Part 19 (1/2)

_Fourth of July common school celebrations_ have, within the past few years, become quite common in several states of the Union This seenition of the importance of primary schools and universal education in a civil and political point of view One of thecelebrations of this day which I have ever knoas held in Boston eight years ago, when an oration was delivered before the authorities of that city by the Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education The theme of the orator was the iovernment as the interest which underlies all others, and as constituting the only enerations the institutions we have received fro ence and virtue are wholly inadequate to the support of a republican government” Such celebrations should be held in every state of this Union, at every recurring anniversary of our national independence, until there can not be found a single individual in all our borders who does not know both his duties and his privileges as a freeh faithfully to perform the one and temperately to enjoy the other

This, indeed, seee of the celebrated Ordinance of the Aress, adopted July 13th, 1787, which says, ”RELIGION, MORALITY, AND KNOWLEDGE BEING NECESSARY TO GOOD GOVERNMENT AND THE HAPPINESS OF MANKIND, SCHOOLS AND THE MEANS OF EDUCATION SHALL FOREVER BE ENCOURAGED”

_The twenty-second of February_ has also been observed, to so such celebrations Nothing can be more appropriate than these efforts to arouse the popular mind to renewed efforts to improve the common schools of the land, e consider the import of that portion of the Farewell Address of him, the anniversary of whose birth we celebrate, which relates to popular education ”Promote, as an object of prieneral diffusion of knowledge” There can be no doubt that WAshi+NGTON here refers to the maintenance and improvement of common schools as theour co wide their doors to all our youth should not only be the theme at school celebrations, at educational conventions, and on the occasion of our national anniversaries, but it should be frequently presented by the civilian and the divine, as well as by the legislator and the journalist, until enerally well understand the i to make any sacrifices that es to their own children not only, but to all our youth

PROVISIONS FOR THE SUPPORT OF SCHOOLS--The provisions which have been made for the support of schools may be reduced to three kinds: first, by means of funds; second, by taxation; third, by a combination of both of these methods

Connecticut, which has a school fund of o adopted the first plan named But the inefficiency of her system of public instruction, until within a few years, is proverbial, and affords conclusive evidence that a large school fund is of little or no avail in the absence of a correct public opinion and a due appreciation of the importance of education The i the last few years are not in consequence of any increase in her school fund, but because the importance of the subject has been so frequently and impressively presented before the public mind, by means of lectures, public discussions, educational tracts, school journals, and in various other ways, as to overcoh precluded all advance The late improvements in that state have taken place in spite of the school fund rather than because of any aid derived from it Dr Wayland has expressed the opinion that school ”funds are valuable as a _condiment_, not as an _alie as to render any considerable degree of personal effort on the part of the parent unnecessary” This is true only when a fund is so far relied upon as to slacken personal effort for the improvement of the schools, and to induce parental and popular indifference in relation to them

The second plan is by taxation, and Massachusetts furnishes an example of it In most of the counties of this state there are small local funds, the avails of which are added to the amount raised by tax for the support of schools There are also still less amounts appropriated from the inco the educational advantages of the children; not to be subtracted frorant Wethe entire taxable property of the state, from which such a sum is annually raised by tax as is necessary for the support of the schools In Vermont, New Hampshi+re, and Maine, the schools are supported essentially as in Massachusetts, the difference being chiefly in the mode of taxation

Dr Wayland, in a letter written so reislative provision hich I am acquainted is that of Maine They have no fund whatever, but oblige every district to raise for education a sum proportioned to the number of its inhabitants or its property If a town or a district neglects to do this, it is liable to a fine”

In those states whose systems of public instruction are best adreatest proportion of the population in attendance upon theenerally supported alreat principle that THE PROPERTY OF THE STATE SHOULD EDUCATE THE CHILDREN OF THE STATE being practically recognized It not only appears, then, that large funds are not required for the successful administration of systems of public instruction, but that actually the best schools, and those which are doing eneration, may be found in those states that are destitute of funds, and whose public schools are supported by a direct tax upon the property of the state

The third plan of supporting schools is a combination of both of the others New York until within the last year,[67] Rhode Island, and Michigan may be cited as examples of this plan Where this plan has been adopted, the districts or townshi+ps have generally been required to raise by tax an areater than what has been received fro the schools has exceeded the whole fund derived froenerally beenrequired to pay in proportion to the number of days their children have attended school This feature is objectionable even where provision is e, for it offers a pecuniary induceh the schools be nearly free, to withdraw scholars frohtest causes

This plan has obtained very generally in the states northwest of the Ohio River, which have received frorant of one section, or six hundred and forty acres of land in each townshi+p for the support of schools In some of these states the additional tax is already sufficient, when joined with the avails of the school fund, to render the schools entirely free If one plan is superior to both of the others, this is, perhaps, entitled to the pre-eminence The school fund lessens the amount which it is necessary to raise by a direct tax; and still the suet and maintain a lively interest on the part of capitalists in the administration of the educational department, and in the maintenance and io the schools of New York were made entirely free by law

See the foot-note on the 267th page of this work

Without a correct public opinion and a due appreciation of the importance of education, either of the three systems named, or any other which may be adopted for the support of schools, will, and, from the very nature of the case, must, be inadequate to meet the necessities of a free people But let the public be alive to the advantages of education, and rank it first a the necessaries of life, and almost any system will be attended with eminent success If, then, one system is superior to all others, it is that which is best calculated to beget in the popularall our youth in good schools If this can be done in a state which has a large school fund, without di the interest of the people in education, or relaxing their efforts to maintain improved schools, then eneral tax

But if the citizens of any state can not be brought to realize the i an elevated standard of cos universal, without defraying the whole expense by a direct tax, then will a school fund prove to the

Where there is a will there is a way, says the adage Mr Duer, as quoted at the head of this chapter, says, ”I would recommend that each state should raise a fund sufficient for the entire support of the schools; that a suitable school-house and apparatus, with a convenient dwelling-house for the teacher, be furnished by the state for each district; and that every school-house be supplied with a well-qualified teacher, who shall receive from the state a suitable compensation” In this recommendation I fully concur But with me it is immaterial whether the state raises a separate fund, set apart exclusively for the purposes of education, or regards the entire taxable property of the coeneral fund froe to provide for universal education in free schools This only do I insist upon, that the people be brought so fully to realize the advantages of a good coh on the list of indispensables; then will they provide for rendering its blessings universal Thethis in any one state may, in view of the peculiar circumstances of a people, be different froeous ordinarily to adopt If there is no other sure way ofandinterest in popular education, then let the property of the state be regarded as a common fund from which there shall be annually drawn a sum sufficient for the maintenance of ienerous education, as this is the interest first in ihborhoods and communities, to states and nations

_The state should nitude of the interests involved renders this of the utmost importance At the head of this department in every state there should be a minister of public instruction--whether he is called school superintendent, school commissioner, secretary of the board of education, or superintendent of public instruction--and he should be allowed ti writers on the subject of education, in whatever age or language their works may have been written Such an officer can not in any other way becoe of the duties which pertain to his profession He should also be allowed ti to his department as it emanates from the press; to examine new school-books, and new kinds of school apparatus which claiive to school teachers, school committee-men, and others whose opportunities for exaation are less extended, and many of whom must be inexperienced, such advice as shall enable them judiciously to expend their means for their personal improvement or the improvement of their schools He should likewise have time and opportunity to become so conversant with the practical operations of different school systeestions in official reports astheir own, and to subordinate officers in its successful administration All this would be necessary e only to consult the pecuniary interests of the state in the judicious expenditure of the means which are annually devoted to the support of coreater importance is it that there should be such an officer in every state, and that he should enjoy every possiblehis usefulness, e consider that the successful bestowreatly to increase individual and social happiness, and the general prosperity of the state in all coenerations

In the further consideration of the s of education universal, we shall introduce leading topics in the order in which they naturally suggest themselves

GOOD SCHOOL HOUSES SHOULD BE PROVIDED

A school ought to be a noble asylum, to which children will come, and in which they will remain with pleasure; to which their parents will send theood will--COUSIN

If there is one house in the district more pleasantly located,in its general appearance, andin its influence than any other, that house should be the school-house--_Michigan School Report_, 1847

In considering theour schools, the place where our country's youth receive their first instruction, and where nineteen twentieths of the, claims early attention It is, then, proper to consider the condition of this class of edifices, as they have almost universally been in every part of the United States until within a few years past, and as they now generally are out of those states in which public attention has of late been more especially directed to improvements in education; for, before any people will attempt a reform in this particular, they must see and feel the need of it Even in the more favored states, comparatively few in number, the improvements in school architecture have been confinedadequate to the necessities of the case Did space alloould present statements made by school officers in their reports from various states of the Union: for, however wide the differences e, in other respects there has heretofore been a striking sameness in the appearance of school-houses in every part of the country

CONDITION OF SCHOOL-HOUSES--In re upon the condition of this class of edifices, as they have heretofore been constructed, and as they are now almost universally found wherever public sentily, and judiciously called to their improvement, I will present a few extracts from the official reports of Massachusetts and New York, where greater pains have been taken to ascertain existing defects in schools, with a view to providing the necessary remedies, than in any other two states of this Union

_School-houses in Massachusetts_--The Secretary of the Board of Education of this state, in his report for 1846, remarks in reference to the condition of school-houses in the commonwealth as follows: ”For years the condition of this class of edifices throughout the state, taken as a whole, had been groorse and worse Ti their work, while only here and there, ide spaces between, was any notice taken of their silent ravages; and, in still fewer instances, were these ravages repaired Hence, notwithstanding the ieneral dilapidation was the fate of these Industry, and the increasing pecuniary ability which it creates, had given cos Public spirit had erected coely taxed, had yet uncoly paid for handsome and spacious court-houses and public offices Huenerous and noble provision for the pauper, the blind, the deaf and dumb, the insane

Even jails and houses of correction--the receptacles of felons and other offenders against the laws of God and htened spirit of the age, into comfortable and healthful residences The Genius of Architecture, as if she hadcare over the brute creation Better stables were provided for cattle; better folds for sheep; and even the unclean beasts felt the i hand of reform