Miscellaneous

The Vocabulary of the First Year

Mr. Marius Dupont publishes in the Revue Internationale for August a report prepared for the faculty of the Paris Institution on the words and phrases to be taught the pupils during the first year of the course of instruction. It includes a list of about 120 substantives; a few other useful words, such as yes and no, good and bad, papa and mamma, good day, good evening, thanks; and a few directions, such as sit, stand, open the door, close the door, etc. He suggests 50 as the minimum, and 150 as the maximum number of words to be taught a class of ten pupils during the first year. The words chosen are, (1) those easiest to pronounce, and, (2) those that are indispensable and most useful. It is remarked that many monosyllables are more difficult to pronounce than some bisyllabic and trisyllabic words. No words are given of which the meaning is not well determined, and no substantives for which the objects cannot be shown in the classroom.

Instruction in the Common Law

The faculty of the Paris Institution has decided to introduce a series of lessons on the Common Law as a part of the last year's course of instruction. It includes civil rights and duties, the laws concerning birth, marriage, and death, the reciprocal duties of parents and children, the distinction between real and personal estate, the laws of inheritance and bequest, buying and selling, contracts, investments and rent, labor and service, fire, accident, and life insurance, the course of procedure in civil and criminal courts, etc., etc.; in short, all the knowledge that is necessary to enable one to perform properly the various duties of a citizen, to defend his own rights, and to respect the rights of others. An able report on the subject, written by Mr. Theobald in behalf of the Committee appointed to consider the subject, is given in the July number of the Revue Française.

Employments of the Deaf

Mr. Job Williams, in the Seventieth Annual Report of the American Asylum, gives the result of a careful inquiry he has recently been making into the present employments of the graduates of that school. The following are the employments of the men:

1 artist, 3 bakers, basket-maker, 1 belt-maker, 1 blacksmith, 1 boatman, 1 boat-builder, book agent, 2 bookbinders, 1 brakeman, 1 brassmoulder, 1 brass worker, 1 bricklayer, 5 burnishers, 2 chairmakers, 1 cigar maker, 1 clerk in a drug store, 1 clerk in post-office, 1 clerk in United States Treasury Department, 3 ordained clergymen, 1 cooper, 6 clock-makers, 1 clock-casemaker, 1 copyist, 2 cutters in shoe shop, 12 cabinet-makers, 1 capitalist,^* 1 car maker, 17 carpenters, 2 carriage-makers, 1 carriage painter, 2 cartridge makers, 1 casket maker, 1 casket trimmer, 1 draughtsman, 1 dyer, 3 editors, 70 farmers, 1 fireman, 3 fishermen, 1 foreman in warehouse, 1 foundryman, 3 furniture makers, 1 furniture polisher, glass-cutter, 1 glue-maker, 2 hatters, 1 hostler, 1 ice-dealer, 1 janitor, 1 jeweler, 3 joiners, 7 laborers, 1 lamp-trimmer, 1 last-maker, 3 lock-makers, 2 masons, 4 machinists, 20 mechanics, 1 merchant, 21 mill operatives, 1 millwright, 1 monument sculptor, 3 nail-makers, 1 organ-case maker, 1 oysterman, 1 pail-maker, 8 painters, 1 paper-ruler (by machine), 1 patent lawyer, 1 pattern-maker, 2 peddlers, 1 picture-frame maker, 3 piano-case makers, 1 plough-maker, 1 pocket-book maker, 5 printers, 1 quarryman, 1 rubber-stamp maker, 1 rule-maker, 5 sash and blind makers, 2 saw-mill tenders, 1 shoe dealer, 20 shoemakers, 27 shoe-factory operatives, 1 shuttle-maker, 1 spool-turner, 1 stair-builder, 2 stone-cutters, 1 silver-metal acourer, 1 tanner, 15 teachers, 2 tinsmiths, 1 tool maker, 1 toy-maker, 2 upholsterers, 1 varnisher, 1 wagon-maker, 1 watchmaker, 4 wire-drawers, 6 wood-carvers, 2 wool-sorters.

The employments of women are:^†

1 book-stitcher, 2 cartridge-makers, 1 corset-maker, 1 dressmaker, 2 hairbraiders, 1 matron in a school for deaf-mutes, 2 assistant matrons in schools for deaf-mutes, 27 mill...