UCATIONAL MONTHLY.

APRIL, 1864.

MILITARY SCHOOLS.

HE war for the Union has thoroughly awakened the nation from its fascing dream of eternal peace. Its advent id us thoroughly unprepared for its n realities, save in the possession of ounded resources of crude and unde>ped material. We had millions of ve men, but they were untrained to discipline of arms. We had inexhaust› supplies of iron, but it must be forged › swords and guns. Our granaries were aning under the weight of food for man 1 beast. Our forests were dark with O shade of the oak and pine, but these st be turned into ships. In short, we re almost paralyzed with the consciousEs of our utter unreadiness for the clash contending hosts on the field of mortal nbat.

But we have learned a lesson which we all not soon forget. We have been ight that the surest guarantee for the gn of peace, is a state of perpetual readess for the unrest of war. We are adonished that here, too, an ounce of pre-ntion is better than a pound of cure. In no one respect was our utter unreadiess for the great struggle more apparent an in that of trained soldiers-men cometent to command the hosts marshalled r the defense of liberty and union-men hose military skill, penetration, and forcght, qualified them to transform peaceful tizens into disciplined soldiers, and lead hem against the enemies of public law and uman freedom. We had but one national ilitary school. That had been for years nder the insidious influence of the plotters gainst national life, and hence a large pro

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United States proved recreant to their trusts, false to their oaths, and treasonable to their government. The nation for a time stood aghast at the spectacle of their wholesale perfidy and their monstrous crimes. Several of the rebellious States, who had long meditated and been preparing for the disruption of the Union, had established and were liberally supporting military schools; and hence, at the outbreak of the war, they enjoyed a vast advantage in the number and superiority of their officers for the various branches of their military service.

us.

The experience of the last three years, however, seems likely to be instructive to We are arousing to the consciousness of our great needs, and providing for the more than possible exigencies of our still greater future. The subject of military instruction is already engaging a liberal share of public attention. We need no greater evidence of this, than is afforded by the numerous attempts to organize private military schools, and to teach a smattering of military tactics in our existing institutions of various grades. These efforts are praiseworthy, as indicating the right intention, and they may serve a temporarily useful purpose as far as they go. But they are totally inadequate to produce the results desired. A knowledge of tactics is but a small part of the needful acquirements of a true soldier, and these semimilitary schools can impart only a limited and comparatively superficial amount of this particular kind of information. In numerous experiments which have come under our observation, it has been proved, that while only a superficial training in tactics is secured, the pseudo cadets soon lose all interest in the dull repetition of the mere routine-drill of the squad and the company. In these cases, too, the showy uniforms, the dress-parades, and, in general, the holiday soldiering practice of the classes, without the checks and balances of actual military discipline, gener

States of institutions for instruction in Agriculture, and the applications of science to the mechanic arts, will result in bringing the question of industrial education prominently before the American people, and eventually in supplying a great want in the material enterprises of the country. This want is that of highly educated men as specialists, to lead in the development of our resources as a producing, manufacturing, and commercial people. Sixteen States having accepted the Congressional grants, and hence incurred the accompanying obligation to organize the institutions contemplated by the act, the subject has already assumed a degree of importance that justifies the earnest and enlightened attention of the thoughtful friends of educational progress in the United States.

The problem of the hour in reference to this matter, is, as to what shall be the plan of organization and course of instruction in the proposed institutions. The entire question of their success or failure, turns upon the solution to be given to this problem. But the plan of organization and course of study, must somewhat depend upon the particular form which the institution shall take. If it be an appendage to some other establishment, whose aims are different, its organization and curriculum must be modified to suit these circumstances. If, on the contrary, it is to be established upon an independent basis, and with special reference only to its peculiar objects, secondary to no other aims, the

problem referred to is ple, and the condition tion are direct and eas

A very able and tim subject, is presented in Plan for the organiza Agriculture and the especial reference to the Agricultural Colleg in view of the endow tion by the land gran Congress.

This Report is from ident of the Faculty of is addressed to its Boar certainly commend it sideration of all who a organization of these i

be established in so ma

The Report sets ou table, showing the ed of eighteen of the mor can literary colleges, monstrate that very are indispensable to the educational advantage New York University ment of $250,000, to af 36 Professors, and the umes, to 488 students; being $14,011. Colun an endowment of $1,6 services of 48 Professo 18,000 volumes, to 689 nual expense of $79,269. sity requires an endown with an annual expend to give to 833 students Professors and 149,00 bearing of these facts of preserving the unity the land-grant fund, is quire comment. To t familiar with expenses ing on first-class institut will be surprising. And more surprised to learn seats of learning are act debt annually, by reason their expenses over their

We regret that our space will not perus to give, at this time, an intelligible opsis of this valuable Report. We shall eavor to do so hereafter. It proceeds consider "the resources required to susà Agricultural and Industrial Colleges," ving at the conclusion that an extensive tem of industrial education, "embracing entire range of the Natural and PhysiSciences, can be efficiently carried out y on a large and liberal plan, supported endowments equal to those of the best ucational Colleges in the country." An borate plan for the organization of this ss of colleges is then presented, includg the college-buildings, apparatus, muams, library, etc., and a consideration of e Course of Study, Professorships, Assistts, and other officers, with detailed esnates of the expenses attending the adnistration of an Institution of 400 Stunts, 16 Professors, 10 Assistants, and a ■rm-superintendent. It is estimated that e entire grant to Pennsylvania, amountg to 720,000 acres, will not realize an nual income of more than from $10,000 $20,000. The Report closes with a conderation of the preposterous claims put rth by some of the literary colleges of e country for this grant, or portions of - It takes the most decided ground gainst this pretension, arguing that such diversion of the fund would be destrucve to all the interests involved.

BUSINESS.

Winsome of our counting-houses, a

E have seen conspicuously posted

ard, bearing the following inscription, or omething akin to it:

"Call upon a man of business in hours of business, only upon business; transact our business and go about your business, eaving him time to attend to his business."

This is a business maxim, put in a decidedly business-like way. There is no mis

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recognizes the existence of a class of beings belonging to the genus homo, which, in common parlance, are denominated bores; and it was especially designed to operate as a gentle check upon their remorseless depredations. Business men know and feel the value of time. They are MADE to know and feel it, through the stern teachings of experience, and they are compelled per force to act upon their convictions. A fortune may be lost or won through the negligence or diligence of one brief hour. A credit, which it has required years of earnest effort and unremitting toil to establish, may be ruined by the loss of a single minute on the way to the bankinghouse. A policy of insurance expires. Its renewal is postponed until to-morrow. The devouring flames of the intervening night swallow up the hard-earned treasures of a laborious lifetime. Hence the value of time; and hence, too, the keen appreciation of it by men of business.

But again. Men of business work for material results. Their reward, their gains or losses, are made to appear in palpable forms from day to day, from hour to hour. And these results bear a strikingly appreciable ratio to the effort put forth during the time employed. It is thus that business becomes so efficient as an educating power. It is thus that the men of business become the men of action, of energy, and of resource.

We wish that teachers and professional educators, as a class, could by some means be brought up to the requirements of the terse maxim which we have quoted above. We wish that teachers could be made to feel more keenly the value of time, not only in their professional labors, but in their intercourse with their fellow-men. We wish that they would learn to call on men of business only in hours of business, and that they would learn to transact their business in a business-like way, and then go about their business. It is no mean accomplishment for one to know how

erating a slip-shod mechanical exn of our work, nor impose upon our s by displaying "Book Notices," al compliments, and showy advernts, where they have a right to For something more instructive and

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are only nominally State schools. We should like to see the Keystone State appropriate liberally to her Normal Schools, as being the most efficient instrumentalities in the whole scheme of popular education.

E number of Normal Schools recognized as State institutions in Pennia, is three, instead of one, as report a recent article upon that subject. are so many schools bearing this n that State, that it is not easy alto distinguish between the State and te institutions. The article referred ated that there was one, and not but It told the truth, but not the whole - The private Normal School at chester, is one of the best in the -We are under the impression that propriations are made to any of these ›ls, but that they are sustained by prienterprise alone. If this be so, they

WE

E publish in the present number, an article on the "Old and the New in Education," from the pen of a gentleman who has had a long and successful experience as an educator. It well deserves the attention of the thoughtful reader. Although there may be some difference of opinion respecting the theory of our correspondent in regard to the subject-matter of our popular reading-books, there will be found in this paper much food for profitable reflection. We shall be glad to see the subject thoroughly discussed, and our columns will be open for the presentation of brief and well-digested papers upon both sides of this question.

LANSING, MICH., Feb. 22d, 1864. the Editor of the American Educaonal Monthly:

perceive that a writer in your journal, the present month, "believes" Pennania the only State in the Union that an Agricultural College "open at this e." Permit me to correct this error, ar as our State is concerned.

n the spring of 1857, the State Agriculal College of Michigan, opened with hundred students; many others being ble to gain admission for want of acnmodations. The location is three miles in the Capital, upon a farm of 600 acres. the outset, this was nearly all heavily bered with beech, maple, oak, &c. w it is about half under cultivation; d if you know any thing of the labor of aring up our forests of the West, you ll believe that the College has not been thout students; for all this work has

expended over one hundred thousand dollars; and the current expenses are met, from year to year, by appropriations directly from the State treasury. This the State will continue to do, until an endowment shall be realized from the sale of lands granted by Congress. The amount granted to Michigan, is 240,000 acres ; which eventually must produce a fund of over half a million dollars.

We therefore consider our Agricultural College a fixed fact for all coming time; perhaps destined to rival in importance our State University, with its half million fund and eight hundred students.

Since the Rebellion culminated, the number of students has diminished about onehalf; many having left for the army. A goodly number from this Institution are in the Regiment of Engineers, which, for two years, has made itself famous for bridgebuilding in Kentucky and Tennessee. But the school is constantly growing in favor