future, and continuing in themselves, so far as possible, the pursuits and habits of mind appropriate to their profession, should set about devising means for encouraging the preparation of the necessary text-books, especially those of elementary grades, by Southern authors. The writer concluded with the earnest hope that the convention would take measures to perpetuate itself, upon a basis commanding sympathy and support, both among the profession and in the public estimation, as a national institution for the encouragement of education and letters in the South. It was reported* that the second day of the convention was "pretty much occupied in hearing from the different States as to text-books either prepared or in course of preparation. The exhibit was most gratifying. It seems that spelling-books, readers, arithmetics, grammars and Latin books are being produced in abundance. North Carolina, especially, has already gotten out quite a variety of primary books, which have been published in very neat style in Greensboro. Dr. Reynolds well remarked that the name Rip Van Winkle, as applied to North Carolina, must now receive the new interpretation of the little boy, who, when asked why his State was called 'Old Rip,' replied, 'Because she rips ahead of everything so.'t Messrs. Davis and Taylor spoke of several text-books which they knew to be in course of preparation in Virginia, and the latter gentleman stated that at the breaking out of the war he was engaged on a juvenile series designed to be devoted to the several Southern States, describing their peculiar productions, interesting localities, etc., and also that he proposed to prepare a 'Child's History of the War.' Strong resolutions were adopted favoring the preference of primary text-books prepared and published in the South. In the course of the discussions, which took a wide range, many suggestions were made as to modes of teaching. Much good fellowship prevailed, and many bon mots brought down the house." *Richmond Dispatch, May 6, 1863. In a recent national convention of teachers and friends of education, the high honor was done to our State of recognizing her as the undisputed leader in the great cause of education in the Confederate States.-Circular to the authorities and people of North Carolina, by Rev. C. H. Wiley, Superintendent of common schools for the State. Greensboro, 1863, p. 5. Also in report of the Superintendent of common schools of North Carolina for the year 1863, p. 21. On the third day, April 30, a committee was appointed to issue an address to the public on the objects of the association; and another, consisting of one from each of the States represented, to consider and report at the next meeting a course of study for male and female schools and colleges. A committee was also appointed to report to the next annual meeting of the association, as to how far the Bible should be introduced as a text-book into schools and colleges. The convention then adjourned, after agreeing to hold the first annual meeting of the association at Atlanta, Ga., on the first Wednesday in September, 1863. A pamphlet copy of the Proceedings of the Convention* preserved in the Library of the United States Bureau of Education, bears on its cover the following manuscript annotation, signed C. H. Wiley: "The meeting at Atlanta prevented, and the 2nd meeting held in Charlotte, N. C., in the winter of 1864-65, and proceedings not published in pamphlet form. Most of the delegates from N. C." It would be interesting to speculate on the distinctive characteristics of the educational system which might ultimately have been evolved in a separate Southern republic, but the object of this paper is to present only the historical facts showing how the foundations were laid for a possible independent development. In May, the following address was issued by the committee appointed for the purpose: To the Teachers and Friends of Education in the Confederate States of America: We have been appointed to make to you the following statement: In accordance with a call issued by the State Educational Association of North Carolina a highly respectable meeting of teachers and friends of education met in Columbia, S. C., on Tuesday, the 28th of April. Six States were represented in the meeting, about 70 delegates, and a permanent National Association was organized having for its object the promotion of the great cause of education in the Confederate States. One of the most important subjects before the meeting was the supply of suitable text-books for our schools, and it was ascertained that many works are in course of preparation by citizens of our country, and that a number of elementary books have already been published and are in great demand. The Association deemed it of vital importance to encour *Proceedings of the Convention of Teachers of the Confederate States, assembled at Columbia, South Carolina, April 28, 1863. Macon, Ga., Burke, Boykin & Co., 1863. Cover-title, 19 p. 12°. Charleston Courier, May 15, 1863. age, by all means consistent with its character and object, such useful and patriotic enterprises, and pledged its members to the use of home works in preference to any others of equal merit. To widen and strengthen the influence of the Association it was recommended to form State societies, with similar objects, in each State of the Confederacy; and a resolution was passed urging on the authorities of the several States the importance of State systems of public schools, and the appointment of a superintendent in each. It was also recommended that efforts be made to educate for teachers worthy young men disabled by the war from manual labor, and means were adopted for the dissemination of the views of the Association on various subjects consistent with the purposes of its organization. It is believed that if the hearty coöperation of the teachers and friends of education in all parts of the Confederacy in carrying out the objects of these movements, can be secured, an immense amount of good can be accomplished. Our Association was profoundly impressed with the belief that now is the time to work; and that whatever is demanded by the wants of the country should be undertaken at once and without waiting for better times. Better times, by the blessing of God, are to be expected only from the diligent exertion of all classes in their appropriate spheres for the public welfare; and after those who labor in religious things, no portion of the community can accomplish more for National development than those who under Providence, direct the hearts and minds of the rising generation. We need not suggest to you the great advantages in our work of mutual counsel and coöperation. By coming together in National and State Associations the teachers and friends of education gain important information of each other, and learn the wants and progress of different sections; they animate and encourage one another to greater efforts, while by this means injurious prejudices are worn away, a National and catholic spirit is fostered, and the educational forces of the country are so united and directed as greatly to enhance their influence and to secure that respect and consideration which they deserve. In the name of our National Association, we invite your attention to the above statement and suggestions, and we venture to express the hope that you will heartily aid in promoting the usefulness of the movements now so conspicuously inaugurated in our beloved country. The next meeting of the Association will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, on the first Wednesday in September next, and in the meantime you are invited freely to communicate with those of us who reside in your respective States and thus to enable us, if you cannot attend this meeting, to report your views in regard to the subjects herein embraced. C. H. WILEY, Greensboro, N. C. A Printer of the Fifteenth Century BY KATHERINE JACKSON Mt. Holyoke College The familiar printer's device of the dolphin entwined about the anchor with the inscription, Aldi discip Americanus, brings to the mind of every student of Renaissance literature the story of an early editor. The dolphin and the anchor symbolized quickness of execution, with firmness of deliberation, while the motto, Festino lento, was translated by Erasmus, Make haste slowly. By the end of the fifteenth century many of the classical manuscripts had been released from the storehouses of the monks, who often acted as earthworms, unconsciously preserving by heaping about them mounds of mould and rubbish. Boccaccio was saddened to find in Monte Cassino grass sprouting on the window ledges, books and benches thickly covered with dust, sheets removed or snipped and mutilated, to be used afresh by the monks for litanies. Universities and ecclesiastical establishments in Italy, France, and Germany had a staff of scribes, transcribers, illuminators, binders, sellers, and custodians of books, besides the pergamenarii, who prepared and sold the vellum. Yet these beautifully written and richly illuminated manuscripts were objects of luxury, eagerly bought and treasured by princes and lovers of distinction. The imperative desire of Aldus, a philanthropic humanist, was that of editing, publishing, printing, and circulating this ancient culture, then necessarily possessed by the few. The art of printing, that is, of impressing figures, pictures, letters, words, lines, or whole pages on other objects, as also the art of engraving, which is inseparably connected with printing, existed long before the fifteenth century. William the Conqueror, had his monogram cut on blocks of wood or metal in order to impress it on his charters. Manuscripts of the twelfth century show beautiful initials which, on account of their uniformity, are believed to have been impressed by means of stamps or dies. But the idea of multiplying representations from one engraved plate, block, or form was unknown to the ancients, whereas it is predominant in what we call the art of block printing and especially of typography, in which the same types are used again and again. Printing from wooden blocks can be traced as far back as the sixth century in China, and movable types of clay from the middle of the eleventh century. These blocks, bearing an engraved text, were wet, then covered with a sheet of damp paper, silk, cloth, or vellum, and rubbed with a burnisher, until an impression from the ridges of the carved block had been transferred. The British Museum exhibits as the earliest instance of Corean books printed with movable types, a work of 1337. However, in Europe, as late as the second half of the fourteenth century, every book, public and private document, proclamation, bull, or letter was written by hand; all figures and pictures, whether playing cards or images of the saints, were drawn with the pen or painted with a brush. The Psalterium, in large missal types, is the first printed book bearing a date, besides the name of printer and place,-Füst and Schæffer, Maintz, 1451. In 1462 Adolph of Nassau pillaged Maintz and dispersed the printers over Europe. Three years later two Germans, who had worked under Füst, set up a press in Subbiaco, a village of the Sabine mountains. Here in October, 1465, the first edition of Lactantius saw the light. These men moved to Rome under the protection of the Massini, where they continued to issue Latin authors. In seventeen years they had printed twelve thousand, four hundred and ninety-five volumes. In 1471 Cennini, the first Italian to cast his own type, established himself at Florence. Before 1500 four thousand, nine hundred and eighty-seven books were printed in Italy, two thousand, eight hundred and thirty-five of which were in Venice. Aldus Manutius, unquestionably the greatest of these printers, was born in Sermoneta in 1450. Although educated in the best schools of Rome and Ferrara, he did not give any early promise of marked ability. Even when of full age, he was so shy, taciturn, and awkward that he refused to qualify himself for any of the learned professions. He had leanings to the priesthood, but accepted without a murmur the quiet duties of student and teacher. He studied Latin at Rome under Gasparino da Verona and Greek at Ferrara under Guarino da Verona. In 1482 he went to reside at Mirandola with his friend, Giovanni Pico, who secured for him the position of tutor to his nephews, Alberto and |