Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1848-02-17
For the Indiana Stale Sentinel.

For the Indiana Stale Sentinel.
MEssRs. CHAPMANs: The Report accompanying
the school bill, presented to the Indiana Legislature,
by the committee appointed by the State Common
School Convention" has been forwarded TO me by
some unknown friend and would like to make some
remarks the subject of education through your col
umns, if you have space for its admission. There is
one egregious blunder, generally, committed at the
very commencement, IN all the attempts aid in the
advancement of common school education and that
is, to put it under the supervision of men who have
knowedge-7Io practical knowledge, the subject
but SO much as they may recOlect from the time of
mere boyhood-of men who not only know literally
nothing about the manner Of conducting common
schools advanngeously. but who have the most con-
tempuble opinion of men who will condescend to
calling so low In their estimation. This have
to know is the case with one whose name is re-
corded a member of the committee. Now, srs,
what expect to follow from such proceedings!
What advantages may we hope to derive from such
source! Very different from this were the proceed
ings Of the amable De Witt Clinton. He called
around him an array of prG tical ledcherS-men who
had made choice of this their vocation whose in
terests identified with the interests and
OF common schools; and what was the result! Why,
Sirs. he commenced SYSTEM which in Its perfected
state has dlfused greater amount of useful knowl-
EDGE for Its time being, than any other system extant
Having as teacher or parent had something to do
with the systems of Vermont Massachusetts, Connec-
tlcu and New York,-and also with the system of
Upper Canada, in its inclpent stage-and having had
or years observation this my adopted State,-
having also had an opportunity of close observation
of the proceedings in Kentucky, under the supervision
and direction Of the late Col. Barry, prepared to
speak somewhat ntelligibly the subject SO far as
observation is capable of giving ability. To this
will add, that have been engaged D teaching to a
greater or less extent for largely upward Of forty
years.
believe it is admitted fact, that we acquire the
stronger attachment for any course calling, the
longer connected conversant with it. If
this maxim hold good IN education, should place IT
under the supervision of who are, or have been
practical teachers; not under men who have Occd-
SiORGy let themselves down to teach country school
just to raise the wind, yet anxious that it should be
forgotten that they condescended low Men
of this cast are the last to whom general instruction
should be intrus,ed. Would you place your watch in
the hands of the blacksmith for repairs a
engine in the hands of q cabinet-maker for consruc-
ton or repairi You would not ; yet there would be
nothing more incongruous in these, than in putting
such men some Of your State Committee to SUPER
wise and superintend common school instruction An
other most egregous blunder has been committed in
selecting common school teachers from the colleges
and seminaries of the higher order. There are in-
Decd instances of persons of this cast having become
good instructors Of youth, but these instances are like
angels visits, lew and far between. The arrange
ments, discipline, and manner of instruction in collie
ges are not adapted 10 the wants of the common
u v,
taton to vary to suit circumstances indispensable
q teacher OF common schools which is seldom acqur
ed In the regular routine of college regulations. For
the same reason, there are, comparatively, very few
! OF our fellow citizens, who educated at West
Point that ever become successful teachers of youth
Some, like Capt. Partridge and L. +. Johnson may
have the address to get up military establishments,
but to become successful instructors Of youth, in gen.
eral, requires strictly school education.
There are several other causes Of the present low
ebb of education In Indiana, not the least of which
the shameful parsImoniousness manifested towards
the teachers In far the greater portion of this State,
through which have travelled the pittance allowed
to instructors of youth completely calculated to shut
all well qualified men from this most important en-
poymen | know young gentleman, formerly from
the city of New York, who is engaged 10 SUPER
intending school in district which numbers over
one hundred pupils, or such should be pupils, and
what do you suppose is his salary! Twelve dollars
month TRADE! Can there be any wonder that
schools should be what they at such wages This
is well calculated to get persons into the teachers
chair, who should be at the plough handles, the axe,
or the maui and to push intellectual young men into
the pursuit of law medicine. Hence 1t is that the
professions crowded TO a starving excess, and
schoo-houses hronged with unqualified teachers An
other fruitful of the low state of education is
the carelessness to speak worse, manifested by
county boards of examiners. Shameful is II, indeed
to see the ignoramuses who are perambulating the
very grievous to the benevolent mind to witness the
mental devastation thereby produced. county
perintenden is indispensable, yet how this to be
compished doth not plainly appear. If his election
submitted to the people, the will operate is
which have filled our probate with men who
disgrace to the denizens who elected them if they
are appointed by the Legislature by the Governor
all past experience shows that there is danger that
party spirit and patronage will have tendency to
place there, rather than their qualification for the
office. Still, If could act efficiently aid of
mon school education must have county superin-
tendents, and we must pay them for their services
that is, we must give compensation sufficient TO in
dnce tce qualified, TO act In that important and
highly responsible station. But there Is yet another
drawback upon education which is the want of CON-
Portable houses, and comfortable seats desks. &c.
Could you gentlemen, travel as have DONE various
parts of the State and enter the places-the things
the dbominable structures called school-houses,-see
little bipeds there confined and having witnessed the
wretched restitution, to behold the comforts pro-
vided by the same persons for their hoIses sheep,
and even their hogs methnks you would he ready to
conclude that parental care was swallowed up in the
love of gain
Having, at my late time of life, children edu-
CATE have no motive in this communication but to
endeavor TO contribute my mite TO the general good
and to impress it upon the minds of my fellow cit
zens, that common schools must, if you would have
them flourish, be superintendent by men educated in
common schools. AN OLD PEDAGoGUE.
Lawrence county, Feb. 2, lS4S.
i For the State Sentinel.
Cotton Manufacturers i'm the West.
In an article published in the Sentinel of the sth