THERE is much in the state of education in this country, which is encouraging to the philanthropist and scholar. Its great object seems to be more and more distinctly apprehended. The harmonious cultivation of all the powers which belong to man, is regarded as of paramount importance. Hence the means which are devised to purify and interest the affections, to discipline and mature the understanding, and to render the body in the highest degree the coadjutor of the mind. The Bible is beginning to take that place in plans of study, which its great value as a storehouse of principles in morals, and literature, and religion, demand. Its merits as a text-book, are undergoing a thorough discussion. The results of inquiry and of experience on this subject, cannot be doubtful. From present appearances, we are inclined to think that it will soon be a part of the course of study at all our higher seminaries. The fact, furnished by experience, that a literary institution cannot flourish entirely disconnected from religious influence, is highly gratifying. It is felt that no motives, except those derived from religion, can, for any length of time, control a large body of ardent young men. Without some portion of a practical and efficient piety in a college, the tendency to universal skepticism is inevitable, and infidelity is a poor foundation on which to lay the literary prosperity of any institution. Periods of the enjoyment of a special divine influence so multiplied within a few years past, have, beyond a doubt, greatly promoted the progress of science and literature. An immediate temporary depression may have been sometimes occasioned, but the ultimate results have been most salutary. No candid man can look at the effects of a revival of religion in a college, without acknowledging their great importance. They promote sobriety of manners, purity and power of motive, cheerful obedience to law, fraternal affection, comprehensiveness of view, disinterestedness of purpose, and a conscientious employment of time, such as can be secured in no other circumstances. We have reason to believe that greater attention is paid to individual minds at our public institutions. The indiscriminate instruction of a class, has long been a fatal error. The instructors have not studied the peculiar conformation-the excellencies and defects of particular minds. The sound advice of Mr. Jardine, the excellent Glasgow professor, has produced, we think, considerable effect in this country. The study of classical literature is now placed on its right basis. It is regarded as an indispensable part of a truly liberal education. It would be much more difficult to assail it successfully, at the present time, than it would have been five years since. The defence of the study of the ancient languages has been conducted in various parts of the country with great ability. We have observed a protracted and unanswerable vindication of its utility, in a newspaper published beyond the Alleghany mountains. At the same time, other departments of study are not excluded from a due share of attention. The apparatus and other means of instruction in all the branches of physics, are becoming more and more ample and effective. The objection to the study of the classics, from the little time which could be devoted to it, and from the superficial knowledge which has been consequently gained, has been in some measure removed, by the practice of studying an entire author, rather than detached portions of a great number. The feeling averse to the study, arising from its alleged immoral tendency, has been in some degree, and may be, doubtless, entirely removed, by the substitution of select authors. Manual labor schools, and other means for the physical education of scholars, continue to attract a considerable share of the public favor. It is unquestionably true, that some of their friends have been too sanguine in their expectations of benefits from them. The difficulties attending their organization, and perfect and continued operation, have been much greater than were anticipated. It has been found somewhat embarrassing to maintain, at the same time, and in the same institution, a strong interest in intellectual and physical education. Still, there is a much greater degree of attention paid to this subject by private individuals, and in a disconnected manner, than there was ten years since; and all this is a consequence of the efforts of the friends of manual labor schools. On the whole, we derive great encouragement from what has been accomplished within the last few years in this country. At the same time, a great work remains to be done. The proper degree and the right manner of employing legislative patronage, is a subject of importance. The adequate preparation of a great number of school teachers, is a branch of the subject requiring most anxious and elaborate discussion. The whole subject of the internal economy of education, or the proper motives for study and effort, are but just beginning to excite attention. A thorough perception of the wants of the community in reference to school-books, does not yet exist. New books are multiplied almost without number, but many of them differing little from each other and constructed hastily, without any fixed principles and intention. Lyceums, or popular education, in its widest sense, needs a careful examination. In short, there are many things in respect both to the principles and details of instruction and education, in this country, which have yet been hardly at all considered. MAINE. Elementary education. The laws of Massachusetts provided at an early period for the establishment of elementary English schools, in every town containing sixty families, and for that of grammar schools of a higher order, in every town containing two hundred families. When Maine became a separate State, in 1820, one of the first subjects, which occupied the attention of its legislature, was an alteration of the system of common schools. The principal variation consisted in omitting any limitation of the number of families which a town should contain before it should be required to support a school, and instead of this, requiring that every town of whatever size, should raise annually for the support of schools, a sum equal at least, to forty cents for each person in the town, and distribute this sum among the several schools or districts, in proportion to the respective numbers of scholars in each. The expenditure of the sum is left principally to the discretion of the town, and its committee or agents appointed for that purpose. The schools are required to be established in convenient districts, and the inhabitants of the several districts are invested with corporate powers to build and repair schoolhouses, and for some other purposes of minor consequence. The parents are required to furnish their children with such books as may be prescribed by the superintending school committee of the town; and all are entitled equally to the benefits of the school. In 1825, the legislature required a report from each town in the State, of the situation of their schools, so far as respected the number of school-districts, and of children usually attending school, the time during which they were open for instructing each year, and the funds by which they were supported. The following were the results: Amount required by law to be raised and expended annually, $119,334 00 Aggregate number of months annually, schools are opened, 11,441 Estimated population in 1825, 337,244 Probable increase of scholars annually, 6,035 Number of scholars in 1833, estimated, 140,000 Months in which each school is open, male teachers, Scholars on an average attending in each district, Average wages of teachers and other expenses per month, 2,0 66 female 2,5 40 $12 04 135 Average expense for each scholar per month, Proportion of scholars to each 100 of whole population, 30 30 6 Ratio per cent. to the whole taxable property, valuation of 1820, We have seen no recent reports of the condition of the common schools in Maine. We presume the proportions have not materially varied. Academies and High schools. The two oldest incorporated academies in the State are the Berwick and Hallowell academies, both established by the legislature in 1791. In 1829, the Berwick academy owned in real estate, an academy building of wood, nearly forty years old, and ten acres of land, estimated at $700; in personal estate, $6,837, loaned to banks and individuals. In addition, the Hon. John Lord gave in 1815, $500 for a fund, the profits to be expended in the purchase of Bibles for the scholars. The Hallowell academy has in real estate, between $4,000 and $5,000; in personal estate, $3,072. Of the funds, $1,000 were given by Mrs. Elizabeth Bowdoin; the academy building, which was burned in 1805, was erected and finished by citizens of the county of Lincoln. The Fryeburg academy, incorporated in 1792, has a building estimated at $3,000, and a fund whose income is $566 25. All the funds were derived from the grants of the legislature. The Washington academy at East Machias, incorporated in 1792, has funds, being personal estate secured by mortgages on real estate, $17,090 93, chemical apparatus, $200, academy building and site, $4,500, total, $21,790 93. Nearly the whole is the proceeds of a township of land granted by Massachusetts. Portland academy, incorporated in 1794, has 11,520 acres of land. The Lincoln academy at Newcastle, has 11,520 acres of land, incorporated in 1801. The funds of the Bluehill academy, incorporated in 1803, amount to $6,552 in real estate, and $800 in personal estate. Nearly all was derived from the sale of a half township of land. Gorham academy, incorporated in 1803, has 11,520 acres of land. The Hampden academy, incorporated in 1803, has 11,520 acres of land. The Hebron academy has an amount of real and personal estate of $8,006 64. About half was given by individuals and half by the legislature ; incorporated in 1804. The funds of the Bath academy, incorporated in 1805, are $8,050, the whole of which was derived from sales of a half township of land. The Farmington academy, incorporated in 1807, has in real estate $1,000, and in personal $1,294. The Bloomfield academy has in real estate $500, and in personal $3,000, nearly all derived from the sale of a half township of land. The institution has been in constant operation for sixteen or seventeen years. The Bath female academy, incorporated in 1808, has 11,520 acres of land. The Belfast academy was incorporated in 1808. It has funds to the amount of $5,723 76. The whole amount of the property of the Bridgeton academy is $10,441 97. Of this sum, $3,000 were raised by voluntary contributions. The academy at Limerick was incorporated in 1808. It has a productive fund of $1,760. There is a library of about 110 volumes of miscellaneous books for the use of the scholars. An apparatus, worth $300, has recently been engaged. The average number of scholars in the spring, summer, and autumn terms is 45, in winter, 20. Mr. John V. Bean is the principal. A female department formerly existed in the academy, and it is proposed to re-organize it this spring. The Monmouth academy was incorporated in 1808. Its property amounts to $6,649 92; about $5,000 of which were from the grant of the legislature. The Warren academy, incorporated in 1808, has 11,520 acres of land. The Wiscasset academy has funds to the amount of $4,428. The Thornton academy at Saco, has in real estate $1,000, in personal $6,180; from individual bounty $3,680 were derived; incorporated in 1811. The North Yarmouth academy, incorporated in 1811, has funds to the amount of about $19,000. The Bangor female academy was incorporated in 1818. The Cony female academy at Augusta, incorporated in 1818, founded in 1815, has in funds $9,985, of which $3,225 were a donation of Judge Cony. The library contains 1,200 volumes, the donation of gentlemen in Massachusetts and Maine. The China academy, incorporated the same year, has funds to the amount of about $4,900. The Dearborn academy at Buxton, has funds to the amount of $1,776. The whole was derived from individual donations. The Brunswick academy was incorporated in 1823. It has not been in operation, we believe, for a number of years. Its only property is the building, which cost between $600 and $700. The Foxcroft academy, incorporated in 1823, has funds to the amount of $4,950 89. Of the academy at Anson, incorporated in 1823, we know nothing. During the last winter, an institution called the "Parsonsfield seminary," was incorporated by the legislature of Maine. It is under the patronage of the Free-Will Baptists. Its operations commenced in the autumn of 1832. About 50 scholars. One object is to aid their young men in preparation for the ministry and missions. It is now in a flourishing condition. Mr. Hosea Quimby is principal. Tuition $3 a quarter. Board from $1 to $1,25 a week. Gardiner lyceum. This institution was established at Gardiner, on the Kennebec river, in 1822, by the liberality of Robert Hallowell Gardiner, Esq. It was designed to prepare youths by a scientific education to become skilful farmers and mechanics. The legislature has bestowed upon it $5,000. Lectures were given very extensively on the sciences as connected with the arts and with common life. Its operations are for the present suspended. With the reasons of this measure, we are not acquainted, Maine Wesleyan seminary. This institution was founded at Readfield, in Kennebec county, in January, 1825. In February, 1827, the legislature gave it a half township of land, consisting of 11,520 acres. An original and principal object of the seminary was to educate candidates for the ministry of the Methodist denomination. From the report of the trustees, presented January 9, 1833, 66 we learn the following facts: The number of students during the spring term, was 116; fall term 143. Of these, 55 were employed in the laboring department, 15 in agricultural, and 40 in mechanical labor. Of the students employed in these two departments, 30 paid by their labor the whole expense of their board, and a few did more than this. The remainder defrayed a considerable portion of their expenses in the same way. "The studies of those who labor have not been impeded by devoting five hours in a day regularly to this employment. Though the proficiency of those who do not labor may be greater for a few weeks, yet in a course of study, the laboring student has an obvious advantage in his uniform health and increased vigor of mind." Experience has proved abundantly that the morals of the students are also promoted by a regular system of labor." Since the first establishment of the seminary, nearly 300 students have been employed in the laboring departments, and have paid a considerable amount towards the expenses of their education. A large proportion of them had no other means of obtaining the advantages of education. On account of numerous applications, during the past year, a new blacksmith's shop has been erected, and a larger shop for the carpenters and cabinet makers. The amount of property exclusive of debts, belonging to the institution is $12,114 90. "At present our debts are pressing heavily upon us; and the care and perplexity in which this state of things involves the officers of the institution, serves much to circumscribe our usefulness. Funds are greatly needed to furnish a chemical and philosophical apparatus and library for the use of the students, and also to finish the shops which have been commenced." Merritt Caldwell is principal of this institution, with several assistants. Dudley Moody, Esq. general agent. The whole amount of capital, permanently invested for the establishment and support of all the academies in Maine, including their buildings, libraries, and apparatus was, in 1825, not far from 220,000 dollars. It does not now probably exceed 250,000 dollars. The number of youths annually under instruction was, in the period just mentioned, about 1,000. It may now be 1,200. The year is generally divided into four terms of 11 weeks each, with four vacations of two weeks each. Total expense for the education of each scholar is 50 or 60 dollars. Board may be placed on an average at one dollar twenty-five cents per week. We find in a recent Maine newspaper of a very respectable character, the following statement: "We do not recollect hardly three academies in the State, which have not become either nearly inefficient, for want of funds, or are struggling under a weight of responsibilities and debts that would sink any class of the community, unless they had minds like a Gifford, a Heyne, or a Franklin, and the heart of a Howard." If this statement conveys any thing like the truth, as we have no reason to doubt that it does, it becomes the people of Maine, to ascertain the causes and apply the remedies without delay. Waterville college. nebec river, in the capital of the State. Colleges and higher seminaries. This institution is located on the western bank of Kentown of Waterville, eighteen miles above Augusta, the The principal buildings are two brick edifices, situated a short distance north of the village, with an ample space between them for a chapel, which is soon to be erected. The following gentlemen compose the faculty of the college: Rev. Jeremiah Chaplin, D. D. president. Joseph A. Gallup, M. D. professor of institutes of med. &c. Thomas J. Conant, Greek and German languages. George W. Keely, mathematics and natural philosophy. Willard Parker, M. D. anatomy and surgery. Rev. Calvin Newton, rhetoric and Hebrew. David Palmer, M. D. medical jurisprudence, pharmacy, &c. The requisites for admission and the course of studies are similar to those generally required by the New England colleges. Among the classics studied |