The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-01
EDUCATION IN TEXAS.
To The Editor Of the Union:


II has been said that no country has done so
much for the promotion of education the New
England States. They have their primary schools
in every township in the respective States, their
academies in almost every county, and their col
eges and universities in each of the Sates and II is
a rare thing TO find man, woman, or child, who
cannot read and write. Every person is qualified
by education 10 fulfil the duties of citizen with
credit to himself and usefulness to the society IN
which he is raised, and the country in which he re-
sides. They began early in their existence as ma
ton to found their Schools and they have taken
care that their institutions of learning should receive
portion--and goodly portion-of the prosperity
which has been attendant on all their exertlons TO
accumulate wealth and amass fortune.
In these respects, Texas, who is now but in herln
fancy as nation, is following their example. On
the Goth of January, 1899, the republic of Texas,
by act of Congress approved on that day, provided
that each county "sha have three' leagues of
land surveyed and set apart for the purpose of es-
tablishng primary school in said county; which
| land shall be located and surveyed by the county
surveyor or his deputy and be paid the fees now all
lowed under the land law, out of the treasury of the
State in tracts OF not less than one hundred and sixty
acres each" "And that when there is not much
good land in the county, 1t shall be surveyed in
some county in the neighborhood, and record of
the survey and feld-noes be entered in the county
in which it is surveyed, and in the county for
which it was surveyed" A league of land is a ,425
at the estimate of government land will be S5,537
for each county But being retained until the coun-
ties become partially settled, or until consdera-
bly, improved, will readily produce fund of
S66,44
Besides this, the president of the republic is re-
qured, by the same law, to "appont surveyor,
and have surveyed, on and from any of the vacant
lands ofthe republic, fifty leagues, 22l, 400 acres
of land, which is set apart and appropriated for the
establishment and endowment Of two colleges or
universities hereafter to be created
A movement is already being made to raise mo-
ney to commence the erection of three institutions,
by the sale, not of the fifty leagues of land granted
by the government, but Of donations of individuals
to the amount of fifty thousand acres, given for the
purpose of commencing the erection of the build
ings of that one of the three universities to be estab
lished in the eastern part ofTexas.
number of academies have already been char
tered, and are in active operation; and soon
county is organized, the Judges of the respective
counties, who Qticio trustees of the school
fund, to the performance of the duties of the
station, which the law creating that fund devolves
upon them, commence an organization OF an In
stitution. In few years each county will have an
institution of learning at the county seat, sufficiently
endowed by government for its support. The eff
feet Of which will be to compel legislation to the
tension ofthe free school system in every part of
each county, until every neighborhood be supplied
with the means of education.
.. MIN.
by of Congress approved 5th February ls4O
additional league is appropriated in all, 1912