon as he perceives the camel, ele¬ 
vates his trunk, stamps with his feet and 
with his trunk thrown backwards, snoring 
Avith a noise like the sound of a trumpet, he 
rushes tOAvards the camel, which, Avith its 
neck outstretched, and utterly defenceless, 
awjiits, Avith the most patient resignation, the 
approach of its enemy. The elephant, with 
its enormous shapeless limbs, tramples on 
the unfortunate animal in such a manner 
that in a few minutes it is scattered around 
in small fragmenta 
(luiiiaij Utaking. 
CHARITY. 
What is nobler or holier than Charity? 
Charity looketh kindly on the erring; she 
entreateth the misguided Avithout chidin'^, 
and leads back the guilty to the path of rec¬ 
titude, forgetting the sins that are past— 
Charity mocketh not at the proud or the 
humble; she perceiA'cth that each hath a 
cause for his ways, and if she lendeth ad¬ 
vice to either, it is Avith a soft A'oice, and a 
modest demeanor. Not that charity sclf- 
abaseth hei-self, or doubteth her strength, 
but because she knoAveth that the heart of 
man is stubborn, and may be entreated, when 
it will^ not be driv'cn. Charity seeketh re¬ 
ward in the thing she doeth. She cares not 
for words of applause; her work, and the 
payment therefor, cometh of God. Slow to 
reprove, she is SAvift to entreat and to bless, 
and her footsteps are hallowed with the joy 
of reconciliation and repentance. Charity 
also helpeth to saA'e souls—most of all. vir¬ 
tues, she helpeth to save the world. Peace 
goeth with her, and the Avagging of evil 
tongues ceaseth in her presence. Who is 
there that needeth not Charity; and he who 
needeth, shall he not give in return ? Ho¬ 
ly Charity, she it is Avho, trusting in God, 
casteth her bread upon the water-s, to find 
it tenfold after many days. 
Immortality of Ma.n.—W hy is it that 
the rainbow and the cloud come over us 
with a beauty that is not of earth, and then 
pa.ss away and leaA'e us to muse upon their 
faded loveliness? Why is it that the stars 
which hold their festi\'als around the mid¬ 
night throne, are set above the grasp of our 
limited faculties— forever mocking us with 
irreproachable glory ? And Avhy is it that 
bright forms of human beauty are present¬ 
ed to our vicAv, and then taken from us 
leaving the thousand streams of our affec¬ 
tion to floAv back in an Alpine torrent upon 
our heart? We are born for a higher des¬ 
tiny than that of earth. There is the realm 
where the rainbow never fades, Avhere the 
stars will be spread out before us like 
islands that slumber on the ocean—and 
where the beautiful beings that now pass 
before us like visions, will stay in our pres¬ 
ence forever. 
Lia'e for Something.— Thousands of men 
breathe, move and live—pass off" the stage 
of life, and are heard of no more. Why ? 
They did not a particle of good in this 
world; and none Avere blessed by them; 
none could point to them as the instruments 
of their redemption; not a line they wrote, 
not a word they spoke could be recalled; 
anti so they pDri.sbed, their light went out 
in darkness, and they were not remember¬ 
ed more than the insects of yesterday.— 
Wdl you thus live and die, oh! man immor¬ 
tal? Live for something. Do good, and 
leave behind you a monument of A-irtue 
that the .storms of time can ncA'er destrov. 
Write your name by kindness, love and 
mercy, on the hearts of the thousands you 
come in contact Avith year by year, and you 
will ncA'cr be forgotten. No 1 your name, 
your deeds, will be as legible on the hearts 
you leav'C behind, as the stars on the brow 
of^ evening. Good deeds AviU shine as 
brightly on the earth as the stars of heaven. 
Be Careful hoav you Spe.\k.— Hush! 
—why should you speak against the char¬ 
acter of a female ? It is all she has to de¬ 
pend upon in this world. Just give the im¬ 
pression wings that she Is not so good as she 
should be, and it Avill fly to CA'ery nook and 
corner of the toAvn. The story you Avhisper 
Avill return in tones of thunder, to astonish 
even yourself, who was the firstguilty Avretch 
to repeat so base a story. A word has oft- 
ten proved the ruin of a virtuous soul—a 
word thoughtlessly spoken, it may be, but 
reported by an evil mind. Suppress any 
thought, which, if uttered, might injure the 
character or feelings of another. A thought 
may be stifled at its birth, but a word spo¬ 
ken may never be lost Weigh every thing 
you utter, so that none may misconstrue 
your language or receive a wrong impres¬ 
sion. Above all, never, even in jest, whis¬ 
per words, which if true, would throw a 
blight upon a spotless reputation. 
Praybr for Sleep.— In a beautiful 
hymn composed by Sir Thomas Brown, as 
a half adieu for each night to the world, are 
these striking lines:— 
“ Sleep ia a death; Oh, make me try, 
By Bleeping, what it is to die; 
And aa I gently lay my head 
On my grave aij now my bed; 
Howe’er I rest, great God, let me 
A wake again, at last, with thee. 
And thus assured, behold I lie 
Securely — or to wake or die. 
These are my drowsy days; in vain 
I do now wake to sleep again. 
Oh, come that hour, when I shall never 
Sleep again, but wake forever.” 
The sun is the source of all color; are 
not flowers then like man, for ail his nature 
comes from the earth, but all his beauty 
from Heaven. 
Pleasure may be called the short cut to 
the tomb, as it shortens time, Avhich is the 
way. 
His greatness must needs fall which is 
not founded in gootiness. 
