ARTICLE 6. This constitution may be altered at any annual meeting by a majority of the members present, and any regulations not inconsistent with its provisions may be adopted at any meeting. OFFICERS FOR 1845. JOHN KINGSBURY, President. WILKINS UPDIKE, Vice President, Washington County. DIRECTORS. WILLIAM GAMMELL, Providence. J. T. HARKNESS, Smithfield. SAMUEL GREENE, Smithfield. PROSPECTUS OF THE JOURNAL. In pursuance of the object for which the Rhode Island Institute was established "the improvement of public schools and other means of popular education in this State," arrangements have been made to publish, during the winter of 1845-6, a paper, to be called the JOURNAL OF THE RHODE ISLAND INSTITUTE OF INSTRUCTION. The Editorial Department will be under the care of Henry Barnard, Commissioner of Public Schools. The Business Department will be under the superintendence of Thomas C. Hartshorn, to whom all orders for the paper, and subscriptions for the same should be addressed. The first number of the Journal will be issued in November, and its publication will be continued thereafter, on the 1st and 15th of each month, until the volume is completed by the publication of twelve numbers. Each number will contain at least sixteen pages in octavo form; and in addition, from time to time, an EXTRA will be published, containing official circulars, notices of school meetings, and other educational movements; and also one of a series of "Educational Tracts," prepared by the Commissioner of Public Schools. The volume, including the EXTRAS and " Educational Tracts" will constitute at least three hundred pages. The price will be fifty cents for a single copy; or three dollars for ten copies sent in a single package, and at the same rate for any larger number sent in the same way. The subscription must be paid on the reception of the first number. JOHN KINGSBURY, THOMAS C. HARTSHORN, Committee of Publication. AMOS PERRY, Providence, November 6, 1815. We have assumed the labor and responsibility of conducting the Editorial Department of the JOURNAL OF THE RHODE-ISLAND INSTItute of InstruCTION, while we remain connected with the administration of the school system of the State, from a deep conviction of the importance of such a paper as a medium of official communication with school committees, trustees, teachers and the public generally, on subjects which are likely to be presented for explanation and direction, and for the various information essential to the improvement of schools, and calculated to prevent litigation, and arrest disputes that too often prove fatal to the harmony of districts. The JOURNAL will be the repository of all documents of a permanent value relating to the history, condition, and improvement of public schools and other means of popular education in the State. It will contain the laws of the State, relating to schools, with such forms and explanations as may be necessary to secure uniformity and efficiency in their administration. It will contain suggestions and improved plans for the repairs, construction, and internal arrangements of school-houses. It will aim to form, encourage, and bring forward good teachers; and to enlist the active and intelligent co-operation of parents, with teachers, and committees in the management and instruction of schools. It will give notice for all local and general meetings of associations relating to public schools, and publish any communications respecting their proceedings. It will give information of what is doing in other states and countries, with regard to popular education, and in every way endeavor to keep alive a spirit of efficient and prudent action in behalf of the physical, intellectual and moral improvement of the rising and all future gen erations in the State. In conducting the Journal, we shall aim to publish in the regular semi-monthly numbers, only such articles and documents as are of permanent value, as connected with the legislation of the state respecting public schools, or as throwing light on the condition and improvement of schools and other means of popular education in the several towns. In the EXTRAS, which will be issued from time to time, will be published all official circulars, notices for school-meetings with accounts of their proceedings, and communications relating to in-. dividual schools and improvements in education generally. The extras will be paged continuously, independent of the paging of the regular numbers of the Journal. In the series of "EDUCATIONAL TRACTS" will be embraced fuller discussions, original and selected, of important topics in some one department of popular education. Each Tract will be complete in itself, and can be circulated independent of the Journal. In prosecution of the plan thus briefly stated, we commence in this number of the Journal, the publication of a REPORT ON THE CONDITION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND OTHER MEANS OF POPULAR EDUCATION IN RHODE ISLAND, prepared agreeably to the provisions of the following Act of the General Assembly, and Circular of Governor Fenner, relating thereto. AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR ASCERTAINING THE CONDITION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THIS STATE, AND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT AND BETTER MANAGEMENT THEREOF. Passed October, 1843. Be it enacted by the General Assembly as follows: SECTION 1. The Governor of this State shall employ some suitable person as agent, for the purposes hereafter mentioned, at a reasonable compensation for his services. SEC. 2. The said agent shall visit and examine the respective Public Schools in this State; ascertain the length of time each district school is kept, and at what season of the year; the qualifications of the respective teachers of said schools-the mode of instruction therein-collect information of the actual condition and efficiency of our Public Schools and other means of popular education, and diffuse as widely as possible among the people a knowledge of the most approved and successful methods of arranging the studies, and conducting the education of the young, to the end that the children of this State who depend upon common schools for instruction, may have the best education that those schools may be made to impart; and shall make report to the legislature with such observations and reflections as experience may suggest, upon the condition and efficiency of our system of popular education, and the most practicable means of improving the same. SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the preceptors of the public schools in the respective districts in this State, from time to time, to furnish said agent with all the information he may require, in order to enable him to carry out the provisions of this act. TO THE PEOPLE OF RHODE ISLAND. In pursuance of An Act "to provide for ascertaining the condition of the Public Schools of this State, and for the improvement and better management thereof," I have secured the services of HENRY BARNARD, who has had several years experience in the discharge of similar duties in a neighboring state, and observed the working of various systems of public instruction in this country and in Europe. Mr. Barnard will enter immediately on the duties of his office. His great object will be to collect and disseminate in every practicable way, information respecting existing defects and desirable improvements in the organization and administration of our school system, and to awaken, enlighten and elevate public sentiment, in relation to the whole subject of popular education. With this view, he will visit all parts of the State, and ascertain, by personal inspection, and inquiries of teachers, school committees, and others, the actual condition of the schools, with their various and deeply interesting statistical details. He will meet, in every town, if practicable, such persons as are disposed to assemble together, for the purpose of stating facts, views and opinions, on the condition and improvement of the schools, and the more complete and thorough education of the people. He wil! invite oral and written communications from teachers, school committees, and all others on the subject, respecting their plans and suggestions for advancing the intellectual and moral improvement of the rising, and all future generations, in the State. The results of his labors and inquiries will be communicated in a Report to the General Assembly. In the prosecution of labors so delicate, difficult and extensive, Mr. Barnard will need the sympathy and co-operation of every citizen of the State. With the most cordial approval of the object of the Legislature, and entire confidence in the ability, experience and zeal of the gentleman whom I have selected to carry it out, I commend both to the encouragement and aid of all who love the State, and would promote her true and durable good, however discordant their opinions may be on other subjects. JAMES FENNER. Providence, Dec. 6, 1843. REPORT ON THE CONDITION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. TO THE GEneral AssemBLY: Before entering on the administration of the system of Public Schools as organized by an act which passed your honorable body in June, and which by the terms of the act takes effect on and after this date, I beg leave to submit a more detailed Report+ than I have yet done of my proceedings under the act "to provide for ascertaining the condition of the Public Schools, and for the improvement and better management of the same, arranged under the following heads :" I. MODE OF ASCERTAINING THE CONDITION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. II. MEASURES ADOPTED TO INTEREST AND INFORM THE PUBLIC MIND AND PREPARE THE WAY FOR A MORE COMPLETE AND EFFICIENT SYSTEM. III. DEFECTS IN THE LAWS RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS THEY WERE, WITH AN OUTLINE OF THE SYSTEM AS AT PRESENT ORGANIZED. IV. CONDITION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR THEIR IMPROVEMENT. V. OTHER MEANS OF POPULAR EDUCATION. I. In following out the general directions of the Act above cited, and of the Circular of his Excellency the Governor, commending the objects of my appointment to the co-operation of the people of the State, my first object was to ascertain the condition of the public schools, and the actual working of existing laws for their administration, as the only basis of any sound le *November 1, 1845. † A portion of this Report was prepared several months since, but its publication was suspended, until it could be known whether the General Assembly at the October session would make any alteration in the Act respecting Public Schools, passed in June, 1845, upon the provisions of which many suggestions for the improvement of schools contained in this document are based. In prosecution of the plan thus briefly stated, we commence in this number of the Journal, the publication of a REPORT ON THE CONDITION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND OTHER MEANS OF POPULAR EDUCATION IN RHODE ISLAND, prepared agreeably to the provisions of the following Act of the General Assembly and Circular of Governor Fenner, relating thereto. AN ACT OF THE PUB TO PROVIDE FOR ASCERTAINING THE CONDITION Be it enacted by the General Assembly as follows: SECTION 1. The Governor of this State shall employ some si person as agent, for the purposes hereafter mentioned, at a reas compensation for his services. SEC. 2. The said agent shall visit and examine the respective Schools in this State; ascertain the length of time each district kept, and at what season of the year; the qualifications of the r teachers of said schools-the mode of instruction therein-col mation of the actual condition and efficiency of our Public Se other means of popular education, and diffuse as widely as poss the people a knowledge of the most approved and successful arranging the studies, and conducting the education of the y end that the children of this State who depend upon commo instruction, may have the best education that those schools to impart; and shall make report to the legislature with tions and reflections as experience may suggest, upon the efficiency of our system of popular education, and the m means of improving the same. SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the preceptors of the r the respective districts in this State, from time to tim agent with all the information he may require, in order carry out the provisions of this act. TO THE PEOPLE OF RHODE ISLAN In pursuance of An Act "to provide for ascertaini the Public Schools of this State, and for the imp management thereof," I have secured the services who has had several years experience in the disch in a neighboring state, and observed the working public instruction in this country and in Europe. Mr. Barnard will enter immediately on the du great object will be to collect and disseminate in information respecting existing defects and de the organization and administration of our scho enlighten and elevate public sentiment, in relat of popular education. With this view, he will v and ascertain, by personal inspection, and inqu committees, and others, the actual condition of various and deeply interesting statistical detail town, if practicable, such persons as ar for the purpose of stating facts, views improvement of the schools tion of the people. He w er, .ec ssed viting sava of These mention an causes smprove en more nal cases, arers of disw personal Bol committees. mmittees to the working of the important partic mmittee in some ecting their own |