in Mount Holly on the 18th of November, and again, by adjournment, on the 2d of December. Dr. John Griscom was appointed Chairman, and H. L. Southard, Secretary. A committee, consisting of Messrs. G. D. Wall, J. Griscom, Prof. E. C. Wines, P. V. Coppuck, and Rev. C. A. Kingsbury, made an able report (drawn up by E. C. Wines) covering the whole question of normal schools and accompanied by letters from distinguished men of other States, who had been addressed upon the subject. As a consequence of the action taken by this convention and similar less influential ones, several petitions and one or two counter remonstrances were presented to the Legislature of the following year, 1848, whose Committee on Education reported the draft of an Act for the establishment of a Normal School, which did not pass beyond a second reading. The public sentiment of the State was not yet ready for such action, but by the influence of local conventions, the reports of school officers, of the Superintendent, Hon. T. F. King, and of committees of the Legislature, such an improvement was effected in the few following years as to insure final success.

The first County Teachers' Institute in the State was held at Somerville, Somerset county, in November, 1851. It met annually thereafter, each year sending its petition to the Legislature for recognition. Early in 1853 a City Teachers' Association was formed at Newark, whose proceedings and resolves in reference to Normal Schools and Teachers' Institutes were widely published. In October of the same year a State Convention was held at Trenton, of which Gov. G. F. Fort was Chairman, and Isaiah Peckham and W. H. Van Nortwick, Secretaries; and through its action, in the following December a convention of the teachers of the State met in New Brunswick and organized a State Teachers' Association. During the legislative session of 1854, a committee of three gentlemen, acting under a resolution of this Association, delivered addresses in the Assembly Chamber, before the members of both Houses, upon the subject of popular education. The proceedings of this meeting produced a deep impression upon the Legislature and one of its immediate results was the passage of a law establishing County Teachers' Institutes. Several of these Institutes were held the same year in connection with the meetings of the County Teachers' Associations which had already been organized. In the following year, nearly seventeen years of effort were rewarded with success in the establishment, by act of the Legislature, of the State Normal School-an act which, together with that establishing Teachers' Institutes, effected more for education in New Jersey than all that had previously been done.

ORGANIZATION AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE STATE ASSOCIATION.

The call for the State Convention of Teachers at New Brunswick, on the 28th of Dec., 1853, was signed by Messrs. C. C. Hoagland, J. B. Thompson, and J. T. Clark, a committee of arrangements who had been appointed at the previous meeting in October, and an address to the teachers of the State, designed to enlist them in the proposed association, was simultaneously issued by another committee, consisting of David Cole, J. K. Burnham, and Isaiah Peckham. Nathan Hedges, of Newark, the oldest teacher in the State, presided, and J. T. Clark acted as Secretary, and the STATE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION was organized, of which R. L. Cook was elected President; Isaiah Peckham, Vice-President; and David Cole, Secretary. A committee, as already mentioned, was appointed to address the Legislature upon the interests of education, and a premium of twenty dollars was offered for the best essay on the improvement of common school education in the State.

SECOND ANNUAL MEETING.-At Trenton, January 18th, 1855. Addresses were delivered by the President, on the "School Laws of New Jersey," by Prof. J. T. Clark, of New Brunswick, on "Normal Schools," and by Henry Barnard, on the "School Systems of Europe." Papers were also read by Prof. J. Sanford Smith, upon the "State Superintendency;" by C. C. Hoagland, on "Teachers' Institutes;" and an essay, by J. T. Clark, to whom had been awarded the premium offered at the previous meeting. C. C. Hoagland, who during the year had been active in conducting Institutes and for more than twenty years had been zealously engaged in educational labors within the State, was appointed State Agent. The New York Teacher was adopted as organ of the Association and Prof. David Cole appointed as corresponding editor. The following officers were elected:-J. T. Clark, Pres. W. D. Wiltsie and S. Freeman, Vice-Pres. David Cole, J. E. Haynes, and J. B. Woodward, Sec.; and M. H. Doolittle, Treas.

THIRD ANNUAL MEETING.-At Newark, December 27th, 1855. Addresses were delivered by Hon. R. S. Field, on “Education in our Common Schools;" by J. T. Clark, on "Socrates, the Model Teacher;" by S. S. Randall, on the "Principles lying at the Basis of Success in Common School Labor;" and by Prof. Foster, of Union College, on "Extreme Views on Education." J. B. Thompson was appointed State Agent in place of C. C. Hoagland, to whom a vote of thanks was given for his numerous services in the cause of education. Of this gentleman's labors, William H. Wells thus wrote in 1856:

"This State owes more to his judicious and indefatigable labors for her educational progress than to any other man. Had it not been for him we should not have had our Institute and our Normal School. He has been the life and soul of every really progressive movement in behalf of popular education in this State for the last ten years. His own county (Somerset) has been admitted to be for several years the "banner county," and this mainly through the exertions of Dr. Hoagland. As a conductor of Institutes, he has few if any equals. He possesses energy, tact, and experience, which eminently fit him especially for pioneer movements education-ward."

The following officers were elected :-J. S. Smith, Pres. P. L. F. Reynolds and O. A. Kibbe, Vice-Pres. T. J. Connalty and G. B. Sears, Sec. Samuel Backus, Treas.

FOURTH ANNUAL MEETING.-At Bridgeton, August 27th, 1856. Addresses were made, more or less formal, by the President, on the "History of Education in New Jersey;" by Prof. W. F. Phelps, on the "Normal School," and on "State School Superintendence;" by J. B. Thompson, on the "New Jersey School System;" and by David Cole, on "District Libraries." Discussions were also held on the subjects of "School Libraries," and "Township Appropriations." Reports were received upon the condition of education in several of the counties, and from the State Agent, who had been indefatigable in his labors and had carried Teachers' Institutes into every county. The following officers were elected:-Isaiah Peckham, Pres. W. W. Swett and Colister Morton, Vice-Pres. A. Thompson, Sec. S. Backus, Treas. J. B. Thompson was reappointed State Agent.

FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING.-At Trenton, Dec. 29th, 1857. Addresses by the President, on "Teaching as a Science;" by Prof. W. F. Phelps, on the "Necessity of State Education;" by Prof. H. Krusi, on "Pestalozzi;" and by Dr. Paris, of Philadelphia, on the "Claims of Idiocy." A discussion was held upon "Teachers' Institutes," and upon the "Right to an Education," and the State Agent made his report. A committee was appointed to urge upon the Legislature the appointment of a State Board of Education. The following officers were elected:-William F. Phelps, Pres. B. Harrison and S. A. Farrand, Vice Pres. G. B. Sears and O. A. Kibbe, Sec. S. C. Webb, Treas. J. B. Thompson, State Agent.

SIXTH ANNUAL MEETING.-At Jersey City, Dec. 28th, 1858. Lectures delivered by T. W. Valentine, on "Young America;" by Prof. J. S. Hart, on "Attention;" by H. L. Smith and S. J. Sedgwick, on "Physical Education ;" and essays were read from Mrs. E. V. Smith, on "School Postures ;" and by H. Q. Johnson, on the "Teacher and his Profession;" all of which gave rise to more or less extended discussion. The State Agent made his third annual report, stating that Teachers' Institutes had been held during the

year in nineteen counties with increased interest. The committee on a State Board of Education submitted a report, and after an interesting debate, were instructed to present a memorial on the sub. ject to the Legislature at its next session. An important discussion was also held upon the necessity of arousing popular attention to the cause of education and the duty of the clergy in relation thereto. Officers elected:-B. Harrison, Pres. A. J. Doremus and G. Berry, Vice-Pres. G. H. Linley and C. T. Wright, Sec. J. A. Hallock, Treas.

SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING.-At Camden, Dec. 28th, 1859. Addresses by the President, on "Worthiness, not Happiness, the end in Morals;" by Rev. J. M. Johnson, on "Public Schools in the Rural Districts," by Wm. McNeely, on "County Educational Associ ations;" and by E. W. Keyes, Esq., on "Education in Life, and Life in Education." Messrs. Wight, Phelps and Peckham were appointed a committee to urge upon the Legislature the subject of à State Board of Education. Officers elected: Nathan Hedges, Pres. Wm. A. Breckenridge and Henry K. Bugbee, Vice-Pres. Samuel A. Farrand, Rec. Sec. Caleb M. Harrison, Cor. Sec.; and Win. McNeely, Treas.

EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING.-At Paterson, Dec. 26th, 1860. Addresses by Geo. B. Sears, on "Methods of School Examination;" by the President, on "Schools of the Olden Time;" by C. M. Harrison, on the "Progress of Educational Reform;" by Prof. Youmans, on the "Natural Sciences;" by G. Berry, on the "Relations of Home to School ;" and by E. A. Sheldon and N. A. Calkins, on "Object Teaching." Officers elected:-F. W. Ricord, Pres. C. S. Hosford and R. De Hait, Vice-Pres. S. A. Farrand, Rec. Sec. E. G. Upson, Cor. Sec.; and J. E. Haynes, Treas.

NINTH ANNUAL MEETING.-At Newark, April 1st, 1862. Addresses were delivered by Prof. Wm. F. Phelps, on the "Principles of Universal Education," by the President, on the "Relations of Education to National Prosperity;" by Wm. A. Whitehead, on "Reading;" by Wm. D. Casterline, on the "Moral and Religious Influence of the Teacher in the School-room;" and by B. J. Howe, on "Education and Government." C. S. Hosford was elected President, and S. A. Farrand, Secretary.

TENTH ANNUAL MEETING.-At Bridgeton, Dec. 29th, 1862. Addresses by John S. Hart, LL. D., on "Normal Schools;" by Hon. F. W. Ricord, on the "School Laws of New Jersey ;" by John Gosman, A. M., on the "Relations and Duties of Teachers to the

Country;" and by Prof. Phelps, on a "Course of Study for Public Schools." A paper was read by Mrs. P. C. Case, on "Object Teaching." Among the questions discussed was the "Desirableness of Military Drill in our Public Schools." The resolutions embraced patriotic utterances on the state of the country. S. A. Farrand was elected President, and Wm. D. Casterline, Secretary.

ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING.-At New Brunswick, Dec. 28th, 1863. Addresses were delivered by W. N. Barringer, A. M., on the "Objects of Education;" by Rev. O. R. Willis, on the "Influence of the Study of Natural History upon Intellectual Education;" by Rev. Wm. Travis, upon a "National System of Education;" by Hon. F. W. Ricord, on the "Teacher's Work ;" and by Isaiah Peckham, A. M., on “Education—a Growth." A paper was read by Silas Betts upon the "Comparative Merits of Male and Female Teachers ;" and a report was made by Mr. Ricord concerning teachers of New Jersey who have entered the Union army. L. H. Gauze read a paper on the "Relation between Common Schools and a Free Government." A resolution was unanimously adopted urging upon the Legislature the establishment of a State Reform School. C. M. Harrison was elected President, and Wm. D. Casterline, Secretary.

TWELFTH ANNUAL MEETING.-At Rahway, Dec. 27th, 1864. Addresses were delivered by Prof. David Cole, of Rutgers College, on the "Progress of Education in the State of New Jersey;" by E. O. Chapman, on the "Necessary Work still remaining to be done in the Cause of Education;" by J. M. Quinlan, on "Education and the War;" by T. H. Gemmel, subject, "What is the Teacher?" and by the President, on the "State School System." A report of the Committee on a "Uniform Course of Study" was made by Prof. Peckham. Wm. D. Casterline read a paper on the "Elements of the Successful Teacher ;" and Joseph E. Haynes made a report from the Committee on a "State Reform School." H. B. Pierce, of Trenton, was elected President, and Wm. D. Casterline, Vice-President.

The Association is and always has been composed mainly of active, energetic teachers, none but those actually engaged in the school-room being admitted to the privileges of full membership, though school officers and others may become honorary members. It has accomplished very much towards the elevation of the standard of common school education in the State, and it is steadily growing, from year to year, in numbers and influence.