Ques.-How?

Ans. The leaves of the pine are long and slender, like needles; those of the apple flat and broad.

Ques.-How do their branches differ?

Ans.-The branches of the pine grow straight from the trunk, while those of the apple are bent upward.

The lesson concluded by cutting the apple into halves, fourths, eighths; and by various combinations of the parts, giving a visible, tangible, illustration of Addition and Subtraction of Fractions.

Glass, iron, and coal, were successively taken up as topics, and the Teachers, by the correctness of their answers, showed themselves fully competent to manage lessons running into the higher departments of scientific knowledge.

Gymnastics and Calisthenics.

Mr. Swett introduced a class of six, or eight, boys belonging to the Gymnastic Class of his school. He had expected larger numbers, but the Dashaway Pic-Nic and two Sunday School Excursions had proved stronger attractions to the girls and boys than Calisthenics and Gymnastics. The piano, too, was missing and the fiddler hadn't come; however, he would do the best he could to illustrate some of the school-room exercises.

The class first went through a double and single dumb-bell exercise, then the free-arm movements, next an exercise with the calisthenic rods, and, lastly, the Indian club exercise.

So much time was occupied in these exercises that none remained for remarks, and Mr. Swett has furnished the following article, for publication, as embodying some of the thoughts that might have been presented, had time allowed:

ARTICLE ON CALISTHENICS AND GYMNASTICS.

The importance of systematic physical training in the Public School is beginning to be recognized in the United States. Yale College has the finest Gymnasium in the country. A Teacher of Calisthenics and Gymnastics is employed in the Boston schools, and Cincinnati has made a move in the right direction. San Francisco, representing the extreme point of public education in the west, was one of the first to introduce such exercises as a part of school discipline.

Of late, physical education has been made somewhat of a "hobby," and, therefore, I feel like treating the subject in the plainest possible manner.

Gymnastics is only a form of play. Playfulness with children is as much an instinct as with lambs, or kittens. It has long seemed to me that a great defect of our schools has been the failure to recognize the laws of animal life. It is a mistaken notion that the chief end of children is to go to school. 'Reading, writing, and cyphering," the golden rules of the old Yankee red school-house, constitute the smallest part of an education.

Education is development. The harmonious culture of all the faculties of the mind and the training of the body to its greatest strength and highest beauty. Why, then, should not muscular training form a part of education quite as much

as mental culture? Is not mental power closely allied to physical, and a sound mind dependent on a strong body? But some say, "leave children to follow their own inclination in plays and sports; it is not natural for boys to climb the ropes and ladders of a Gymnasium, to swing clubs, lift dumb-bells, and revolve on bars; any attempt at systematic drill will prove irksome." Then why not leave the mind to its natural untrained action? The brain is as active as the body; why not leave both alike to the ill-regulated laws of impulse?

But in mental culture we recognize the great law of nature, that no perfection is attained without repeated and systematic effort. Leave the mind to its own aimless action, and its energies run to waste.

The same law applies so physical culture. The graduates of a Military School can be singled out of a crowd by their straight forms, erect gait, quickness and grace of movement. On a small scale why cannot the Elementary Schools reach

the same results?

Any business man knows that power of endurance is quite as essential to success as quickness in mathematics, or skill in the use of language. Most of the boys educated in the Public School grow up business men, or working men. A sound body is the only capital they have to start with in life. Muscular strength to them food and clothing. Sound health is a necessary condition of all permanent

success.

The truth is, mental and physical power go hand in hand. The brain which has the strongest body will do the most work. The strong boys, in the long run come out ahead. The strong, the active, the energetic, boys, are the real kings of school, whether at the head, or foot, of the arithmetic class.

Give the boy, then, the exercise his nature craves, the systematic diet which will

make him a living boy and a manly man. "But," many will say, "all this is very fine, theoretically, yet it is utterly impossible to carry it out in school. We have no money to buy apparatus. The public regard such things as innovations. We have no time to spare, and cannot do it."

Let us consider. The writer has been connected with a large Public School of five hundred children, for the last seven years. During five years of that time, Gymnastic and Calisthenic training have been as much a part of the daily routine as spelling and reading.

In 1856, when it was first introduced, it was laughed at as foolish, sneered at as visionary, frowned upon by those who ought to have encouraged it. But patient, dogged, perseverance, and persistent effort, overcame the obstacles, and the experiment was successful beyond all expectation.

Awkward, clumsy, lubberly, boys, have entered the gymnastic class, the laughingstock of the old hands, and left it at the end of the year twice as strong as when they entered it, and with all their strength at perfect command.

Pale, weakly-looking, boys, who at first only moped around and looked on, became infected with the spirit, took hold in earnest, until the narrow chest expanded, the round shoulders were thrown back, and the soft, flabby, arm became like knotted whip-cords.

A few fitful feats of exercise did not work all this change, but daily, regular, thorough, judicious, drill. The Teacher himself must infuse life into the class. Come, and not go, is the word of command.

As well put books into the hands of children and tell them to teach themselves, or arms into the hands of raw recruits and tell them to perfect themselves in military tactics without a Teacher, as send a class of boys into a Gymnasium and expect them to practice without a Teacher.

In pleasant weather the writer has been accustomed to exercise with the boys in the yard from half-past nine to ten o'clock, to give the girls a calisthenic lesson of fifteen minutes, at noon, and the boys a dumb-bell, or free-arm, movement, at the two o'clock recess. This is too little time, yet, in a year, it gives no little training. What exercises are best adapted to a Public School?

For school-room exercise, dumb-bells are invaluable. Light ones, weighing from eight to twelve pounds a pair are preferable to heavier weights, as they can be used in keeping time to the music of a piano. Only the strong boys should use heavy weights. Almost any school can purchase a set of dumb-bells costing only eight cents a pound, and any Teacher can learn to use them in a few days.

The free-arm movements are almost as beneficial as the dumb-bell exercises, and are perhaps better for girls, and they require no apparatus except quick arms and watchful eyes.

The calisthenic rods, for girls, are excellent, pulling the shoulders back in place, expanding the chest, and giving command of the arm, wrist, and fingers.

For out-of-door exercise, the horizontal bar is the favorite of the boys, and perhaps the best of all. It calls into exercise all the muscles of the frame, and is not violent. The rings are too difficult for most boys. Clubs are next in excellence to dumb-bells as arm and chest exercises.

Leaping is a pleasant amusement, and requires only two sticks and a string. Foot-ball is a rough-and-tumble game, but, for a crowd of school-boys, it has the charm of intense excitement. "Base-ball," is a fine old game, and ought not to be

forgotten.

Teachers must study variety in all these games and exercises, for boys are fond of novelty. It requires more skill, tact, and judgment, than the routine of textbooks. Any Teacher who thoroughly understands boy nature, may join freely in their sports. But if he cannot beat them at their own games, or is a bungler, let him by all means keep clear of the play-ground.

An owl should not mingle with swallows and singing-birds, they have nothing in common. But a Teacher needs cheerful invigorating exercises, even more than his pupils. For his own sake he will give the physical nature of children its due, even if "examinations are less brilliant and children less precocious. The indirect lessons of the play-ground are often the most important ever given by the Teacher.

At half-past twelve, M. the Institute adjourned.

STATE EDUCATIONAL CONVENTION.

The Convention was called to order at a quarter past two, P. M. President Moulder in the chair.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.

Communications.

INVITATION TO VISIT THE MERCANTILE LIBRARY.

The following letter was read:

A. J. MOULDER, Esq.

President of State Teachers' Institute:

SAN FRANCISCo, May 29, 1861.

DEAR SIR:-By a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Mercantile Library Association of this city, passed May 28, 1861, I am instructed to offer to the members of the body over which you preside, an invitation to visit the Rooms of the Association.

Permit me, in thus communicating to you the resolution in question, to express the hope, that the Delegates to the Convention will find it agreeable to avail themselves of the privileges hereby extended.

The society I represent has for its object a mission of usefulness. Be pleased, then, to receive the invitation tendered you, not only as an act of comity to a co

Missionary, but also in recognition of the powerful aid given by the Teachers' Institute to the cause of Education.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBERT C. ROGERS,

Corresponding Secretary M. L. A.

The Objects of the Meeting.

The President made a few remarks reminding members that the object of their convocation was not to make, or hear, buncombe speeches, but to discuss methods of teaching, and to relate each other's experiences, so that all present, after leaving, might be benefited in their school-rooms.

These remarks were received with applause.

New Members.

The rules were suspended, to allow new Delegates to register their names.

Best Methods of Teaching.

Discussion on best methods of teaching was then declared in order.

Considerable hesitancy being manifested on the part of members to enter into debate, it was moved that the roll be called, and each one in turn relate his, or her, experience.

The Chair, on a vote being taken, decided the motion as carried, but a division being demanded, the count showed that the motion was lost.

Mr. Woodbridge then entertained the Convention with his views of the system of education in vogue, in which he spoke of the evil of endeavoring to force children to aid Teachers in their labors by exciting their imagination. Mr. W. spoke understandingly on the subject, and was frequently applauded. He was very particular in his illustrations, and his remarks on the necessity of Teachers instructing themselves as well as their pupils, and in regard to the obligations of Teachers to decrease rather than increase children's studies, were well worthy of consideration.

Mr. Collins, of San Joaquin, followed in a very practical speech in which he gave his own experience as a Teacher, which was not alone interesting, but instructive.

Mr. John Graham illustrated, by means of the black-board, his system of teaching mental arithmetic, and also gave some mental exercises.

Mrs. Tothill succeeded with some highly interesting remarks, which were listened to with marked attention.

D

Next Subject.

A motion was made that one hour of the next session be devoted to the subject of "Discipline in Schools."

A motion to amend by substituting that one hour be spent in discussing such topics as may be suggested by the names of the several standing committees," was lost, and the original motion was laid on the table.

Reports of Standing Committees.

NATURAL SCIENCES.

Mr. Minns, Chairman of the Committee on Natural Sciences, read the following report:

The Committee on Natural Sciences have had under consideration various textbooks upon that subject. They have endeavored to select works adapted to popular instruction in schools, distinguished for simplicity of language, for methodical arrangement, for the value of the truths selected, and for comprehensiveness; works which, without containing too many of the details of science, present that which every well-informed person ought to know. At the same time, they consider it important that the text-books adopted should be compendious, so that they can be finished within the time allowed. Every work selected is the production of an author eminent for his attainments in the particular department upon which he has written.

For the Primary and Intermediate Departments-The Child's Book of Common Things, and the Child's Book of Nature, both by Worthington Hooker.

For the Grammar Department-Hooker's First Book in Physiology; Rudiments of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy, by Denison Olmstead; or, Natural Philosophy, by G. P. Quackenbos, if a more extended work is desired. How Plants Grow, by Asa Gray; Hooker's Natural History, to be used as a general exercise.

For a High School-Quackenbos' Natural Philosophy; Gray's How Plants Grow; Chemistry, by John A. Porter, with Edward L. Youman's Atlas and Chart of Chemistry, by means of which the Teacher can illustrate to the eye the principles of chemical combination; Elements of Astronomy, by John Brocklesby; or, Olmstead's School Astronomy; Human Physiology for Colleges and Higher Classes in Schools, by Worthington Hooker; Mineralogy, (small edition,) by James D. Dana; Professor Hitchcock's Geology.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

GEORGE W. MINNS,
M. A. LYNDE,
FREEMAN GATES,

Committee.

Mr. Minns accompanied his report with comments on the character and learning of the authors named therein, making some criticisms on the merits of the works. The report was accepted, and the subject-matter thereof was postponed from day to day until disposed of. The other committees, on call, reported progress and asked further time.

State Normal School.

The Chairman of the Committee on State Normal School stated