THE SCHOOL ROOM.

the distinction between one man and another, taking the word in its widest signification, including the discipline of circumstances as

CLAIMS OF COMMON SCHOOLS UPON well as of schools. Suppose the peasants that

THE FARMER...No. 1.

Until

settled Lower Canada had been placed on the soil of New-Hampshire. They would still No people are more indebted to Common have used wooden shoes and ploughs, and Schools than the people of New-Hampshire. continued here the French agriculture of the None are under greater obligations to sustain age of Louis the Fourteenth. On a soil and them and to increase their efficiency. No one in a climate like ours there is needed something instrumentality has done more to promote more than hands and strength, - wisdom to the welfare and extend the renown of the guide their efforts, ingenuity to devise easy State. Many of the men, who have renderci processes, and enterprize to seize favorable the name of New-Hampshire illustrious have opportunities. The Common Schools furnish received their intellectual training in these the basis of these, and show the difference schools, maintained by the public treasury and between Canadian peasants and New-England connected with the religious feelings of the farmers. I say farmers because they are spepeople; for learning and religion have ever cially indebted to the Common Schools, and been intimately united in our public policy. because agriculture has from the beginning At an early period of her existence, she found-been the leading interest of the State. ed and sustained these primary seats of learn- recently ours has been almost wholly an agriing, and the result has nobly justified the wis-cultural community, and to such a people the dom of that course. The seeds were then public schools are of primary importance. In sown that have produced the rich fruits of what particulars that importance consists I intelligence, ingenuity and practical skill in may perhaps explain in another communicathe various departments of social life. True, tion. My remarks in this introductory article she has a College that ranks amongst the best are necessarily general. My object is to call in New-England, and several highly distin- attention to the subject, and to remind our guished Academies. But the body of the farmers that as cultivators of the soil they people have received only an indirect benefit have yet a work to do in this department. from these. They have sought and found in The error into which they are most likely to Common Schools their chief literary help and fall is, that whereas they have done much for guidance; and it is not in the power of human popular education, therefore they have reacharithmetic to reckon the benefits that have re-ed the limits of their duty in this respect; and sulted from them in the shape of direct in- whereas they have received from it great restruction, and in the keenness and vigor they turns, therefore it will as now existing, supply have imparted to the intellectual faculties. the literary wants of their children. Is it so Wherever the English language is spoken, Is the measure of one generation adapted to the name and fame of New-Hampshire are the next? Ought their attainments and their known through the presence of her hardy success to satisfy those that are soon to occupy and enterprizing sons. Hardy they must their places? Many of them lament what needs have become, by the physical arrange- they now see were the imperfect advantages of ments of their condition, and by their indus- their youth. They have done something with trious toil. But what made them enteprizing, what they had. How much more would they quick to discover distant advantages, to seize have accomplished had their means been greatfavorable opportunities, except the training er! This is their present feeling, whether or and instructions furnished by the Common not they would really have improved better Schools? The exercises of the school com- opportunities. The education of all classes pelled them to think with more or less accuracy, has wonderfully improved within a hundred to discriminate, to learn the difference between years. What sufficed then is no longer satistruth and error, to discover falsehood and to factory, does not answer the ends of social life. guard against it. By such processes their fac- The world advances and they must advance ulties were sharpened and made serviceable. with it or be left behind; must make proviNineteen twentieths of the New-Hampshire sions for the progress of their children or they boys had no other means of literary culture. will not so much as fill our places with credit How much soever the activity and excitement to themselve or benefit to others. All history of a new country might impel them to extra-teaches the fact of progress. We must accomordinary efforts, yet the efforts would have been feebly made, and the resources of the country imperfectly developed had not the enlightened mind guided the strong hand, and the wisdom of the schools nurtured the power of thought.

modate ourselves to it and improve the means and instruments by which the world is to move in its onward course. The conservative element doubtless has its place in human society. But who wishes to occupy the unenviable position of a dead weight on the wheels of Our whole system implies that education reform? Lord Brougham once said, in submakes the chief difference between man and stance, that the two great universities of Engman. We admit original differences of ability. land resembled ships anchored in a swiftly Still these are so limited, that we are compell-running river; by their immobility they showed to look to education as the grand cause of ed the rapidity of the current that swept past

FEMALE EDUCATION.

--

them. Would a similar position be honorable to the farmers of New-Hampshire? In popuIr strikes us, that the whole scope of felar education this quietism is sadly out of male education in our day, is to make young place. "There is nothing so revolutionary, because there is nothing so unnatural and so ladies into mere parlor ornaments; and most of convulsive to society, as the strain to keep our parents, in sending their daughters to things fixed, when all the world, by the very school, seem to be actuated by the same molaw of its creation, is in eternal progress. tives as they are in sending a sofa to the upThe cause of many of the evils of the world holsterer, or a mirror to the gilder, — merely may be traced to that natural but most deadly to receive a little varnish—or an addition of error of human indolence and corruption, gilding- that they may make a show. Utility namely, that our business is to preserve and or usefulness is out of the question. Preparanot to improve. It is the ruin of common- tion for domestic duties is never thought of. wealths and of individuals." No. Our busi-To quote Byron and Bulwer is in exquisite ness is not that, but something quite different. taste; but to name a recipe from Childs or It is to improve what is good though defective, Leslie is the height of vulgarity. To make to give a wider application to the best thoughts scrap books, have an album, criticise a print, of the wisest minds. The ideas that enter declaim upon a moonlight scene, and finger a most deeply into the cause of popular educa- piano, is to be accomplished, but to have retion have hitherto been but imperfectly devel-cipe books, make sensible remarks upon comoped. Higher aspirations and more enlight-mon-place things, manufacture or mend a garened schemes spring up out of the past and ment, cook a dinner, or handle a broom-stickdemand new zeal and greater efforts for their is to be vulgar. Not so with our mothers and realization. This is the order of Providence grandmothers. With them accomplishments to which we must adapt ourselves. Under and ornament, romance and moon-gazing, the present favorable circumstances our work were minor objects and made secondis to extend and improve what we have begun, ary to domestic duty. Preparation for dotill not one man or woman in New-Hampshire mestic life was the great accomplishment aimed shall be without the means of an efficient dis- at. The substance first- then the shadow cipline and a generous culture of their powers meterial first- then the gilding. But with us -a discipline and culture corresponding to it is all shadow and gilding-show and ornatheir progress in physical comforts and in po- ment. The substance and material may be litical freedom. To be well fed and clothed picked up as they can. Our opinion is that a and governed are great blessings certainly, in lady may be fashionable and accomplished, yet regard to which no nation on earth is in a engaged in active domestic duties - in domesbetter condition than ourselves. But a far tic manufactures - without becoming vulgar greater blessing is to be men, with enlightened by so doing. We hope there will be less finminds and matured capabilities, with moral gering the piano, and more fingering the needle, energy and religious affections, fitted to reach - less attention to romance and more attenthe high destiny of rational and immortal be- ttion to reality. We would not be underings. Education has as wide a field as this, stood that we wish to discard what are termed which we are carefully to cultivate before we accomplishments; by no means. Let them be shall satisfy the demands which our children attained- but not at the expense of almost may justly make upon us; before we shall every qualification for active life. They should efficiently minister to the wants of their minds, be secondary objects, added by way of ornahearts and consciences, and enable them to at-ment, but necessarily composing no part of the tain an honorable and useful social position. structure. We hope better things are to come, Men who hold up this Ideal before our people but we are slaves to fashion, and fashion makes are their benefactors. They would direct our it a necessary accomplishment for our young energies to this work, and enlist us in its per- ladies, however deficient they may be in musical formance. If they are called visionaries, it is taste or ear, to know something of music; to because they see more clearly what the inter- have such accquaintance with some instrument ests of our children demand at our hands. as to make a noise upon it, and produce a craAnd who is authorized to assert that the day-zy combination of sounds, wherewith time and dreams of the wise shall not, at some time, be realized in beautiful and permanent institutions to dignify and bless mankind! -J. M. M.

THE cost of the prosecutions to the United States, in the Christiana riots up to the time of Hanaway's acquittal, exceeds the sum of $70,

000.

THE New York Trinity Church Corporation, we learn from the Express, is expected soon to establish Christian Free Schools in all parts of the city. This is truly a noble use of their great wealth.

tune have no fellowship. Consequently in almost every village, street and house, you hear a continual clattering, thumping, and clamoring upon flagelets, guitars, harps and pianos. And where is the advantage? Is our taste for music improved as a people? Most assuredly not, - for apart from a few orchestras we could name-we comparativly speaking, have no music; and one half of our harp and piano performers, execute in such a manner, that a well trained ear would most likely prefer the music done by a respectable sounding bell upon a bellwether, or by a smart hail storm upon a pile of shingles.

MERRIMACK CO. COMMON SCHOOL

CONVENTION.

A LARGE and most respectable convention of the friends of Common Schools held a session on the 24th and 25th of November, at Fishersville. The best spirit prevailed in the convention, and the whole affair was conducted in such a way as to have without a doubt, a most valuable effect upon the teachers and schools of the County.

Dr. Bonton, Proff. Roberts, the County School Commissioner; Rev. Messrs. Marble, Moody, Leighton, Dodge, Peacock, Tenney, Savage, Worth and Flanders with others, took part in the debates. Several addresses and lectures were given upon important subjects connected with Common Schools.

The committee upon resolutions reported the following

Resolved. That to secure to every child in the community the benefits of a correct physicial, mental and moral education, is an object of the first magnitude, and one that should enlist the sympathies and co-operation of all good citizens.

Resolved, That the establishment of free schools for the education of the masses, is the only instrumentality at once direct and universal, that the wisdom of man has ever devised for securing those great and vital interests.

Resolved, That to develope more perfectly our system of free instruction, it is necessary to enlist the services of higher intellectual attainments; to provide school houses of greater convenience, and more modern structure; to secure the regular and punctual attendance of pupils, and to awaken a deeper interest in the schools in the minds of parents.

Resolved, That we highly appreciate the talents and labors of our County School Commissioner, and we earnestly recommend to all the friends of the cause to co-operate with him in his labors to elevate the character of our Common Schools.

Rev. Mr. Savage proposed the following,

Resolved, That this convention recommend to the attention of the superintending school committees and the citizens of the towns in this county the propriety of holding meetings in the several school districts, for increasing the popular interest in the public schools

All of which were unanimously adopted. When will the friends of Commom Schools have a Convention in Hillsborough County? It is time they were moving. The present state of feeling does not augur well for the progress of these nurseries and safeguards of the principles of freedom.

VACATIONS IN SCHOOLS.

A BOW Continually bent, possesses little or no elasticity; so the human mind, continually and intensely applied, loses its elasticity and energy. Such is the case in mature minds - in those minds capable by practice, of patient thought and intense application; - what then must be the effect of continued application, without pause or relaxation, upon the minds of the young! - of a surety, no other than a baneful one. In most cases a distaste, if not disgust, towards the object pursued, is engendered, and where this is not the case, the frame, weaker than ambition, crumbles and totters, under the pressure of the inconsiderate task. Most instances of immature mental and bodily decay, are attributable to over exertion of mind or body. Resolved, That it is the duty of the friends We have made the above remarks in referof popular education to use their best endeav-ence to the practice in our large towns, where ors by familiar conversation with parents and schools are continued through the year, of alteachers, by invoking the aid of the public lowing but a few days of vacation in their press, and by inviting professional and other schools. Two weeks of vacation in a year is gentlemen to lecture on the interests of Com- thought to be quite enough, and we have heard mon Schools; and by the use of all other suit-parents say "if they could have their way, able means to enlist the sympathies and the co- there should be no vacations at all." operation of the entire community in behalf of rents are blind to their own interests in this our system of popular education. matter. Distaste towards study is engendered Resolved, That the Secretaries of this Con- in the child, and as a consequence, but little provention be requested to make out a full and gress in study is made, and complaint is made accurate report of the proceedings of this of the instructer, because he cannot effect promeeting, and request the publication of the gress in the child that is injured by the mistasame in the several newspapers in the county.ken views of the parent. Blind and mistaken, Rev. Mr. Flanders proposed the following, Resolved, That the cause of education in New Hampshier requires and is entitled to the cordial co-operation of all professional men.

Resolved. That we will use our influence to secure a large delegation of the friends of Common Schools to attend the next convention.

Resolved. That the thanks of this convention, be presented to the County Commissioner for the manner in which he has presided on this occasion, and for the cordial interest which he has taken in the cause of common school education,

Rev. Mr. Worth presented the following.

But pa

we say, because facts show that the mind is injured, dislike of study produced, and little progress is made, where scholars are kept continually at their books, without proper relaxation from their tasks. Our opinion is, after much experience in school-keeping; and much reflection upon the subject that the scholars of the school which is vacated for two weeks after each term of eleven weeks, will have attained a greater amount of knowledge at the end of of the year, than the scholars of the school which is continued through the year with little or no vacation. In support of this opinion, we need only name the fact, well

known to most instructers who have had the care of schools in town and country, that the scholars of schools in the country, which, for the most part, are taught only about three months in the Summer, and three months in the Winter, are, as a general thing, equal in attainments as scholars, to those of our schools in town which are continued through the year.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

CHANGING SCHOOL BOOKS.

HORTICULTURE.

GARDENING.

COMPARATIVELY few of the population of our State have a knowledge of the science of Horticulture, as this implies a knowledge of Botany, an intricate science in itself; and to gain a knowledge of it, requires more time than a laborious people like ours, can spare from the necessary avocations of life.

Still all classes of our community are interrested in Horticulture as an art.

It is answered, the cause is obvious. In the country, the mind of the scholar is not distracted by the thousand and one objects existing in town to attract his attention, - but it is not answered correctly. Though this fact has its influence, yet the prime cause is, that in Every man who has a vegetable upon his town, the pupil is kept at school too closely table, from him who closes his ample dinner, the bow is kept constantly bent, and no time with a desert from the luxuries of the garden, is given for the mind to regain its wonted elas- to him who is glad to find upon his table that ticity the child gets a distaste to study, be-substantial of the garden, a dish of potatoes, comes listless, inactive and nerveless; and soon and potatoes only, has a direct interest in the verifies the saying- that success of the art of Horticulture. The interest of dollars and cents if nothing more. For as Horticulture is better understood among us, the better are our markets supplied with vegetables and fruits, and our tables supplied at A FRIEND at our elbow hit somebody the less prices and with a better article. Not only other day. One of those public nuisances, a this, but they are supplied with new ones, and traveling school-book agent, was in our city, new varieties of old ones, that are not only and by dint of begging and perseverance, got cheaper, but more palatable and healthy. It the schools all agog for the introduction of is but a few years since, kale, rhubarb and todifferent books, not new ones, for we believe matoes were grown in this country, as comsome of his books were turned out of our schools mon products in our gardens, and of acknowlby universal consent some years since! Well, edged healthy properties; and we can well the children of our friend came home, and recollect the time, when that nutricions and were urgent evening and morning for money healthy vegetable, the Asparagus was raised for the books. "Tell your teacher, was his alone for its top as an ornament, while no one reply, "that I can't buy another set of books thought of it as a vegetable fit to eat! Hortinow; that March meeting comes in a few cultural knowledges, is every day bringing weeks, when we shall have a new School Com-about change in these matters - in the methods mittee, and then, of course, we must have a new kind of books introduced!! If School Committees must of necessity do things different from their predecessors, they would do well to let the books alone. It matters but little what kind of text books are used in schools, if the teacher is competent to his task. And if a change of books is to be made, we should hope that such books would be introduced into our schools, as are recommended by the Board of Education."

of growing the vegetables of the garden, or in the nature of vegetables themselves.

Every man then, who has a plot of ground or who has not, but has a family and consults his and their interests, should encourage horticulture.

The farmer in a special manner, should be interested in every thing that pertains to the kitchen garden. That man is not worthy the name of farmer who neglects his garden, for he emphatically neglects his own inctrest and the In conversation with that eminent teacher health of his family. We can hardly imagine and correct scholar, Professor Soule, upon the how a farmer can get along without a garden. relative merits of Greek Grammars, the Pro-yet some men calling themselves such, pay no fessor observed, "We use Sophecle's Greek sort of attention to the garden, if they have Grammar; Crosby's is perhaps the better one at all. Such people have "no calculaGrammar, but then we dislike change of books, tion" of a certainty. What food must conand it matters but little what Grammar is used, tinually greet them. It must be much like provided the grammar is in the head of the the Irishman's change of food Big and litteacher. If it be there, it is sure to be impart-tle potatoes for breakfast and little and big ed to the scholar." There is truth and phi-potatoes for dinner." The only advantage losophy in the Professor's remark.

over the Irishman's change, is the fact that salt meat is added, and then, these would be farmers can say "oh we have a change, we A meeting was held in N. Orleans, on the 11th have salt pork and big and little potatoes for Dec. in behalf of Mr. Thrasher. Resolutions breakfast and little and big potatoes and salt were passed asking the government to inter-pork for dinner!" If it were not for the exferrence at once, 46 demanding the instant re-ercise such persons take of necessity in their leas of Mr. Thrasher, and waruing Spain daily labor, scurvy, the scourge of the sailor against such outrage in future." who lives upon salt meat alone, would of a

surety be the result of such living. As it is, ill health is often the result.

Now a kitchen garden for a farmer's own use and to furnish much produce for market, requires but little of his time, comparatively speaking.

winds and storms, and to have them in a suitable position for being covered up during the winter, which may be done by straw, or any other cheap covering. This covering should not be removed in the spring till about the time the apple trees are in blossom.

frost.

The

The odds and ends of his time, in the morn-buds will then expand with great rapidity, ing and at evening and of rainy days, if properly and will, generally, be beyond the reach of employed, will produce for him a productive garden. And then what a change, what a luxury, and what an addition to any table, is the fresh lettuce radishes, aspargaus, cucumbers and the score of little delicacies, that a good garden furnishes through the spring and summer? And then when Fall and Winter come- the harvested produce of the garden adds zest, luxury and health to every dish, not to say a word of the economy of having a garden and how it adds weight to every farmer's purse.

THE PEACH IN NORTHERN LATITUDES.

In this manner a crop of peaches can be raised as certainly in the northern part of New England as in the southern; for the season is quite long enough, and warm enough for this crop. Though the raising of peaches in this way be attended with some care and labor, yet the value of this fruit in the market, and the great luxury of it to the grower, are ample remunerations for the extra time and labor.

MICE AND TREES.

W. G.

You can keep the mice from gnawing your THIS delicious fruit is but little cultivated in apple and other fruit trees by treading the the three northern New-England States, ex- snow down about the roots. This should be cepting in the southern part of New-Hamp-done in the middle of the day, when the heat shire and Vermont. There are two reasons of the sun will cause the snow to "tread well." why the peach will not flourish, under ordi- The snow thus trodden down about the roots nary circumstances, in so high a latitude. freezes, and forms an impenetrable barrier to First, if the trees be planted on a northern the mice. slope of land, they are almost sure to be destroyed by the cold of winter. Second, if planted on a southern slope, and they survive the cold season, they are forced forward by the earliest warm days of spring so rapidly that the buds expand and the trees are in full blossom too early for the climate. The result is, that a cold night, with a slight frost, destroys the entire crop.

A full harvest of peaches could not be real

ized in this Northern latitude, from an orchard planted on a Southern declination of land, oftener than once in four or six years, provided the trees could be protected sufficiently from the cold of winter to be in a good bearing condition, owing to the premature expansion of the buds, and the frosts above named. To obviate these difficulties to a certain degree, and to extend the cultivation of the peach some three or four degrees further north in New-England, is the object of this article.

The peach should be planted on land sloping to the south, and better, on the south side of a wall, ledge, or tight fence. When the trees are about three feet high they should be bent down at right angles, about eighteen inches from the ground, and secured in this position by strips of cloth passing from the trees to stakes driven into the ground for this purpose. The trees should be kept confined in this position till they grow quite firm. Then as the branches ascend, they, in turn, should be tied down, in the same manner, to the horizontal main branch. Thus the whole should be trailed along, not being permitted to rise over three or four feet from the ground. The object of this trailing is to prevent the trees, in a degree, from the cold northern

A gentleman of Rockingham County, of much experience and curiosity in such matters, says he has tried this experiment for years, and universally with success.

A CENTENNARIAN. A correspondent of the Lowell Courier, from Jaffrey, N. H. thus speaks of a centennarian residing in that

town:

Mr. Moses Stickney, living in Jaffrey, at the foot of the grand Monadnock, was one hundred years old on the 22d day of November last. He came to this place from Boxboro, Mass., about the time of the Revolutionary War. He was married Sept. 9, 1777, and lived with his wife nearly 70 years. In coming to this place with his wife, they rode on horseback, and marked trees were their only guideboards. He is the father of eight children, all of which are not now living. The old gentleman enjoys better health than most people younger than himself. His appetite is good, and he can relish and digest as hearty a meal as any one. He wants some three half-pints of cider a day, and also uses tobacco regularly.He has always been an early riser, and tells me that he is now the first one up in the house. He attended the annual meeting, and cast his vote the present year. He walks sometimes as many as four or five miles a day, and takes most of the care of his cattle, yokes his own oxen, and goes into the wood-lot with his team. During the past season he has taken the charge of his own planting and harvesting; he has mowed a half dozen acres or so, and some of it the second time.