The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-02-19

the school children in Schenectady than In st. Law.
rencel In preparing the above statement was not
deemed important put down the fsc ions Of the cent,
and therefore they are stated This exposition pre-
sent: interesting problem for the consideration Of the
Legislature.
The number OF volumes in the district libraries on
the LIST day Of January, le4e was 2os ose-hsvins In
creased during the year. only 81 $50 volumes The IN
crease from ls44 to lsa5 was log s64 volumes.
In two Of the counties only does the number exceed
10 0Oo but are less than 80 o00 in fourteen counties the
aggregate number OF volumes ranges from rs 900 and
Iauge between 10000 and IS o6O in ten counties be-
tween Is 900 and 20 900; In thirteen counties between
DAB, in Hamilton county to els in Putnam.
The average cost Of each volume purchased for the
Libraries in ls4s assuming the whole amount of library
money to have been applied to that object, is dollar
and sixty hye and half cents but this statement is sui
hcient to destroy such presumption There Is any
reasonable probability that the whole of this fund has
been paid out for tins and other school object II
probable that In many instances the inhabitants Of
school districts containing the required number of vo
umes, have appropriated the library money belonging
10 the district 10 the purchase Of maps globes black
boards or other scientific apparatus for the of the
schools in their respective Districts authorised by the
sxteenh section OF the act chapter 1873 Of the laws Of
1913.
In relation to the character of the books to be used In
common schools, the superintendent says that Some
eIucdaton Of the terms, aud those of sectaran char
acter or Of hostility to the Christian religion seemed to
be required and Is believed that the following expo
stion Of them met the entire approval OF the distinguish
Cd incumbent by whose direction it was prepared.
T. No works written proicssedly to uphold or attack
any sect or creed in our country, claiming to be rel
gous one, shall be tolerated in tho school libraries
80 Standard works on other topics shall not be ex
Guided because they incidentally and indirectly betray
the religious opinions of their authors.
% Works avowedly other topics which abound
in direct and unreseved attacks on defence Of the
character Of any religious Sect those which hold up
any religious body to contempt or execration by sing
ling out or bringing together only the darker parts of m
history or character shall be excluded the school
In a country whose constitution and laws guarantee
iuii and Tree federation alike to protestant and
Wneher Oh Rome or not Of Rome to the unitarian uni
veTaiis and Jew to the orthodox and neterodox what
right have either TO claim exemption from the operation
oths rule and to insist that the district libraries shall
become the propsgandss Of their peculiar tenes while
all the others are excluded Every inhabsnt of the dis
tric and citizen of the State Jew or GENTLE christian
or inhde contribute OF their means support this charge
and even and exact JUSTICE demands that tho rule Of
exclusion should be equally and inhexiby applied TO
EACH otherwise all must be permitted the arena
Sabbath school, church sna parish libraries are appro
PIRATE for works Of peculiar sectaran tendep
his own rights and justly estimates the rights OF others
would seek by inorecton or otherwise, to enjoy any
immunity at the expense OF his neighbor This prohibi
ion called for by the statute and enforced by the de
partmens was not intended to produce any injustice
aud to guard the rights and interests Of the minorss
and preserve them from the Of the mao
rites.
appesrs hn school houses have been erected on the
Onondsga and St. Regis reservations and schools opened
tor the instruction Of Indian children and
The superintendents concluding remarks on this sub
jeot are as follows
The duty OF taking the census of the Indians on the
several reservations in this State. prescribed by the
aot chap l40 Of the laws OF 1896 was pero rmed by
gentlemen long familiar with the Indian character their
customs manners and habits, and the results given
relied upon as accurate. Tina whole number of Indian
children residing upon the several reservations in the
reports, was nine hundred and Gig hty four (ess dis.
ulou.eo a. oiiows'-On tho Oneida reservation, 80;
Onondsga, 10y Tuscsrors, 90 Buffalo, III; Cattarsu
gus III Csyugas, on the Cattaraugus reservation al
AIlegany, 257 ronawanda, l26; 81 Regis 81 The
aggregate Of the whole Indian population upon these re-
servstons Is s!es and the propo ion Of Oh ldren, Of
the above ages 70 the whole population nearly one
Jour or twenty-five per cent, ratio almost large
ns given py the census for the white population the
The birth: and deaths among the Indians during the
year preceding the first day OF july lsao stated TO
DO nearly equal being III births aud 40 deaths and
ne excess OF mortality found the Onondaga
Buffalo, and Alegany reservations; while the births
Tonawandas IT. from the above data il may be assumed
hatthere cannot be any natural increase in sggrs
au ~ p ,e among these remnants Of once
powefui aud Considerably numerous people the conclu
sion quite strong and certain premises before
gwen mat the ratio of mortality must be the largest
among the adults and children over and under the ages
OF hve and sixteen otherwise, We should not Ind
the proportion Of children between ave and six.
teen years, to the whole population, TO CORES.
pond SO nearly between the two races Vsin and
Utterly hopeless must be all attempts to introduce the
o. civastion among any people whose minds gre
I
Ignorance as dark and impenetrabs as the LEGENDS
Their origin, and the Vaccinations Of their evil spirit
Inc policy OF the Legislature indicated by the
lore referred to- must De perfectly apparent will
Seive as 1t deserves the cordial spp ana
oil Just and loeral people. The commissioners desg.
mated by the act to and expend the money sp
proprated Tor the erection Of school houses ALE
gany and Cattaraugus reservations have rendered
the required bond, the ound il understood that
no provision has been made to compensate them for
services to be performed The beneficial objects con
tempated, can doubt be attained By change in tho
commission or by authorizing compensation be paid
70 'ne persons already designated
No better plan of general rganzaton and supervision
under form Of government depending entirely upon the
popular WILL has been or probably devised ca.
psoie Of producing the ASTONISHING results, annually
hiohod IN the documents accom- panyiDg the reports
from this depa rtment Tor several years pest; and while
ome ore opposed and others in doubt, In respect
to Its great utility and efficiency, In arousing the
active energies Of the whole people, and directing those
energies In the performance OF important duty other
states are assmilang their organizations to ours and
are modifying their laws TO produce, If practicable, cor
responding results. Why, then, should we aoondon
ysem OF inspection and superntendence prolific of
advantages and so es eemedl review Of the past and
present condition OF public schools cannot fail
produce strong conviction of their great useiulness
and no better system Of instruction be devised TO
bring It's benefits and s blessings within the reach
every one who may desire TO embrace them. except
schools entirely FREQ. IL provides instruction in ell the
elementary and useful branches OF education, In the
common language OF the country and seeks to prepare
the youth OF tho state for ell the usual employmens Of