Resolved, That the thanks of this association be presented to the citizens of Clayville, for the hospitality which they have extended to the strangers present. Resolved that the proceedings of this meeting be signed by the President and Secretary and sent to the Journal of the Rhode-Island Institute of Instruction, for publication. SYLVESTER PATTERSON, President. SAMUEL A. WINSOR, Secretary. The RHODE-ISLAND INSTITUTE OF INSTRUCTION will meet at the Court House, in Bristol, on Friday evening, December 19th, and continue in session through the following day. An adjourned meeting will be held at the Forest Chapel, in Barrington, on Saturday evening, Dec. 20th, commencing at half past six o'clock. The WASHINGTON COUNTY TEACHERS' INSTITUTE will meet at Hopkinton City, on Thursday evening, December 18th, and continue in session through the following day. EDUCATIONAL TRACTS. The "Educational Tracts," promised to the subscribers of the JOURNAL OF THE RHODE-ISLAND INSTITUTE OF INSTRUCTION, by the Committee of Publication, are part of the series referred to in the Report of the Commissioner of Public Schools. (See Journal No. 1, p. 8.) Three numbers of the series were published last year, and their further publication was suspended on account of the pressure of other engagements. The publication will now be resumed, and will be continued as fast and as far as shall be found consistent with the discharge of other duties. We send with this number of the EXTRA two of the Tracts already published. The publication of the regular number of the Journal which was due on the 1st inst, has been delayed partly on account of the engagements of the editor with the Teachers' Institutes; and partly, that we might ascertain from the returns of teachers and friends of education in different parts of the State, the number of copies that will probably be wanted. We therefore request the friends of the Journal to forward their orders as early as possible. The Journal 'should be in the hands of every family in Rhode-Island; for it will contain documents of great value and interest relating to our own peculiar system of instruction, and to the general cause of education. JOURNAL OF THE RHODE ISLAND INSTITUTE OF INSTRUCTION. The JOURNAL OF THE RHODE-ISLAND INSTITUTE OF INSTRUCTION will be published on the 1st and 15th of every month, until a 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 communications respecting individual schools, and improvements in education generally; and one of a series of "Educational Tracts," devoted to the discussion of important topics, in some one department of popular education. The volume, including the EXTRAS and " Educational Tracts," will constitute at least three hundred pages, and will be furnished for fifty cents for a single copy; or for 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. HENRY BARNARD, Commissioner of Public Schools, Editor. SOME OF THE MODES BY WHICH TEACHERS CAN IMPROVE THEMSELVES AND THEIR SCHOOLS THIS WINTER. The public schools for this winter are now in session. The teachers are in the midst of the trials and responsibilities of their profession, and these trials and responsibilities they must meet with such preparation as they have previously made, and with such aids and opportunities for improvement as their sense of duty shall prompt them to use and apply. We propose to point out some of the ways in which they can improve their schools and their own characters and qualifications, as individuals and teachers, during the present winter. 1. They can inform themselves of the requirements of the laws of the State, and the regulations of the school committee of the town, and comply promptly and cheerfully therewith. If a teacher is engaged in a public school without having a certificate of qualification from the appointed authorities, the necessary steps can be taken immediately to obtain one. If a record of the name, age, parents, and daily attendance of the scholars, has not been kept, it can be begun immediately. If new books have been introduced into the school without the sanction of the school committee, a stop can be put to the practice forthwith, before any greater complexity of text-books is created. To any application for information as to the laws of the State, or instructions, or co-operation as to the duties of teachers, the earliest possible attention will be given by the Commissioner of Public Schools. 2. They can become members of the county or town associations of teachers, if any exist, or they can take immediate steps towards forming such an association of the teachers of their town, or county; and take part in the exercises. Such associations have been already formed in Washington County, in Warren, Newport, Foster, Scituate, and possibly in other towns. Where an association of teachers cannot be conveniently formed, the meetings of the associations of the friends of education generally, can be improved by teachers for the discussion of topics connected with the classification, discipline, and instruction of schools. 3. They can, by previous arrangements with the teachers of other schools, in their towns, and the committee for their districts, visit each other's schools, or the schools of Providence. No teacher, however experienced he may be, can go into a school, be it good or poor, without seeing something of which he can profitably avail himself. 4. They can make themselves acquainted with the condition and progress of education in other states, by subscribing to one or more of the following periodicals. THE COMMON SCHOOL JOURNAL, published semi-monthly by Fowle and Capen, 181 Washington street, Boston, and edited by Horace Mann, Secretary of the Board of Education for Massachusetts; price, $1,00, payable in advance. Each number contains sixteen pages octavo. This Journal was commenced in November, 1838, and embraces all the official documents of the Board of Education, and their Secretary. THE DISTRICT SCHOOL JOURNAL FOR THE STATE OF NEW YORK, published monthly under the patronage of the State, at Albany, and edited by Francis Dwight, Superintendent of Common Schools for the county of Albany. Price, fifty cents a year. Each number contains from sixteen to twenty pages, royal octavo. This Journal was commenced by Mr. Dwight, at Geneva, in March, 1840. Under the authority of An Act, passed in May, 1841, the Superintendent of Common Schools subscribed for a sufficient number of copies (ten thousand and eight hundred) to supply each organized school district in the state, and made it his official organ of communication with the officers and inhabitants of the several districts. The publication office was removed from Geneva to Albany in June, 1841, where it is now printed by C. Van Benthuysen. TEACHER'S ADVOCATE, published every Wednesday by L. W. Hall, Syracuse, N. Y., and edited by Edwin Cooper; price $2. Each number contains sixteen pages quarto. The Advocate was commenced in September, 1845, under the auspices of the New York State Teacher's Convention, held at Syracuse, in July, 1845. 5. They can purchase, or at least read a few of the best books on Education, and especially of that class which relates to improved methods of school instruction and discipline. That it may no longer be said that books of this class are not accessible to teachers in the public schools of Rhode Island, a LIBRARY OF EDUCATION has been established in every town in the State, or at least at so many points, that the teachers of every town can, without much inconvenience, obtain any of the volumes mentioned in the following catalogue. The price is added wherever it is known, as well as the address of the publishers, for the convenience of such teachers as may wish to purchase. THE SCHOOL AND SCHOOL MASTER, by Alonzo Potter, (Bishop of Pennsylva nía,) and George B. Emerson. New York; Harper and Brothers. Boston, Fowle and Capen. Price, $1,00. 551 pages. This volume was prepared at the request of the late James Wadsworth, of Geneseo, New York, with special reference to the condition and wants of common schools in that State. Its general principles and most of its details are applicable to similar schools in other parts of the country, and, indeed, to all seminaries employed in giving elementary instruction. Mr. Wadsworth directed a copy of it to be placed in each of the school districts of New York, at his expense, and his noble example was followed in respect to the schools of Massachusetts by the Hon. Martin Brimmer, of Boston. THE TEACHER'S MANUAL, by Thomas H. Palmer. Boston: Marsh, Capen, Lyon & Webb, 1840. pp. 263. Price, 75 cents. This work received the prize of five hundred dollars, offered by the American Institute of Instruction, in 1838, for " the best Essay on a system of Education best adapted to the Common Schools of our country." THE TEACHER TAUGHT, by Emerson Davis, late Principal of the Westfield Academy. Boston: Marsh, Capen, Lyon & Webb, 1839. pp. 79. Price, 37 cents. This valuable work was first published in 1833, as "an abstract of a course of lectures on School-keeping." Mr. Davis has now the charge of the Normal School, at Westfield, Mass. SLATE AND BLACK BOARD EXERCISES, by Dr. William A. Alcott. New York: Mark A. Newman. Price 37 cents. The chapters in this little work were first published in the Connecticut Common School Journal, in 1841. The various suggestions and methods are highly practical. HINTS AND METHODS FOR THE USE OF TEACHERS. Hartford: Price, 12 cents. This volume is made up principally of selections from publications on methods of teaching, not easily accessible; and under each subject discussed, reference is made to various volumes, where additional suggestions can be found. THE DISTRICT SCHOOL AS IT WAS, by one who went to it, (Rev. Warren Burton.) New York: J. Orville Taylor, 1838. In this amusing picture of "the lights and shadows" of school life as it was in Massachusetts twenty years ago, the teachers and scholars of some of our District Schools as they are, will recognize school-house, books, practices and methods with which they are too familiar. CONFESSIONS OF A SCHOOL-MASTER, by Dr. William A. Alcott. New York: Mark A. Newman, Price, 50 cents. If our teachers will read these confessions of errors of omission and commis. sion, and the record which it gives of real excellences attained by the steps of a slow and laborious progress, they will save themselves the mortification of the first, and realize earlier the fruits of the last. Few men have the moral courage to look their former bad methods so directly in the face. Every young teacher should read this book. REPORT ON ELEMENTARY INSTRUCTION, by Calvin E. Stowe, D. D. Boston: Thomas H. Webb & Co. Price, 31 cents. SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT of the Secretary of the (Massachusetts) Board of Education, Hon. Horace Mann, 1813. Boston: Fowle & Capen. Price 25 cents. These two reports introduce the teacher into the school-rooms of the best teachers in Europe, and enable him to profit by the observations and experience of men who have been trained by a thorough preparatory course of study and practice, to the best methods of classification, instruction, and government of schools, as pursued abroad. THE SCHOOL TEACHER'S MANUAL, by Henry Dunn, Secretary of the British and Foreign School Society, London. Hartford: Reed & Barber, 1839. pp. 223. Price, 50 cents. The American edition of this work is edited by Rev. Thomas H. Gallaudet, which is the best evidence that could be given of the general soundness of the views presented by the English author. The principles set forth in this Manual, are the basis on which rest most of the methods of instruction and government pursued in the celebrated Borough Road School, London, the model school of the Society of which Mr. Dunn is Secretary. ACCOUNT OF THE Edinburgh SESSIONAL SCHOOL, Edinburgh, by John Wood. Boston: Monroe & Francis, 1830. The value of the Interrogative Method of Instruction, especially as applied to reading, was first developed in the Edinburgh Sessional School, and through this book, the method has been very generally diffused among teachers on both sides of the Atlantic. DR. CHANNING ON SELF CULTURE. Boston: Monroe & Co. Price, 33 cents. MISS SEDGWICK ON SELF TRAINING, OR MEANS AND ENDS. New York: Harper & Brothers. These two volumes,-the first, written with special reference to young men, and the last, to young women, should be read by all young teachers, who would make their own individual character, attainments, and conduct, the basis of all improvement in their profession. SMITH'S HISTORY OF EDUCATION. Harper & Brothers. Price, 50 cents. This work is substantially an abridgement of the great German Work of Schwarz, and is worthy of an attentive perusal, not only for its historical view of the subject, but for the discussion of the general principles which should be recognized in every system of education. LECTURES ON EDUCATION, by Horace Mann, Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education. Boston: Fowle & Capen, 1845. pp. 333. Price, $1,00. This volume embraces seven lectures, most of which were delivered before the Annual Common School Conventions, held in the several counties of Massachusetts, in 1839, 39, 40, 41 and 42. They are published in this form at the request of the Board of Education. No man, teacher, committee, parent, or friend of education generally, can read these lectures without obtaining much valuable practical knowledge, and without being fired with a holy zeal in the cause. LAWS AND DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE COMMON SCHOOL SYSTEM OF MASSACHUSETTS. This volume includes a sketch of the various enactments of the Legislature, |