cause a smile. They might not become members, but they were graciously accorded the following mandatory privilege by Art. II., Sec. 6: "Ladies engaged in teaching shall be invited to hear the annual address, lectures, and reports of committees on subjects of education." The American Institute, like most voluntary associations for the promotion of the public welfare, has undergone many vicissitudes, seeming more than once nigh unto death; but now, in its fiftieth year, it has renewed its youth, and seems in a fair way to live a thousand years, strong to battle with vice and ignorance. In the year 1829 was organized at Cincinnati an association of teachers which was called the "Academic Institute." This association soon took on larger proportions and a longer name; and in June, 1831, the first general convention of the teachers of the Mississippi Valley met in Cincinnati, and the "Academic Institute" became the "Western Literary Institute and College of Professional Teachers." The Mississippi Valley had not then the comparative national importance it has since attained, and it was almost altogether dependent on New England and other Eastern States for its educational notions. Without designing it, this movement was one in the direction of greater independence. Among the members noteworthy in the educational history of the country, time allows me but to mention ALBERT PICKETT, T. J. MATTHEWS, ALexander Kinmont, W. H. McGUFFEY, Dr. DANIEL DRAKE, MILO G. WILLIAMS, Dr. JOSEPH RAY, E. D. MANSFIELD, CALVIN E. STOWE, ALEXANder Campbell, SAMUEL LEWIS, O. M. MITCHELL, J. H. PERKINS, Dr. JOHN LOCKE, J. MCD. MATTHEWS, J. B. PURCELL, and CAROLINE LEE HENTZ. This Association, generally known under the shorter name of the Western College of Teachers, less vigorous it would seem than its associate of the East, or it may be because planted in a less congenial soil, finally ceased to exist in the year 1845. But it did not live in vain. It contributed more than any other agency, perhaps, to the upbuilding on a solid foundation of the great free-school system of the West, and to the introduction therein of the best methods of teaching. In its meetings and by its discussions was trained the great, unselfish, practical, and eloquent friend of the "people's colleges," SAMUEL LEWIS, who began his career in Ohio the same year that HORACE MANN entered upon his in Massachusetts-two men in whose works the whole nation has been blessed. In looking over the list of subjects discussed in the earlier meetings of the Association, I have been surprised at their identity with those discussed in our educational meetings of a recent date, and to the similarity of treatment. But if we consider for a moment, we shall find little cause for wonder, since they are subjects which touch the most important of human interests, everywhere and in all time. As a matter of curious interest I copy a few of them : On Physical Education. Ought Anatomy and Physiology to constitute a part of education? How far is it practicable to introduce the Physical Sciences into the Common Schools? On Music in the Common Schools. The most efficient means of conducting examinations. On the qualifications of teachers. On the best methods of classifying pupils, and arranging the studies to be pursued in Common Schools. On the expediency of making the Course of Instruction in Common Schools so ample and various as to meet the wants of all classes of citizens. How far military exercises and discipline may be profitably introduced into colleges. On schools for educating teachers for the supply of common-school instruction. On the most efficient mode of giving moral instruction in common schools. On the evils resulting from the changes of teachers. On the best method of governing schools. On the proper ventilation of school-houses. But the Western College of Teachers having been long dead, it occurred to leading educators of various locations to supplement the agencies of the American Institute and the several State Teachers' Associations by an organization broad enough to gather into itself the best thought of the whole country, and to enable its educators to unite their efforts for a common purpose. It seems eminently proper in this goodly city, the city of Franklin, wherein this Association had its birth, and in a sense attains its majority, to give a short sketch of its origin and work. I am informed on good authority that the most active worker for the establishing of this Association was T. W. Valentine, recently deceased, at that time President of the New-York State Teachers' Association. The following call to the Teachers of the United States was written by D. B. Hagar, of Massachusetts, and is dated May 15, 1857. So far as I know the copy before me is the only one in existence. For that reason, and for the more important one that it sets forth with conciseness the purposes of our Association, I reproduce it in full : "The eminent success which has attended the establishment and operations of the several State Teachers' Associations in this country, is the source of mutual congratulations among all friends of popular education. To the direct agency and the diffused influence of these Associations, more, perhaps, than to any other cause, are due the manifest improvement of schools in all their relations, the rapid intellectual and social elevation of teachers as a class, and the vast development of public interest in all that concerns the education of the young. "That the State Associations have already accomplished great good, and that they are destined to exert a still broader and more beneficent influence, no wise observer will deny. 66 Believing that what has been done for States by State Associations may be done for the whole country by a National Association, we, the undersigned, invite our fellow-teachers throughout the United States to assemble in Philadelphia on the 26th day of August next, for the purpose of organizing a NATIONAL TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION. "We cordially extend this invitation to all practical teachers in the North, the South, the East, and the West, who are willing to unite in a general effort to promote the educational welfare of our country, by concentrating the wisdom and power of numerous minds, and by distributing among all the accumulated experience of all who are ready to devote their energies and contribute their means to advance the dignity, respectability, and usefulness of their calling; and who, in fine, believe that the time has come when the teachers of the nation should gather into one great Educational Brotherhood. "As the permanent success of any association depends very much upon the auspices attending its establishment, and the character of the organic laws which it adopts, it is hoped that all parts of the Union will be largely represented at the inauguration of the proposed enterprise. "T. W. VALENTINE, "President New-York State Teachers' Association. "President Massachusetts State Teachers' Association. "President Missouri State Teachers' Association. "J. TENNY, "President New-Hampshire State Teachers' Association. "President Indiana State Teachers' Association. "President Pennsylvania State Teachers' Association. "President Vermont State Teachers' Association. "President Iowa State Teachers' Association. "A. C. SPICER, "President Wisconsin State Teachers' Association." An extra of the New-York Teacher, then edited by James Cruikshank, contains the proceedings of the Convention which met in pursuance of this call in the Athenæum Building, Philadelphia, August 26, 1857. James L. Enos, of Iowa, was appointed temporary chairman, and William E. Sheldon, of Massachusetts, secretary. Messrs. Hagar, of Mass., Cann, of Georgia, and Challen, of Indiana, were appointed a committee to draft a constitution. The name of the Association under the constitution as adopted was "The National Teachers' Association." This name, in accordance with a more liberal provision subsequently adopted in regard to membership, was changed to the present one of National Educational Association. The qualifications for membership were as follows: "Any gentleman who is regularly occupied in teaching in a public or private elementary school, college, or university, or who is regularly employed as a private tutor, as the editor of an educational journal, or as a superintendent of schools, shall be eligible to membership. "Whenever a member of this Association shall abandon the profession of teaching, or the business of editing an educational journal, or superintending schools, he shall cease to be a member." The reason membership was so carefully restricted to those engaged in the active work of instruction was doubtless to promote one of the leading objects of the Association, the building up of the teacher's calling into a profession. Like the American Institute, our Association did not recognize the equality of men and women in the profession, though it took a step in advance of the Institute in regard to the rights of the latter; for, whereas the Institute only accorded women the right of listening to the wise things made public by their brethren, our Association extended to them the additional privilege of presenting thoughts of their own, under a curious restriction, as will be seen from the article of the constitution relating to membership of women, which I quote: "Ladies engaged in teaching may, on the recommendation of the Board of Directors, become honorary members and shall thereby possess the right of presenting, in the form of written essays (to be read by the secretary or any other member whom they may select), their views upon the subject assigned for discussion." It is scarcely necessary to say that women possess, at the present, the same rights as men, both in this Association and in the American Institute. Another article of our constitution was that after 1858 the meetings of the Association should be biennial. There were in all ten States represented in the first meeting, viz:-Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. The number of members enrolled was 38. The teachers not already named who took an active part in the business and discussions of the meetings were J. W. BULKLEY and JAMES CRUIKSHANK, of New York; THOMAS GRANGER and J. W. BARRETT, of Illinois; N. R. LYNCH, of Delaware; E. W WHELAN, of Missouri; J. D. GIDDINGS, of South Carolina; Z. RICHARDS, Of the District of Columbia, and J. P. WICKERSHAM, H. C. HICKOK, and WILLIAM ROBERTS, of Pennsylvania. At the evening session, an address on the importance of the organization of a national association of professional teachers, prepared by Prof. WILLIAM RUSSELL, of Massachusetts, was read by T. W. VALENTINE, of New York. This seems to have been the only regular address made at the meeting. The first election of officers under the constitution resulted in the choice of Z. RICHARDS of the District of Columbia, for President; T. W. VAlenTINE of New York, for First Vice-President; J. W. BULKLEY of New York Secretary; and T. M. CANN of Delaware, Treasurer. The first regular meeting under the constitution was held in Cincinnati, August, 1858, Z. RICHARDS, presiding. The attendance at this meeting, as at Philadelphia, was not large (73 members enrolled), the leading members, with a few exceptions, being from the East. But though small in numbers, it was great in ability and enthusiasm. HORACE MANN, then so near the close of his life and noble career, was one of the leading spirits of the occasion. This meeting demonstrated the stability of the Association, and with a few additional general facts, I take leave of its history. At the Cleveland meeting, held in August, 1870, the Association was reorganized, assuming its present name, and absorbing into itself as departments two other associations, namely, the American Normal-School Association and the National Association of School Superintendents. Now, as it will be seen by glancing at our programme, the General Association has connected with it the following departments, viz:— Department of Elementary Schools, Department of Higher Instruction, Department of Normal Schools, Department of School Superintendence, and the Department of In 'ustrial Education. Besides these, we are glad this year to welcome to our meeting as another department that body of eminent and learned educators, known as the Spelling-Reform Association. I cannot, of course, speak for the Association, but my individual hope is that this temporary association may be made permanent. This division into departments has enabled our Association to do vastly more work, and to do it better than could be possible, acting as a single body. In its twenty-one years of existence the Association has held seventeen meetings, as follows: Cincinnati (1858), Z. Richards, D. C., President. Washington (1859), A. J. RICKOFF, Ohio, President. Indianapolis (1866) J. P. WICKERSHAM, Pennsylvania, President. Elmira (1873)-B. G. NORTHROP, Connecticut, President. It will be seen from this list that the provision of the constitution as first adopted, restricting the Association to biennial meetings, must have been changed at the Cincinnati session. From 1870 inclusive, up to the present time the proceedings of the Association and its several departments, and the addresses delivered therein, have been published in yearly bound volumes; and it will be safe to say these volumes contain a mass of professional literature excelled in value by no similar collection published anywhere. Now that the Association has passed into its manly majority, we are sure that the whole country, and especially Pennsylvania, on whose soil it was born, will earnestly wish that it may constantly grow in strength and good works, and arrive at a flourishing old age. The American Institute is well, and State Associations are well, but our Association has both a national breadth and a national importance, and must be preserved. Since its establishment there have been discussed in this body all the leading questions relating to the education of youth, such as the organization of schools, courses of study, methods of instruction, and the |