2 1 14, BY J. A. HALL. TEARS. The "HUNTINGDON JOURAO is published at the following yearly rates: If paid In advance $l4lO If paid within the year 1,75 And two dollars and fifty cents if not paid till after the expiration of the year. No subscription will be taken for a less period than six months, end no paper will be discontinued, except at the Option of the published, until all arrearages are paid. Subscribers living in distant counties, or in other States, will be required to pay invariably in advance. . . Er The above terms will be regidly adhered to in nil eases. RATES OF ADVERTISING. bne sonars of sixteen lines or less For 1 insertion $0,5C1, For 1 month $1,25, " 2 " O,i j " 3 " 2,75, 3 44 00 1:; " 6 " 5,00, , I'ItOFFSMONAL CARDS, not exceeding ten lines, and not changed during the year. • • • $4,00, Card and Jourual, in advance, 5,00, Busmen CARDS of the same length, not chan ged, 53,00 Card and Journal in advance, 4,00 lir Short, transient advertisements will be ad mitted into our editorial columns at treble the usual rates. On longer advertisements. whether yearly or transient, a reasonable deduction will bo made and a liberal discount allowed for prompt pay ment. VOCticat. MY BIRTHDAY. BY 111031 AS 3100ItE. '—what a ditrrent towed My birthday"- That word had in my youthful ears! And how, each time the day comes round, Loss and less white its mark appears ! When first our scanty years are told, It seems like pastime to grow old; And, as Youth counts the shining links That Time around him binds so fast, Plated with the task, he little thinks How hard that chain will press at last. Vain was the man, and false as vain, Who said "were ho ordained to run His long career of life again, fie would do all that he had done." Ah, 'tis not thus the voice that dwells In sober birthdays, speaks to me; rat' otherwise—of time it tells, Lavished unwisely, carelessly; Of counsel mocked; of talents, made Haply for high and pure designs, But oft, like Israel's incense, laid Upon unholy, earthly shrillest Of nursing many a wrong desire; Of wandering after Love too far, And taking every meteor fire That crossed my pathway fur his star. All this it tell nnd, could I trace Th' imperfect picture o'er again, With pow'r to add, retouch, efface The lights and shades, the joy and pain, How little of the past would stay ! How quickly all would melt away— All—but that freedom of the Mind, Which hath been more than wealth to me; Those friendships, in my boyhood twited, And kept till now unchangingly; And that dear home, that saving ark, Where Love's true light nt last I've found, Cheering within. when all grows (lark, And comfortless, and stormy, round ! SattitellititrOtlO. MB. WEBSTER'S WILL. In consequence of the wish expressed by a correspondent, a wish in which we need not say the public heartily concur, we have procured a copy of Mr. Webster's Last Will and Testament for publication. We think it necessary to add that Mr. Ilrebster's Ex ecutors, aware how much interest is felt by the community in whatever relates to the life and acts of the groat statesman, while they have not been instrumental in procu ring the publication of this record, have not expressed opposition to it. We sub join it entire :--Boston Conn ter. In the Name of Almighty God? 1, DANIEL WEBSTER, of Marshfield, in the County of Plymouth, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Esquire, being now confined to my house with a serious ill ness; which, considering my time of life, It undoubtedly critical, but being, nev ertheless, in the full possession of all my mental faculties, do make and publish my last Will and Testament. I commit my soul into the hands of my Heavenly Father, trusting in his infinite goodness and mercy. I direct that my mortal remains be bu ried in the family vault at Marshfield, where monuments aro already erected to my de ceased children and their mother. Two places are marked for other monuments, of exactly the same size and form. Ono of these, in proper time, is to bo for me, and perhaps I may leave an epitaph. The eth er is for Mrs. Webster. Her ancestors, and all her kindred lie in a far distant city. My hope is, that after many years, she may come to my side, and join me and others whom God bath given me. I wish to be buried without the least show or ostentation, but in a manner res pectful to my neighbors, whose kindness has contributed no much to the happiness of me and mine, and for whose prosperity r .-.l4;ar 4:.lti . , sc , * -• • - 4. , A l tnil it tOt ll4 vr mit:‹44.4 „ 111 I i,' l ' Concerning my worldly estate, my Will must be anomalous and out of the common form, on account of the state of my affairs. I have two large real estates. By mar riage settlement Mrs. Webster is entitled to a life estate in each, and after her death they belong to my heirs, On the Frank lin estate, so far as I know, there is no in cumbrance except Mrs. Webster's life es tate. On Marshfield, Mr. Samuel Froth ingham has an unpaid balance of a mort gage, now amounting to twenty-five bun !ired dollars. My great and leading wish Its to preserve Marshfield, if I can, in the blood and name of my own family. To this end, it must go in the first place to my son, Fletcher Webster, who is hereafter to be the immediate prop of my house, and the general representative of my name and character. I have the fullest confidence in his affection and good sense, and that he will heartily concur in anything that ap pears to be for the best. I do not see, under present circumstan ces of him and his family, how I can now make a definite provision for the future be yond his life. I propose, therefore, to put the property into the hands of trustees, to be disposed of by them as exigencies may • reppre._ _ _ My affectionate wife, who has been to me a source of so much happiness, must be tenderly provided for. Care must be taken that she has some reasonable income. I make this Will upon the faith of what has been said to me by friends, of means which will be fiund to carry out my reasonable wishes. It is best that Mrs. Webster's life interest in the two estates be purchased out. It must be seen what can be done with friends at Boston, and especially with the contributors to my life annuity. My son-in-law, Mr. Appleton, has most gener ously requested me to pay little regard to his interests or to those of his children, but I must do something and enough to manifest my warm love and attachment to him and them. The property best to be spared for the purpose of buying out Mrs. Webster's life interest under the marriage settlement, is Franklin, which is very valuable proper ty, and which may be sold under prudent management, or mortgaged, for a consider able sum. I have also a quantity of valuable land in Illinois, at Peru, which ought to be im mediately seen after. Mr. Edward Curtis and Illatchford, and Mr. Franklin Haven know all about my large debts, and they have undertaken to see at once whether those can be provided for, so that these purposes may probably be carried into ef fect. With those explanations, I now make the following provisions, namely : ITEM. I appoint my wife, Caroline Le Roy Webster, my son Fletcher Webster, and It. M. Blatchford, Esquire, of New York, to be the Executors, and also the Trustees hereinafter named, in all things relating to finance ar_d pecuniary matters, to consult with my valued friend, Franklin I raven; and in all things respecting Marsh field, with Charles Henry Thomas, always an intimate friend, and one whom I love for his own sake and that of his family; and in all things respecting Franklin, with that true man,Jolin Taylor; and I wish them to consult, in all matters of law, with my brethren and highly esteemed friends, Chas. P. Curtis and George T. Curtis. ITEM. I give and devise to James W. Page and Franklin Haven of Boston, and Edward Curtis of New York, all my real estate in the towns of Marshfield, in the State of Massachusetts, and Franklin in the State of New Hampshire, being the two estates above mentioned, to have and to gold the same to their heirs and assigns, forever, upon the following Trusts—viz : First. To mortgage, sell or lease so much thereof as may be necessary to pay to my wife Caroline Le Roy Webster, the estimated value of her life-interest, hereto fore Secured to her thereon by marriage settlement., as is above recited, if she shall elect to receive that valuation in place of the security with which those estates now stand charged. Secondly. To pay to my said wife, from the rents and profits and income of the said two estates, the further sum of five hun dred dollars per annum during her natural life. Thirdly. To hold, manage and carry on the said two estates, or so much thereof as may not be sold for the purposes aforesaid, for the use of my son, Fletcher Webster, during his natural life; and after his de cease, to convey the same in foe to such of his male descendents as a majority of the said Trustees may elect, they acting there in with my son's concurrence, if circum stances admit of his expressing his wishes, otherwise acting upon their own discretion; it being my desire that his son Ashburton Webster take one, and his son Daniel Web ster, Jr., the other of the said estates. ITEM. I direct that my wife, Caroline Le Roy Webster, have, and I hereby give to her, the right during her life to reside in my mansion House at Marshfield, when she wishes to do so, with my son, in ease he may reliffelEere; or in his absence, and this T do, not doubting toy son ' s affection HUNTINGDON, PA., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1853; for her or for me, but because it is due to her that she should receive this right from her husband. ITEM. I give and bequeath to the said James W. Paige, Franklin Haven, and Ed ward Curtis all the Hooks, Plate, Pictures, Statuary and Furniture and other personal property now in my Mansion House at Marshfield, except such articles as are here inafter otherwise disposed of, in trust to preserve the same in the Mansion House for the use of my son Fletcher Webster, during his life, and after his disease, to make over or deliver the same to the person who will then benonie " the owner of the estate of Marshfield;" it being my desire and inten tion that they remain attached to the house while it is occupied by any of my name and blood. ITEm. I give and bequeath to my said wife all my furniture whioh she brought with her on her marriage, and the silver plate purchased of Mr. Rush, for her own use. ITEM. I give, devise ; and bequeath to my said Executors all my other real and personal estate, except such as is hereinaf ter described and otherwise disposed of; to be applied to the execution of tho general purpose) of this Will, and to be sold and disposed of, or held, and used at 'Marshfield as they and the said Trustees may find to be expedient. 'Tun. I give and bequeath to my son Fletcher Webster, all my Law Books, wherever situated, for his own use. ITEM. I give and bequeath to my son in-law•Samuel A. Appleton, my California watch and chain, for his own use. 14E51. I give and bequeath to my grand daughter Caroline Le Roy Appleton, the Portrait of myself, by Healy, which now hangs in the South East parlor at Marsh field, for her own use. ITEM. I give and bequeath to my grand son Samuel A. Appleton, my gold snuff box with the head of General Washington, all my fishing tackle and my Selden and Wil mot guns, for his own use. ITEM. I give and bequeath to my grand son, Daniel Webster Appleton, my Wash ington medals, for his own use. ITEM. I give and bequeath to my grand daughter, Julia Webster Appleton, the clock presented to her grandmother, by the late Hon. George Bloke. ITEM. I appoint Edward Everett, Geo. Ticknor, Cornelius Conway Felton, ant George Ticknor Curtis, to bo my literary Executors; and I direct my son, Fletcher Webster, to seal up all my letters, manu scripts and papers; rata at a proper tints to select those relating to my personal his tory, and my professional and public life, which in his judgment should be placed at their disposal , and to transfer the same to them, to be used by them in such manner as they may think fit. They may receive valuable aid from my friend George J. Ab bott, Esq., now of the State Department. ITEM. My servant William Johnston, is a free man. I bought his freedom not long ago for six hundred dollars. No demand is to be made upon him for any portion of this sum, but so long as is agreeable, I hope he will remain with the family. ITEM. Morrieha McCarty, Sarah Smith, and Ann Bean, colored persons, now also, and for a long time in my service, are all free. They aro very well deserving, and. whoever comes after me must be kind to them. ITEM. I request that my said Executors and Trustees be not required to give bonds for the perfortnanee of their respective du ties under this Will. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Marshfield, and have published and declared this to be my last Will and Testament, on the twenty first day of September, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and fifty-two. [Signed.] DANIEL WEBSTER. [Seal.] Signed, scaled, published by the said Testator, as and for his last Will and Tes tament, in the presence of us, who, at his request, and in his presence, and in the presence of each other, have set our names hereto as subscribing witnesses, the word "our" being erased in the third line from the bottom of the fifth page, before signing, [Signed] GEORGE J. ABBOT, JOHN JEFFRIES, CHARLES IL THOMAS. Agricultural Products.--Prices. We are glad to notice an increasing de mand for breadstuffs abroad. Our market price is governed by the foreign demand. 'There has been no period within the last four years, when the farmer's market was better than now. All kinds of produce command a good price. Wheat, hay, corn, oats, potatoes, pork, beef, poultry,. butter, &0., &0., are all commanding excellent pri ces. The former season was a hard ono for farmers in this region, but the last we trust will fully compensate the loss sustain ed. The farming community embraces much the largest portion of our population. When it is prosperous business cannot be dull. The want of properly qualified teachers is the great want of our School System. This evil and the remedy are so forcibly pre sented in the late Report of Mr. Secretary Hughes, that we deem it our duty to publish entire his ve ry lucid arguments. We hope every reader will give it a careful perusal, and that the interest now being manifested oil this suljett, will not be re laxed until these wise suggestions are carried out. I.n'ow beg to call your attention to the subject of providing competent teachers, which I regard as by far the most impor tant consideration affecting the success ef ficiency and prosperity of our Common School system. To provide school houses, levy and pay taxes, send the youth of the country to the schools, and let them pass there the whole period of minority; thee() are comparatively lost, worse than lost, un less the teacher—he who is the medium of communicating the education—possesss the requisite qualifications for his post. To fill the position of directing and training the developing intellect and moral quali ties of our youth, is certainly a task to ac complish refined and high purposes. To attend upon the loom, to follow the plough, to work in the mine, much more to pursue most of the branches of the mechanic arts, requires skill, training, and adaptation.— But the opinion seems practically to be entertained in many districts that the teacher, like the ancient idea of the Poet, is born. The rudest material—persons either unfit for, or casually out of other em ployment, without previous preparation or training, and looking to the situation of school teacher as the mere means of sup port, while the necessary time is consum ed in obtaining some other occupation, are in very many instances employed in our public schools. The effect is to render useless, and even a mere burthon, the maintenance of such schools; to waste the valuable time of the pupil, the lost to the state of the intellectual advancement of some of her citizens, and consequent unfit ness for their high duties, to degrade the profession of the teacher, and in fact, more than any other cause, defeat the efficiency of the system and thwart the hopes of its friends. Teaching should be properly a distinct substantive profession, for which the professor should be prepared by a due course of previous instruction. It should be a pursuit, as it properly is requiring peculiar fitness and refined skill. That a, very considerable proportion of our teach: ers are so qualified is unquestionably true, and they may be said to be the source of whatever of vigor our system possesses.— How then shall this great desideratum of COMPETENT TEACHERS throughout the State be obtained? lam of the opinion that its accomplishment is no very difficult task. Any means that will guarantee our districts against the employment of incom petent teachers, that will stimulate their energies, rouse a spirit of rivalry, and dis seminate instruction and the improvements iu the science of teaching, and will fur nish well educated teachers, and as a mat ter of true economy, give good salaries, will certainly produce this result. For the supply of these means I beg to suggest the following: Ist. The appointment of a competent Exami ner, or Board of Examiners, fur each county. 2d. The division of the State into districts, and the appointment of an officer having supervisory authority, to he called the District Visitor. 9d. lin;reased duration of the periods fur keep. lug the schools in operation in each school dis. triet. 4th. Normal Schools. 5. A more general employment of Female Teachers. 6th. Good Salaries, The great injustice done to the State, as well as parents and pupils, by the employ ment in some districts of persons as teach ers wholly unqualified, shims that the pre sent mode of examination by directors, or such persons as they may appoint for that purpose, is not efficient. Numerous° meth ods to guard against incompetent teach ers have been repeatedly suggested, all of thorn, however, looking to a preliminary examination by some duly qualified person. As the law requires that all teachers shall annually obtain a certificate founded on examination, setting forth the branches he or she is capable of teaching, it follows that such examinations shall be annual also. The labor and time necessary for making these examinations in souse counties of the Commonwealth will be considerable, and for this reason, as well as to' avoid evils growing out of certain kinds of pat ronage, I propose to separate the duty of the examiner or board of examiners from all others. I therefore respectfully recom mend that in each county of the Common wealth there shall be an Examiner or Board of Examiners (consisting of two or more,)• who should bo persons of proper seientific and literary acquirements, as well as experience in the art of teaching; that it shall be their duty to examine all who shall desire an examination, and give so them, respectively, a certificate setting forth the branches ho or she is capable of teaching. Let this certificate bo an indis pensable pre-requisite for the employment of any one to teach any bramh of !earn ing . . Alt I l .47,5rug(7,m) The necessity of a supervisory power over schools, exerted by some competent person, whose immediate and personal in tercourse with them gives a more intimate knowledge of their condition and wants, has long been felt and acknowledged.— The discipline and method of instruction, the books and branches taught, form sub jects of particular and skilful guardianship. To stimulate ambition among teachers, and create a spirit of rivalry, and desire to keep up with the improvements in the art of teaching that skill and experience may demonstrate, can not fail to infuse a spirit and professional pride among teachers that would produce much practical good. To promote these ends, it is suggested that the State be apportioned into a convenient number of districts/ and that for each dis trict there shall be selected an officer call ed the District Visitor, whose duty it shall be to visit the several schools within his district as often as practicable, note the course and method of instruction, make suggestions, and impart such information and direct such course touching the sub jects with in his cognizance, as shall be im provements. He shall, at least once in each year, call a convention of the teach- ' ers within his district, and at such be ex- 1 office presiding officer, and shall communi cate such information and plans for im provement, as he shall deem expedient.— Addresses and discussions among the teach ers should be there elicited, and such oth 'er means adopted within their pont., cal culated to advance the cents° of instruc tion and the clinic of education. It is a gratifying fact, that many teachers in dif ferent parts of the State, are manifesting publicly a laudable zeal in their profession, and have called and held conventions simi lar to such as are herein suggested. These praiseworthy efforts for improvement on the part of teachers, assuredly deserve to be promoted by legislation calculated to secure their continuance and increase their utility. Should considerations of economy outweigh the purpose of a separation of the respective duties proposed for examiners and visitors, they might be combined, and the o ffi cer esignated as District or Coun ty Superintendent. _ _ A ;serious cause of embarrassment and difficulty in the way of procuring and keeping good teachers, is the short period for which our Common Schools are kept oPcit din4ng the sear. The act of 6th May; 1850, fixes the minimum period at three months and the maximum at ten.— From the table herewith annexed, it will be seen that the averag: period taught in the districts throughout the State, is but five months. Frequetnly the time of teaching in each district IS evided.,,ibto a period in Winter and another in Suniruer. The Winter school usually taught by a male, and the Summer school by a female. It will, therefore, appear, that the limited term of teaching during the year, and at intermittent periods, necessarily prevents teaching from being pursued as a profes sion. The teacher cannot, if he would, obtain a support from Isis employment, and is forced to engage in some other pursuit. As a consequence, in districts where this short and intermittent period system ofl teaching is practised, but few teachers can bo obtained except those who lead an un settled life, or are casually out of their re gular and principal employment. With such persons the profession and science of teaching is not regarded, and proficiency cannot bo expected. The schools are kept ' open truly, but the pupils can scarcely be said to be taught. . Another evil of this frequent change of teachers, is a change of books and disci= pline in school. The diversity of acquire ments, of temperament and other peculiari ties, in this way brought ,to bear on the pupil, prevents the growth cf that venera tion and syniiratliy . between teacher and scholar. so necessary to control rind enlist ambition. A frequent change of teachers, of books and of di4cipline, makes a con stant confusion, that with most scholars must create a distaste for the school-room, make it a place of temporary detention and imprisonment merely, while the mental fac ulties, if not iu fact, blunted by this want of continuity in any particular course of study, will dcril'e little or no improvement. The removal of thia'cait linpediment itt the way of the complete success of our school system, must be the work of time, and the result of a higher estimate of the value of education to the whole people.— Yet legislation may do much, and while I wculd not, at this time, recommend the en forcement of maintaining the schools in op eration' during the maximum period, I would increase the minimum to at least five, months, and require, when the schools are in operation for the minimum period only, that the teaohibgin any one school be un interrupted during that time. The conse quence of this may be that in a district where there are (say) four schools; two teachers may fill two of the schools during a fall and winter period, and accommodate those who attend school only in the fall and winter, and the same teachers servo in thertwo other schools during the warmer searen, for the accommodation of those v 0 1 .,. is, NO. 4 who then, wish to , attend., The objection to this arrangement woul d fie, that in sparsely populated distr icts, . , the two schools might be at points so remote as to be inconvenient to a portion of the popula tion during one or the other of the periods. The proper answer would be, that all por tions of the district still get their five months tuition in each of the schools, and that the evil of remote distance from the school house, if supplied with a katid teacher, is not so great as the evil of an incompetent teacher & the school house in close proximity. The sound discretion of the directors must make such regulations as to prevent the schools from being too crowded at any one time. That school teaching shall be put sued as a ptofession ra regular employment—is ind4ensable. It is equally indispensable for the pfeenre inent of competent teachers, that the busi ness of teaching be a separate one, and pursued as a distinct profession. No sa crifice of more convenience in attending the schools can be too great that will se cure good teachers—without which, all schools are worthless. The establishment of Normal schools has been repeatedly urged upon the atten tion of the Legislature by my predecessors, and the experience of other States where they have been established, settles the question of their great utility. The im portance and value of previous education, and of training in the art of teaching to make competent teachers, is self-evident, Schools specially established for the pur pose, will necessarily promote this end. In some European countries the semina ries establised for the preparation of 50100 teachers fuhlisiS tl a main supply. There, however, the profession of a teacher (like any other occupation in which' tilt party employed has been instructed) is pursued for a life time. The political and other in stitutions neither affording inducements; nor, for the most part, permitting a change in the occupation. As a emsequence of this continuous course of employment, few er seminaries could supply the demand for a given number of teachers, than in these free States. Ilere, where democratic in , atitutious open wide to merit the portals of political advancement, while our fertile soil, mineral deposits, magnificent rivers, good harbors, and sakOriou s clivaate,afford a country teeming 'with. the elements of wealth,. our poptilaliitn phi-eminent for their energy and versatility of talent, are not and cannot be restrained to a particu lar purstit. To hope to educate teachers who would pursue for a life time that call ing in this country, would be vain. While many would probably do so, the majerity of our young men would fit themselves as soon as practicably for pursuits m: re lu crative or congenial to their tastes. Still, it cannot be doubted that if Nor mal Schools were established, and teadiers thus provided and fitted for their duties at the public expense, such regulations could be adopted as to secure their services as teachers at an average of from five to eight years. Were an obligation to that effect to be required, and its enforcement,provi-, ded for, the legal add moral obligation to comply, se well as the disgrace of a viola tion, would certainly sccnre the end design ed. Whil t it would be impritetiettble to educate a ufficient number to sitysply by means of Normal Schools the demand for teachers, yet The distribution of ,them thus prepared and qualified, througEottt the State, could not fail to improva the char actor of teaching. As instructors they would be the objects of imitation, and the information and instruction given to them at the Normal Schools,,could measurably be imparted to alters by their example, their associations, connections, and other wise. There is, however, another kind of school, or rather a modification of the Nor mal School, entirely practicable and cal culated to meet the existing wants with little delay and comparatively small cost. If a few institutions wore established at eligible points throughout the Common.. wealth, with a corps of professors, and hall suitable for the accoiliodatibii of six or eight kundred persons, in'Svilich lectures were to be delivered and instruction given in the sciences, literature, and the art of , teaching to such of the teachers tlrrougb ,, out the• State as should attontl,'the preseni, generation of teachers could be thereby, vastly improved. The instructions should be given free of charge, and teachers per:- witted to attend at such times as their school vacations or engagements would warrant. The cost of sustaining such institutions,- would not much exceed the salaries of tho professors, while perhaps, no plan that may be devised, will' impart more imuidiate and general improvement. Sueh institutions might readily be united With the Normal Schools proper, and such practical regitli= tions adopted that would enable both kinds of students to r.eoeive due attention. In this way both the present and future could' be provided for with but comparatively tn..; fling cost, and without delay. The expense of maintaining longer pazi-' Hi of, or continuous instruction to the T.nrRTW ?Awl
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