and value as these local and temporary institutions; and in the judgment of the Superintendent they are highly deserving of legislative aid. A concise exposition of their general features, the mode of instruction adopted, and its effects not only upon the teachers, but upon the whole character of the schools under their charge, and upon the public sentiment generally, has, it is understood, been prepared by Mr. SALEM TOWN, of Cayuga, a veteran teacher, who has himself most ably and efficiently contributed to the establishment and success of this species of instruction."

In reviewing the administration of the common school system, by Col. YOUNG, it is impossible not to perceive the vast impulse which was given to all its varied operations by the efficiency, energy and public spirit of that distinguished statesman. Bringing to the discharge of the peculiar duties of the office of Superintendent no previous experience, and strong prejudices against some of the most cherished features of the system of public instruction, he not only speedily rendered himself familiar with all its details, but divesting himself of all these unfavorable pre-conceptions which had obtained possession of his mind, dispassionately surveyed the entire bearings of the whole system, and having convinced himself of its value and utility, devoted his best energies and all his powerful influence to its advancement and improvement. The plan of county and town supervision, the Normal school and Teachers' Institutes, and District Libraries, were cherished and strengthened by his exertions; and the impress of his vigorous mind and strong understanding will long remain upon the common school system of our State.

Upon his retirement from the office of Secretary of state, Col. YOUNG received from the Regents of the University, the appointment of member of the Executive Committee of the Normal School, in the place of Dr. POTTER, who had been elected Bishop of the diocese of Pennsylvania and had removed to that State. HARMANUS BLEEKER, Esq., of the city of Albany was also appointed a member of the Executive Committee to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of FRANCIS DWIGHT, Esq., which took place on the 18th of December, 1845.

The removal from the State of Dr. POTTER, and the death of Mr. DWIGHT in the fulness of his faculties and the apparent meridian of his usefulness, were deeply and extensively felt by the friends of common school education. In all the measures which had been canvassed and adopted for the improvement and elevation of our systems of public instruction, both these gentlemen had borne a conspicious and an efficient part; and to their constant and uniform co-operation with the legislature and the executive authorities of the state charged with the general supervision of these great interests, the success of those measures is to a very considerable extent due. As the conductor of the District School Journal, as County Superintendent and member of the Board of Education of the city of Albany, and as a member of the Executive Committee of the State Normal School, Mr. DWIGHT essentially contributed to the advancement of popular education, and to the general diffusion of sound principles of elementary instruction throughout

the state.

Administration of NATHANIEL S. BENTON-Failure of the effort to ingraft the Free School System on the Constitution—Abolition of the office of County Superintendent.

On the 3d day of February, 1845, the Hon. NATHANIEL S. BENTON, of Her kimer, was appointed by joint ballot of both Houses of the Legislature, Sec retary of State and Superintendent of Common Schools: and entered upon the discharge of his duties on the 6th of the same month.

From his first annual report, bearing date on the 15th of January, 1846, it appeared that the whole number of school districts in the state, on the first day of July preceding, was 11,018; the number of children between the ages of five and sixteen, residing in the state, on the first day of January, 1845, 690,914; the whole number of children of all ages, taught in the

The general enquiry is more as to the amount of the teacher's wages than in regard to fitness; and competition serves rather to cheapen the rewards this employment, than to encourage an emulation to excel among the teach Whether these considerations should justify any pecuniary relief, and to what extent, must depend upon the view taken of the magnitude of th inconveniences to be overcome or removed, and the extent to which the wel fare of the state may be involved by permitting their continuance."

The progress of the Normal School, during the preceding year was emin ently gratifying and satisfactory. At the close of the second term thirty fou of the pupils received their diplomas as teachers. During its third term commencing on the 15th of October 1845, the number of its pupils had increased to nearly two hundred, embracing a representation from fifty eight of the fifty-nine Counties The board of instruction was increas ed and strengthened by the appointment of DARWIN G. EATON, as teacher of Mathe matics, in conjunction with Prof. PERKINS, SUMNER C. WEBB, as Teacher o Arithmetic and Geography, SILAS T. BOWEN, of Grammar, WILLIAM W CLARK, of Natural Philosophy and Chemistry, WILLIAM F. PHELPS, as Perma nent Teacher of the Model or Experimental School, and Miss ELIZABETH C HANCE, as Teacher of Reading and History.

"was

"The end proposed in the establishment of the Normal School" observe the Executive Committee in the Annual report for the present year to educate teachers for our common schools; to send forth those to take charge of the susceptible minds of the children of this commonwealth, who, together with high moral principles, should possess the requisite knowledge of the branches to be taught, and withal be " apt to teach." The school was designed to educate the moral qualities of the instructor-to impress him with the solemn responsibilities of his work-so that he might feel the blessedness of being patient, longsuffering and unwearied in his efforts for the good of his pupils. It was intended to teach its students, and by their precept and example to impress all who aspired to the honor of instructing, that the work of teaching was so important that no labor of preparation could be too great, since the good that could be accomplished was vast, beyond the powers of human conception. Hence a stimulus was to be imparted to the teacher, which should never be spent, but be continually operative, urging him to the acquisition of higher attainments in virtue, knowledge and aptness to teach. This, it is conceived, was the philanthropic end which the legislature of 1844 had in view, when they established the Normal School."

On the first day of June of this year, a Convention of Delegates from the several Counties of the State met at Albany for the revision of the Constitution. On the 5th Mr. BowDISH, of Montgomery, moved for the appointment of a committee to inquire into the expediency of the establishment of a system of FREE SCHOOLS for the State. On the 12th, a standing committee, consisting of MR. NICOLL of New-York, as chairman, Messrs. Munro, of Onondaga; Bowdish, of Montgomery; A. W. Young, of Wyoming; Tuthill, of Orange, Willard, of Albany; and Hunt of New-York, was appointed by the President, (the Hon JOHN TRACY, of Chenango,) on the subject of education, common schools and their appropriate funds. On the 15th Mr. R. CAMPBELL, of Otsego offered a resolution of inquiry as to the propriety of a stitutional provision for the security of the common school, literature deposit and other trust funds, from conversion or destruction by the legislature, and the establishment of such a system of common schools as will, by taxation, bestow the facility of acquiring a good education on every child in the State," which was adopted by the Convention, and referred to the Committee. On the 18th, the President presented to the Convention a communication from S. S. Randall, President of the State Convention of County Superintendents of common schools, held at Albany, in April preceding, transmitting a preamble and resolutions in favor of the Free School System.

belonging to the state, except such parts thereof as might be reserved, or appropriated to public use, or ceded to the United States, which shall hereafter be sold or disposed of, together with the fund denominated the Common School fund, and all moneys heretofore appropriated by law for the use and benefit of said fund, should be and remain a perpetual fund, the interest to be inviolably appropriated and applied to the support of common schools throughout the state; that the net revenues of the U. S. Deposit Fund, should likewise be inviolably applied to the same purpose, after meeting all existing appropriation; and that the legislature should, at its first session after the adoption of the proposed constitution, and from time to time thereafter as should be necessary, provide by law for the free education and instruction of every child between the ages of four and sixteen years, whose parents, guardians or employers, shall be resident in the state, in the Common Schools now established, or which should thereafter be established therein-the expense of such education and instruction after applying the public funds as above provided,to be defrayed by taxation, at the same time and in the same manner as provided by law for the liquidation of town and county charges. This latter provision, relating to the establishment of free schools, the committee proposed to submit separately to the people of the state, for their sanction.

On the 1st day of October, Mr. BowDISH, of Montgomery, made a powerful and eloquent appeal to the Convention in behalf of this great measure of Free Schools, in which he was sustained by Mr. NICOLL, of New York, Mr. WORDEN, of Ontario, Mr. PATTERSON, of Chautauque, Mr. RUSSELL, of St. Lawrence, and others; and on the 8th of October, the day preceding the adjournment of the Convention, the first section reported by the committee permanently appropriating the proceeds of State lands and the Common School fund, to the support of common schools, was after some discussion adopted by a vote of 104 to 3. Mr. NICOLL then moved the adoption of the following section, to be separately submitted to the people, viz :

"§ 6. The Legislature shall provide for the free education and instruction of every child of the State in the common schools, now established, or which shall hereafter be established therein."

This section was adopted by a vote of 57 to 53, on a call for the ayes and noes; and a provision added on motion of Mr. RUGGLES, of Dutchess, by a vote of 82 to 26, directing the legislature to provide for raising the necessary taxes in the several school districts, to carry out the intention of the section. As thus modified, the entire ninth article of the proposed constitution, as reported by the committee, was agreed to by the convention and ordered to be engrossed. The convention then took a recess for dinner. On the assembling of the Convention in the afternoon, Mr. ARPHAXED LOOMIS, of Herkimer, offered a resolution to refer the article to a committe of ONE with instructions to strike out the two last sections, relating to the establishment of Free Schools, and report the same as amended to the Convention INSTANTER. Mr. TAGGART; of Genesee. sustained, and Mr. TOWNSEND, of New York, opposed this motion; but under the operation of the previous question, it prevailed by a vote of 61 to 27; and Mr. LOOMIS being appointed the committee, immediately reported as instructed, and his report being agreed to by the Convention, the provision for the establishment of Free Schools, as a portion of the Constitution was finally defeated.

The ninth article as adopted is as follows:

"The Capital of the Common School Fund; the capital of the Literature Fund, and the capital of the United States Deposit Fund, shall be respectively preserved inviolate. The revenue of the said common school fund shall be applied to the support of common schools; the revenue of the said literature fund shall be applied to the support of academies; and the sum of $25,000 of the revenues of the United States Deposit fund shall each year be appropriated to and made a part of the capital of the said common school fund"

On the 1st of October, of this year, SAMUEL L. HOLMES, Esq., of the County of Westchester, received the appointment of State Deputy Superin