THE NORTH-CAROLINA

JOURNAL OF EDUCATION.

VOL. I.

JANUARY, 1858.

34913

OBJECTS AND CHARACTER OF THIS JOURNAL.

By REV. C. H. WILEY, Superintendent of Common Schools of the State.

No. 1.

voted to the progress of Science, not in its comprehensive sense, but as restricted to those branches technically termed exact.

Much of the utility of every en- | priate only to those Journals deterprise depends on a proper understanding of its objects on the part of those for whose benefit it is intended. When these labor under misconceptions as to ends and purposes they will hardly appreciate the means employed; and hence the propriety of recording upon the front of the N. C. Journal of Education a brief, but full and comprehensive statement of its aims.

All serial publications not belonging to one of these three classes are considered as merely oneideaed, and one-eyed, or else as aspiring to the distinction of Literary: and the merits of a periodical of the latter kind are judged by rules and tests that are fatal to the preA considerable number of read- tensions of all but those which ers are in the habit of dividing deal in any thing else than literaperiodical publications into four ture in its native and proper sense. classes, to wit: Religious, Politi- According to many who profess cal, Literary and Scientific, cach to be judges of such things, Literclass characterized by some pecu-ature no longer means Learning, liar, leading traits and objects or cmbraces what is written, or from which it derives its name, while all may possess certain features in common. Every body understands what is meant by a religious and a political newspaper or magazine—and by common consent the appellation of scientific its own original and ligitimate sigseems to be considered as appro-nificance.

what relates to the progress of written knowledge, and of knowledge from what is written, but like many other noted names, represents something much smaller than, if not the very opposite of

In short the word is made to conform to polite usages and to say one thing and mean another; and a Literary paper or magazine is understood to be one whose distinctive type is devotion to the creations of Fancy.

of the Union. The general objcos
of this and of all sin lar caust-
prices is the promotion of educa
tion among the people; and he
who cannot ace in th's an aim of
vast reope, and though a single
one, embracing a great variety of
interests and avalking any nun-
ber of idca", is h ́mecii' to narrow-
sighted as to rendorit ungblo
to argas with him. they nardian
of such a enure needsam
as Argus, and can empley all he
arms of Eriarcus; and in short,

yes

Such being the views of a rather numerous class of readers in rcgard to the classification of periodicals, considering every one that is not Religious, Political or Selen-, tific, as claiming to be Literary, or else as a more advocate of one idea. a sort of Polyphemus on a blind a Jounal deveted to the subject, horse-and such being the stand-while all the better and more useard by which they decide the mer-ful for its its of Journals of Literary proton- and for its sions, the present cnterprise would in keeping

uglences of purpose, chistent condistoneg that purpose always

enter the lists with a designation prominently in view, can yet con tan and should contain a great varicty of subjects interesting to all classes of honest citizens.

not likely to secure the favorable attention of the entire public, or else with one which would raise cxpectations which it will not, cannot and should not fulfil.

Let it then be datinetly borno in mind that the North Caro'na Jour

It is, therefore, eminently prop-nal of Dention wekes a procr that the character of this un

dertaking should not be left, for : Por

explanation, to its name alone, my Foi o Vell--the site do vast And, first, it may be cald, with all Pore to le en till an altar for den cell 2018 deference to the opinion of everyon'us, 10) in the clematy (CLD), body, that there is a general aus. Loy in the ordinary scho a guardian of public manners and inorals.

mis

take as to the nature of the socalled onc-idead Journals, not cmbraced in any of the four leading classes-and that the mere fact that a work is devoted to one great end is by no means an evidence of its being animated by a single colitary idea.

Its fald of labor has never been occupied in North Cerina ezcert for a short Crus by die 21. C. Common School Jominal; end while this field is a wide and varied on its novelty will at first No better illustration of this can enhance the difficulty of those be given than this Journal, and who labor in it, the want of symits compeers in different sections | pathizing and apprce.ating renders

enleving the task stil more ink- tem of warfare is giving way to

more enlarged. and useful organication-and the champions of the cause are waking up to a more jus and expanded sense of their

Such a Journal can promote the crute which cells it into cxistence. There can be no successful management of any cause without co-, situation and responsibility. They operative and systematic effort on the atollt:alvocatis and friends. there cannot Leth's co-operation in cffort without an interchange of views, Ideas and experiences-end the greas and only recible me- or to labor in concert with all who dun for such an interchange of are enlisted in it.

are beginning to feel that they are, cach one, rails of one great system, and that their duty to the same lays them under obligations to and ou', consult with and endeav

thought and sentiment, is a print There are clementary ideas ard ed periodical. Irinting Presses ought to have been understood

have been found to Lo importent | bng ago; but it is better for them cven to the commanders of mili- to come to us late than never, while, tary ex-editions and the generals we are, in some respects, the more who now land aim'e of civilised fally propared to put them into cfmen communicate their thoughts cient action. and impulses to the minds end · hearts of their followers through the instantaneous intervention of types.

The Journal of Education is the Parliament House, the Congress of the minds of these who wish tolabor together for general education How vastly more important are in N. C.. and in its columns they will these winged and tireless go-be-, bring their views. cxperiences and tweens to the widely scattered sol- ideas together for the benefit of diers of light!

all.

Its object is, therefore, to cnablo Teachers to consult and counsel each other--to enable them and othor to make united attacks on projudices, on abacos and on ignorance. It is also to be a record of cur

But to come briefly and plainly to the point. The cause of Educat'on in N. C., as every where cico, is one caus-end while the fold is a wide ons, difficult to traverso and having a great variety of social, industrial and geograph-rent facts-and is intended to cxical characteristics, the cause has hibit to the public the heart of our been greatly retarded for the want System of Schools with all its hopes, of unity of contiment and cffort on fears, trials and successes. the part of its friends.

Influences are now at work to break up the apparently selfish is olation of the educators of the Stato-the ineficient guerilla sys

It is to be the especial object of the Journal to be an instrument of good to the Common-Schools in North-Carolina; and much of its maiter both of facts and statistics

and also of discussion and suggestion is intended to bear on this paramount subject.

The general character of the contents of the Journal may therefore be easily inferred.

They are to be practical-they are to be plain-(but not in the sense of a vulgar or tedious style,) they are to be pointed, and to relate exclusively to the cause of education in some one of its countless phases.

of the periodical may be enhanced, it has been conducted in a way that some of our critics would call tame and common place. It should indeeed be common-place in one sense-both the subject and style of the larger part of its articles should be of such a character as to interest the people generally; and this may be consistent with true elegance and force of style, and the highest importance of subject mat

ter.

knows an important fact not the common property of all, and bearing on the object of this Journal should be encouraged to make it public through its columns.

Experience in the School room But style and all that relates to -experience among Trustees and style merely are secondary matters Committees, discussions as to in a School Journal; and every methods of instruction and of dis-one who possesses a good idea, or cipline and suggestions as to improvements in the construction of houses and in the methods of furnishing and warming them-books, amusements and studies-plans for increasing the public interest in We wish for contributors as well education, and for the improve- as readers from the ranks of the ment of teachers-duties of teach- Common-Schools-and we want ers, parents, school officers, of the the teachers and officers of that people and of their public servants system to cause the Journal to -objects in legislation-facts-a- give constant utterance to their buses, good examples, history, bi- thoughts and experience. ography, moral instruction &c. &c., are all subjects which ought to be treated of in the Journal.

The style should be plain, not inelegant, but simple; the illustrations practical and to the point. There should be as little as possible of elaborate discussion of abstract principles, and nothing published merely to display ability or taste in Composition.

One department, and we could gladly make it a long and leading one, will be devoted to this subject; and in each No., in this department, will be published important official papers from the chief executive head of the Common-School System.

Having said so much, by way of explanation, generally, the writer will conclude with a few remarks respectfully and earnestly addressed to the teachers of North

The type of School Journals is now well defined and understood elsewhere and that the usefulness Carolina.