APPENDICES. APPENDIX A (see p. 9). FRANKLIN'S library seems to have been the mother of a number of libraries in England. Lord Brougham, alluding incidentally to Franklin, wrote, "The Mechanics' and Apprentices' Library at Liverpool, established in 1823 chiefly through the exertions of Mr. E. Smith, comes ultimately, if I mistake not, from a very illustrious stock; for it was formed upon the model of the plans which owe their origin to the Library Company of Philadelphia, founded by Franklin in 1731, and incorporated in 1742." 1 The essayist, examining the Journal of the First Colonial Congress of 1774, noticed the following entry: "Extract from the minutes of the directors of the Library Company of Philadelphia, dated Aug. 31, 1774, directed to the president, was read as follows: "Upon motion, Ordered, That the librarian furnish the gentlemen who are to meet in Congress with the use of such books as they may have occasion for during their sitting, taking a receipt for them." Signed by order of the directors. WILLIAM ATMORE, Secretary. 1 Brougham's Speeches, vol. iii. p. 140. 95 "Ordered, That the thanks of the Congress be returned to the directors of the Library Company of Philadelphia for their obliging order." 1 The essayist will incidentally notice that this Journal contains state papers, which drew from Pitt, the celebrated English minister, the following words: "I must declare and avow, that in all my reading and study, and it has been my favorite study: I have read Thucydides, and have studied and admired the master states of the world, — that for solidity of reasoning, force of sagacity, and wisdom of conclusion, under such complication of circumstances, no nation or body of men can stand in preference to the General Congress at Philadelphia." 2 APPENDIX B (see p. 24). In February, 1866, a memorial was presented to the House of Representatives, asking for the establishment of a National Bureau of Education. The memorial emanated from the National Association of State and City School Superintendents, and enumerated various ways by which the Bureau could promote the interests of education. The Bureau was established. It has already diffused much inestimably valuable information as to the organization and management of schools in different States, and regarding the educational needs of the country. By giving valuable information, it has helped States and individuals to establish schools. Mr. John Eaton, the United-States Commissioner of Education, who has charge of the Bureau, yearly makes a report to the United 1 Journal of the Colonial Congress, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 1774. States Government. He also, from time to time, issues circulars of information regarding public libraries, and the educational movements in progress in all parts of the world. The essayist desires to bear grateful testimony to the great value of the Bureau. All his letters to the Bureau have been answered. Some of the most valuable statistics of this essay have been obtained from the Bureau of Education, which has already collected one of the finest libraries treating upon education in the world. It is probable, that, in time, England and other foreign countries will establish Bureaus of Education, copied, to a greater or less extent, from the one established by the United-States Government. APPENDIX C (see p. 27). The essayist counts among the greatest blessings of his life the privilege which he has enjoyed of studying in the Astor Library. Although the library has been of inestimable value to many students and visitors, the essayist doubts whether any one has enjoyed it more than he has. He recalls with gratitude the kindness which he in past years received at the hands of his old friend, Dr. Edward R. Straznieky, the secretary of the Geographical Society, and, at the time of his death, the superintendent of the Astor Library. He is also deeply indebted for acts of kindness to his friend, the present librarian, Mr. Frederick Saunders. The essayist takes this opportunity to express his thanks to Mr. J. Carson Brevoort, the present superintendent of the Astor Library, and to all connected in any way with the management of that institution. APPENDIX D (see p. 32). "To the value of a free press to a people the highest kind of testimony of many of the most distinguished statesmen of America could be adduced” (p. 32). A collection of such testimonies would be interesting and instructive to such countries as France and Spain, where the press is tyrannically shackled. The essayist will here present but one of many statements on the subject. It is taken from the Journal of the first Colonial Congress, which met in Philadelphia in 1774. This very distinguished Congress hoped, if possible, to come to some satisfactory understanding with England. The state papers issued by this Congress show how easily England could have redressed the grievances which led the American Congress, about two years later, to issue the Declaration of Independence. In an address to the Province of Quebec, after alluding to rights which they especially prized, Congress said, "The last right we shall mention regards the freedom of the press. The importance of this consists, besides the advancement of truth, science, morality, and arts in general, in its diffusion of liberal sentiments on the administration of government, its ready communication of thoughts between subjects, and its consequential promotion of union among them, whereby oppressive officers are shamed or intimidated into more honorable and just modes of conducting affairs." 1 This Congress in the same address included the freedom of the press among the invaluable rights, among the rights without which a people cannot be free and happy, -among the rights which "a profligate ministry are try 1 See Colonial Journal, Oct. 26, 1744. ing to ravage from us, and which we are, with one mind, resolved never to resign but with our lives.” APPENDIX E (see pp. 40, 49, 55, 84). The history of public education in Germany is very instructive. To appreciate the advantages which the German people have received from their public schools, it is necessary to review the history of the "Fatherland" for the last several hundred years. The essayist, however, will not, in this very brief appendix, travel over so long a period: he will merely hurriedly draw attention to the late Franco-German war. In doing so he will notice some former terrible wars between France and Germany, and some remarkable results which followed in their train. Benjamin Apthorp Gould -in an oration1 containing a plea for the founding of a great American university, delivered before a learned society in the year 1856 spoke about as follows of one of these former wars: "On the 14th of October, 1806, three hundred and thirty thousand warriors contended in deadly fight for a nation's sovereignty; and, when the sun went down on Jena, the dominion and glory of Prussia had set with it. One-half her army had been killed or captured; her cannon swelled the conqueror's train; and Napoleon pressed onward to Berlin. The rally of the defeated armies was but temporary and nominal. Frederick Wilhelm was driven to the utmost limit of his kingdom; and his alliance with Russia served only to postpone for a few months the arrival of that fatal day, when, after the last roseate hue of evening had been blotted out 1 See Mr. Benjamin Apthorp Gould, jun.'s, oration in full, in Barnard's Journal of Education, 1856, vol. ii. p. 279. |