from the, to them, dull drugery of the school-room. No logic can make them believe that they have any personal interest in Teachers' Associations or Educational papers, and they would regard the money or the time spent to make themselves more efficient teachers of their schools as a blank loss, because, forsooth, they do not intend to make teaching their business. May God forgive them for daring to enter the school-room with such selfish views, and defend from harm and ruin the poor children on whose mental growth these school-masters and mistresses lie as some frightful incubus or imbodied blight! But there are amongst the teachers of Michigan men and women of a higher mould, teachers who appreciate the real dignity and usefulness of their vocation, and who, actuated by an elevated desire for the public good and an enlarged and liberal concern for the honor and success of their fellow teachers, as well as by an honorable ambition to excell in the noble vocation to which they have, for the time, or for life, devoted themselves, are ready to lift and labor with unsparing zeal for such associations and publications as may give efficiency to the whole enginery of public instruction. Relying on the pledged aid and co-operation of such teachers, we shall cheerfully venture once more into the field, hoping by their aid to make our paper twice as worthy of their support as was practicable in the first year of its publication. Could but one-third of the Teachers of Michigan be induced to subscribe for the Journal of Education for the coming year its success would be certain and splendid. But we do not limit our plans to this. We propose to put the paper, during the coming year, into the hands of every teacher in the Peninsular State, and with the timely, thorough and systematic aid of the friends and subscribers who have stood by us so nobly in the year now passing away we shall accomplish our purpose. Teachers of Michigan! let us set our brethren of other States an example worthy of their imitation. See every teacher in your vicinity, announce to them our plan, and solicit their subscription and co-operation. If you find one too poor or too listless to subscribe, subscribe for them, and, our word for it, within three months they will repay you your dollar, with a thousand thanks as precious interest. Or, should your own faith be too feeble, or your purse too poor, please send us the names and we will shoulder the responsibility. Will not our friends throughout the State send us by the 1st of Jan. next the name and post-office address of every teacher in their vicinity, and thus aid us in our purpose? Finally, fellow-teachers of Michigan! is not our plan a prudent and a feasible one? In the success of such a plan how much of real good must result to the teachers, the schools, the children and the entire State of Michigan? It was voted at the State Teachers' Association that the members of the Association would spend the last week of this year in a hearty effort to circulate the Journal. Let every living teacher in the State join in this effort and our plan will be accomplished-Michigan will be redeemed. We are indebted to Hon. F. W. Shearman, Superintendent of Public Instruction for a copy of his Report for the year 1853, with accompanying documents. In compiling this and those that have preceded it, and which contain, in a convenient form, whatever is of interest in the past history of educational affairs in Michigan, Mr. Shearman has rendered a most welcome and essential service to the cause and friends of popular education. The present volume contains, besides the report proper of the Superintendent, the reports of the Regents of the University, and of various Academies and Union Schools, &c.; the dedicatory exercises of State Normal School, the addresses &c., made on that occasion, the proceedings of the first meeting of the State Teachers' Association, circular of Superintendent, and the various late Acts of the Legislature on the subject of Education, with some minor matters. The late hour at which it reached us, forbids our speaking of this report as largely as we may hereafter do. Teachers Institute. A "Teachers Institute" will be held at the new Academic Building, in Romeo, commencing the third Monday in October next, and continue one week. The following will be the order of business, after organization, the Hon. Chancellor of the University of Michigan, is expected to deliver the dedicatory address of the new Academy. The forenoon of each day will be occupied with familiar lectures upou the branches taught in common schools; the afternoon sessions will be devoted to the discussion or questions, relavant to the teacher's interest, and the transaction of miscellaneous business. Interesting lectures will be given during the evening sessions by able Lecturers. Among the Lecturers already procured are the Hon. H. P. Tappan, Chancellor of University of Michigan; Rev. J. M. Gregory, D. Briggs, Esq., Rev. H. P. Hurd, Rev. Mr. Taylor, and the Rev. Mr. Mather. A liberal deduction will be made to those coming and returning by either line of stages. No expence will be incurred by those attending the Institute, except for board. A full attendance of the teachers and friends of Education generally, is earnestly requested. Fellow Teacher! stand forth and demand a hearing of your worthy Profession. By order of the Brotherhood of Teachers. ROMEO, Sept. 22d, 1854. I. STONE. Causes beyond the Editor's control have delayed our issues for September and October beyond our usual time for publication. We hope to be more punctual hereafter. Practical Teaching. A subscriber sends us the following article with a request for its publication. Although our Journal is not a party paper, we willingly give place to this communication, because it is but a plain statement of facts, just such as the voters of Michigan need to enable them to act intelligently in filling this most important office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. If any friend of the other candidate will furnish us a simple, plain statement of his official labors, we will cheerfully give place to it in our next number, which will be published before the day of election: It is known to our readers generally, that the Hon. IRA MAYHEW, who has been for the past year President of the Seminary and Female College at Albion, was formerly Superintendent of Public Instruction in this State. During the four years that he occupied this position, he travelled extensively into all the organized counties of the State, delivering Lectures, forming Educational Societies, conducting Teachers' Institutes, and laboring in all practicable ways to advance the interests he had in charge. Appointments for lectures were not unfrequently announced through the newspapers six weeks, and two months, before the time for their fulfillment. At one time he performed a horseback excursion of 500 miles through the newer northern counties of the State, occupying six weeks, and attended meetings, and addressed audiences, in all the principal villages and neighborhoods through which he passed,-people often coming ten miles on foot to attend his meetings which had been announced two or three months previously. The extent of Mr. MAYHEW's travel, in the performance of official duties, during these four years, exceeded ten thousand miles, and was performed at all seasons of the year. During all of which he never failed, in a single instance, to be present to address meetings according to appointment. We still have complaints that the Journal is not received regularly. We trust our subscribers will charge the fault where it certainly belongs, upon the post-office. Though not bound to do so, we will always supply missing numbers as long as we can spare them. Literary Notices. Fruits and Farinacea the proper Food of Man. By JOHN SMITH, with Notes and Illustrations by R. C Trall, M. D. Published by Fowlers & Wells. We have received parts 2d, 3d, and 4th, of this work. It purports to be a re-print from an English work, and seems to be a full and philosophical discussion of the proposition contained in the title of the book. When part 1st comes to hand, we shall attempt to give a fuller, as we shall then have the means to give a more intelligent notice of the work. Outlines of History, by MARCIUS WILSON. Published by Ivison & Phinney, N. Y. Believing that the study of history is to assume a more prominent place in our systems of instruction than it has hitherto occupied, we feel disposed to welcome every attempt at providing a text book of history for the schools. Mr. Wilson, the author of these Outlines, had obtained no slight reputation by his previous labors in the department of history, and it is perhaps enough to say that this last work will not detract from that reputation. The book is divided into three parts: Part I, comprising ancient history; Part II, modern history; and Part III., outlines of the Philosophy of history. The author has availed himself of the labors of the latest European historians, and has embodied the results of the most recent researches. As a compend of Universal History, it is a work of real use to the general reader, and seems well adapted as a text book for schools and colleges. In the school edition, the chapters on the philosophy of history are omitted. The publishers' part in this work seems to us well done; the paper and print are good, and the maps with which the book is furnished will be found of great utility. For sale by C. Morse Detroit. Oldham's Amusing and Instructive Reader. Published by Ivison and Phinney, New York. We are under obligations to Mr. Botsford, the active agent of the publishers, for a copy of this work. It is something new in the line of readers, being an attempt to gain the attention of pupils to their realing lessons by the inherent and amusing interest of those lessons themselves. That they will be amused by these choice selections we have no doubt, and we doubt as little that it will be found a capital device, especially in the hands of a good teacher, for producing that naturalness of manner and tone which are the chief charms in good elocution. Try them. For sale by C. Morse Detroit. Michigan Farmer. Published by Johnson and Duncklee. Detroit. $1 per annum. This well-conducted and valuable agricultural paper has continued to visit us from month to month freighted with records of research and experience in farming affairs that no practical farmer ought to be without. It has now united to its subscription list that of the Farmer's Companion, which has been discontinued on account of the death of Rev. Chas. Fox, its editor and publisher. Harpers' for October is on hand, and may be procured of J. R. Roys, near the post-office. The Union of the Intellectual and the Moral in Edu cation. An Address, delivered at Romeo, before the Macomb Co. Teachers' Association, Mr. President, and Members of the Teachers' Association: In the exercises of the present occasion, your attention has been, and probably will be, chiefly directed to the development of the intellect; to the best methods of enlarging the power and compass of the youthful mind, and of storing it with useful knowledge. With this feature in the proceedings I am not about to find fault. Undoubtedly it is well. It was your improvement in this department of the science of education which specially called you together: and to it therefore it is but natural that you should earnestly address yourselves. Still I will not disguise the solicitude I feel, that by persons occupying your responsible station another and coordinate branch of this science should not be wholly overlooked. To develop the intellect is by no means the whole of education. The human mind is endowed with other faculties, which need in like manner to be subjected to the moulding influence of a judicious culture, and without which the work of education is but half completed. We are moral beings, instinct with the sense of duty, gifted with the power of choice, the attributes of freedom; and since these high powers in their practical working are liable to be perverted to purposes of wrong, they manifestly need the interposition of a generous nurture to secure for them a virtuous result. Our moral nature is indeed the noblest part of us. It is this which more than all things else distinguishes us from the brutes. For the brutes often display no small degree of intelligence; they possess intellects which, to a certain extent, are capable of improvement; they acquire knowledge, adapt means to ends, and many times exhibit a shrewdness |