The resolution was adopted, and Messrs. A. Holbrook, M. F. Cowdery, E. C. Ellis, and A. Freese, were appointed members of said committee.

Pres. Lorin Andrews presented the outlines of a plan for systematizing the business of the Financial Committee.

Mr. Jno. H. Rolfe offered the following:

Resolved, That L. Andrews, A. Freese, John Hancock, A. D. Lord, and M. F. Cowdery be appointed a committee to present to the Association some appropriate mode of obtaining the funds needed to carry forward the objects of the Association; which was adopted.

Dr. W. C. Catlin, on the part of the citizens and Board of Education of Mansfield, invited the Association to hold its next semi-annual meeting at Mansfield.

On motion of Rev. A. Smyth it was resolved to hold the next meeting at Mansfield.

Prof. F. Merrick, of the Ohio Wesleyan University, who was appointed to deliver the opening address, not having arrived, the Association proceeded to other business.

Mr. Eaton, of Cuyahoga, on behalf of the committee appointed at the last semi-annual meeting to memorialize the Legislature on the subject of truancy and vagrancy, presented the features of said memorial, and reported the steps taken to procure facts and statistics to be embodied in said memorial.

Mr. H. H. Barney, State Commissioner of Common Schools, on invitation of the President, made some remarks upon the condition of the edu cational interests of the State. He remarked that the progress of the Public Schools in the State was upward and onward; that the number of the Union or Graded Schools had been doubled; that preparations were being made to have High Schools in townships where there are no large towns in the townships; and that already all the important towns are being distinguished by these graded Schools; that not only does there exist a deep and earnest appreciation of the efforts of this Association within the State, but without. Ohio has become observed even by those Eastern States which have made the greatest progress in education. In his recent visit to New England, he had heard those en_ gaged in their most successful institutions, acknowledge that our system is the best in the Union-that they were being outstripped by us. But in his own State, he had heard objections to the Graded Schools. Some say we do, or attempt to do, too much-that our standard of education is too high. How far is this objection valid? Does educa

tion make the people discontented? When a people are educated a little, are they not encouraged to desire more? If they become discontented, it is a discontent with ignorance. Such discontent will always exist.

Facts were presented to show that the graded system was more useful and more economical than any other, and hence tax-payers were interested in having the system more and more perfected, and more and more extended. He represented as false and degrading the idea that men should think only of the welfare of themselves, of the education of their own children. if such selfishness was to prevail, civil and religious liberty would wane. Such were not the sentiments that inspired Washington and his illustrious compeers. Their public spirit sought to render this world a scene of peace and purity, of happiness akin to that better country to which they aspired.

Let the present system of Common Schools be permitted to have fair work, and the fruits will be manifest. The High Schools are incentives to teachers and to the pupils of the District Schools, and they are reciprocally beneficial. If the Common School system of Ohio then is let alone, it will become the best in the Union.

On motion, the Report of the committee on Normal Schools was made the order for 3 o'clock, P. M.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

The Association convened, the President in the chair.

Mr. J. P. Ellinwood moved that a committee of seven be appointed to nominate officers for the ensuing year. Messrs. J. P. Ellinwood, L. Andrews, E. E. White, S. J. Henderson, W. A. McKee, J. Ogden and F. W. Hurtt were appointed said committee.

Mr. Andrews, Chairman of the committee to present a plan for raising the funds needed to carry on the operations of the Association, make the following report:

The committee recommend, that as far as possible, pledges be obtained from Teachers for the payment of one per cent. on all salaries not exceeding $600, and one and a half per cent. on all salaries over $600: said sums to be paid semi-annually in advance. The Report was accepted.

On motion for the adoption of the Report remarks were made by Messrs. Rolfe, L. Andrews, A. Smyth, and others.

Mr.C. Rogers moved to amend, by substituting one per cent. on all salaries. Mr. Smyth moved to amend the amendment by striking out

one per cent. and inserting one and a half per cent., which motion, after remarks by Messrs. Smyth, Rolfe, and others was carried.

A Report was then read by Mr. H. C. Taylor on the relation of Teachers and Boards of Education.

On motion, the thanks of the Association were tendered to Mr. Taylor and a copy of his report solicited for publication.

Mr. Holbrook, from the committee to report the form of a petition to the Legislature on the subject of Normal Schools, reported the following:

To the Honorable, the Legislature of Ohio:

We, the undersigned, members of the State Teachers' Association, and citizens of the State of Ohio, would hereby respectfully represent, that,

WHEREAS, we are fully persuaded that the best possible appropriation of a portion of the School Funds will be to the support of Normal Schools, for the preparation and training of Teachers for the Public Schools of the State; and that whereas, at least four Normal Schools are requisite to furnish anything like an approach to an adequate supply of trained teachers for our public Schools, we hereby earnestly solicit that your honorable body divide the State into four Normal School Districts, each comprising an equal number of counties most conveniently situated for such purpose, and that in each or any of these Districts, a Normal School having been established by the members of the State Teachers' Association, who shall have obtained at least $15,000, applied in the form of buildings, lands and apparatus, appropriate for such Schools, the value and fitness of such building, land and apparatus to be determined by the State Commissioner of Common Schools, the Legislature shall appropriate to each such Normal School thus established by the State Teachers' Association, the annual sum of $5,000, to be applied exclusively to the payment of the salaries of Professors and Teachers in said Normal Schools, on condition that two pupils from each county in the several districts in which the said Normal Schools shall be located shall be entitled to free tuition under the rules and regulations of such schools, these pupils to be elected by the County Teachers' Associations at their regular meetings.

On motion of Mr. Hancock, the report was accepted. Mr. Hancock moved that the report be adopted, and a number of them printed to be circulated. After remarks by Messrs. Rolfe, DeWolf, Ellenwood, Taylor, and others, the motion was carried.

Prof. Merrick of the Ohio Wesleyan University, then proceeded to read a Report upon the course of study for our Common Schools.

On motion of Mr. Hancock, the report was accepted, the thanks of the Association returned, and a copy solicited for publication.

The President read a communication from the Superintendent of the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb, inviting the members to visit that Institution, which was received and the thanks of the Association therefor returned.

EVENING SESSION.

The Association met pursuant to adjournment, and the session was opened with prayer by the Rev. I. W. Andrews of Marietta College. The President then introduced Rev. D. S. Burnett of Cincinnati, who delivered a most interesting discourse upon the life and services of the late Dr. Joseph Ray of Cincinnati.

SECOND DAY: MORNING SESSION.

The Association convened, the President in the chair. On motion, two thousand copies of the Petition to the Legislature on the subject of Normal Schools were ordered to be printed for circulation.

On motion, the thanks of the Association were returned to the Rev. D. S. Burnett for his address on the preceding evening, and a copy solicited for publication.

Mr. L. Andrews offered the following:

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to report at the next meeting of the Association on the shortness of the time pupils are allowed to remain in our public schools. Adopted, and L. Andrews, J. Eaton, and J. B. Trevor were appointed said committee.

A report on the subject of Elementary Classical education was then read by President I. W. Andrews of Marietta College.

On motion the Report was received and a copy solicited for publication. On motion of Mr. A. Holbrook the question on the adoption of the Report of the committee to prepare a petition to the Legislature on the subject of Normal Schools was reconsidered. A motion to lay the Report on the table was lost. The question was discussed by Messrs. L. Andrews, E. E. White, J. H. Rolfe, J. Ogden, and others.

Mr. Andrews remarked: Teaching is a great art; it must be studied like other professions. It is important to have Teachers who not only have knowledge, but who know how to impart it. There are some 16,000 Public Schools in the State: to be efficient these Schools need qualified Teachers. If the Legislature is expected to do any thing to educate these Teachers we must petition for it, urge it repeatedly. If Teachers feel the importance of this, and act in unison, the work can be effected. In relation to the School Law, we wish it to remain unchanged. The proposed Normal Schools will not interfere with the Common Schools.

Mr. E. E. White said that he did not wish to oppose the Normal Schools, but if we are inclined to change the School Law, we can not expect others to let it alone. He feared the agitation of this subject might lead to other changes which would result in evil.

Mr. Roberts showed that the sum of $20,000 is only one-sixtieth of the school fund of $1,200,000, and less than $2.00 to each of the 12,000 school districts; and that the money thus applied will be returned a thousand fold.

Mr. J. H. Rolfe hoped that the Legislature would not change the School Law; he thought it no more proper to educate Teachers at public expense than to do the same for the members of other professions. Mr. M. G. Williams said he should regret that anything should be done to impair the efficiency of our present excellent system of schools. He proposed that the subject be referred to a committee, to report upon the causes of the want of success in the Normal Schools of other States. Prof. Merrick remarked that while we have excellent Teachers in all parts of the State, a large portion of the schools are taught by those who are totally unfit for the employment. Our schools would be benefit. ed more by two months' tuition under good Teachers than by eight months under imcompetent ones. Something must be done for the proper training of Teachers. We should first agree in relation to what should be done, and then act earnestly and vigorously, and the work could be accomplished.

Dr. W. C. Catlin felt proud of the Association for having undertaken the establishment of a Normal School, but he feared that the proposed petition might result in evil; that the High Schools, so necessary to the success of our system, might be crippled or abolished.

Mr. John Hancock spoke warmly in favor of going forward with the Normal Schools, and securing legislative aid. If we need Normal Schools, we must ask aid for them now; if put off for two years it be too late.

Prof. M. G. Williams offered the following:

may

Resolved, That a committee residing in different parts of the State be appointed to inquire into the causes of the failure of Normal Schools in this and other States, and also to report the true object of Schools for the specific education of Teachers.

Mr. A. C. Deuel moved the previous question, which was carried. The report of the committee was adopted.

On motion, it was ordered that hereafter delegates from County or other Associations be required to present certificates of their appointment before being considered Honorary Members of the Association. Mr. F. W. Hurtt offered the following:

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to correspond with proper persons, for the purpose of ascertaining the workings of the Normal Schools of this and other counties.