Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-06-24

siblIty that belongs TO them as Legislators and who
regard the improvement Of our common schools and
the promotion of education as more important than
the triumph Of one man, and who do not fear being
sustained by the people in measures which are for
their greatest goad and the GOOD Of their children 1t
was not from Ignorance nor BON improper motives
that tins convention was recommended, but that the
friends Of common cause might come together and
put forth united effort TO improve common
schools, aud promote sound practical education, to
open the fountains Of education that the State may be
watered by the streams Of intelligence.
Mr. CHASE. of BrookviAe remarked that he was
in favor Of the adoption Of the resolution before the
convention; that during his experience in and know
ledge of matters " connection with school
education, he had always observed that system Of
common schools, however well organized, without
State Superintendent at its head, was like vessel
fuly-rigged, all her sails set, and colors flying, with
out captain That the Stale Superintendent is ne
cessaTy and If competent man, able TO excite an
interest in the minds of The people, which no other
man can excite.
lie reviewed the history Of the systems Of popular
education in the States Of Connecticut Rhode Island
Massachusetts, Vermont and New York, and Illus
trated the results of the influence Of the Hon. II.
Mann, Hon. Henry Barnard, and other superintend-
ents, under their respective systems in those States
He also spoke, by way of dgression in regard the
indifference manifested relative 10 the influence of
teachers, aud referred n resolution passed during
the sitting Of the Sabbath Convention in this city,
which reccnlmended that parents and guardians be
urged TO train those under their charge 10 observe the
Sabbath properly, but made no mention of teachers,
as class possessing influence with the young.
Here, howefer Tho President, Dr. WyIie then in
the chair, informed him thai resolutions would be in
treduced covering tk grosad Of his remarks and he
accordingly closed BY remarking at some length, up
on the duties and difficulties Of the station Of State
Superintendent, expressing the hope that the resolu
ton would be adopted providing for the election Of
such an officer, with reasonable compensation
AT this period of the proceedings Prof. PIERCE,
of New York, was introduced to the Convention by
the operation of the ,fsfork vsys5 $780,
At the request Of the eonvektion he gave something
of history offlle school matters in that State for
the last twenty or thirty years, and explained the
difference between the old law Of New York and the
new law-explained that the Secretary Of State was
do WITH Icsehe5k but Is Subscribe s6s hSifie
TO Ihefnp6rtof the Deputy who is really the State
Superintendent, erPoHnding the laws and directing
its whole machinerythat ais appaFent Inconsistency
was the result of political intrigue which posons
every thing it touches, but Though the of Stale
Superintendent was abolished or incorporated with
that OF Secretary Of State, yet the office and the officer
really existed, and that without this the whole system
would be nudity,
HE explained that in school matters as in military
there must be head-that the army does not give
efficiency TO the General much as the General to
the army-tfst Napoleon as Emperor with Marshals
as sub-emperors and they in turn with their Gene
rails Colonies, Captains and lower subalterHs brought
the whole inert power of the nation into life and
action and efficiency. So was il With New York in
her schools. There are from ten to fifteen school
districts in every township, ard in each district there
are three trustees Wild act jointly. yet have one
the senior officer or sePeflRterdet Of the district,
md
his reports to his snperiorwho is toearshp superin-
tendent. This officer inspects The doings Of the
district superintendent, and disburses the public
moneys for the township, giving to each district its
part suspends teachers, &c. and sends in his reports
to the county superintendent, who superyises the
doings of the several torn superintendent in his
county, dsburses the public money to the township
superintendent and attends to the educational interests
of his whole county, and is superior both district
and toVR superintendent, and he (he county
superintendent sends his reports, dgesed from all
the town superintendent reports to the State Super
lntendent TO whom he is responsible. With such a
chain Ut responsibility in action, give competent,
faithful officers, and the system must work well, and
the schools must be elevated, and the of educa-
ton advanced; it has been advanced more in the
last fire years, than in the preceding tarenty
The idea, said Mr. P, that can perfect school
system, and if the system works well year or two
then we can have a superintendent to direct it. is
an army and saying, if the army fights well for a
year OF two tIenwe can appoint a chief Why, Dir.
President, what but the chief with : -udent coun-
sellors can give efficiency to the al What but a
superintendent make schoof ysteth ,rork uel.
OF what good are the members of a mans body
without the head Why, sir it Is the Superintendent
who untes the elements of society, gives form the
educational SYSTEM 5reathes into the breath of life
and makes it become bring SOUL
Allusion, said Dir. P, has been made to the Hon
Henry Barnard, formerly OF Connecticut, now OF
Rhode Island. am glad Of it. He is ornament
to his race. What was the Connecticut or the Rhode
Island system when be first surveyed the field And
what has he done Why, sir, he surveyed the edu-
cational r-Stethe desert. sir. He was not discour-
aged at the prospect He weat b work, and being
Sustained by Tie people, he a-brOBght form out Of
chaos, and resurrection from egrdreyet prosperous
Connecticut, in an evil hour, suffered mad politicians
] to bear sway, wretches who must envy the growing
greatness of system. and the man whom they had
not the intelligence to understand, the heart tc
admire; and they, sir, like all other demaqoges
must crush what they CONTROL get rid of the
man whom they envled and feared, but could not bend
they abolished the Office Of Superintendent and have
undone, in day, the labor of intelligence and phi
lanhropy for years. Barnard thus banshed, (for he
must be actiyc,) went to Rhode Island, proud anC
happy Rhode Island, who received and welcomed the
educational exile. Little Rhoda, as she is sometimes
called from her geographical dimensions, is great in
her educational advancement There she stands PROUD
of her Superintendent, and proud of the monuments
her school houses which she has erected to perpeuatC
his name, with blessings and her prosperity. Rhode
Island, bright light, beacon shining in the dis
lance the monument of Superintendent first, Q
school system neat, Superintendent, and both re-
strained by liberal, riHin- happy people.
Mr.. p alluded in term sst praise to the Hon
Horece Mann, whose a - said MIR. p, is no lbe
on his fame, for he is every whit a man aps
passed on to Ohio, whose politicians in their mad