Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-04-05
PERSONAL,

LAST week to my dam age and to that Of other worthy
citixens about School Directors, false in every par
ficular. & JAMES G. EDWARDS.
COMMON SCHOOLS.
School District No. ,, Of Burlington township EN-.
bfacng the city Of Burlingtonwas organized ON the
9sth nit. JAMES CLARKE, Esq, was elected Presi-
dent I. .. sTocxros, Esq, Secretary and Mr.
JoBN JOHNSON, Treasurer. A committee of five,
Il. w. GRIMEs, Esq, Chairman,) was appointed to
inquire a. to the number Of schools needed in the
district, and the eligibility Of locations, &C. for
school houses.
Tho meeting was considerably embarrassed by 4
Of the law, made By Coun-
sellers Rorer and Hall, that the district had NO pow
er to do any thing about schools or school-house
except at the regular meetings in May and October.
For time il seemed that the sophistry ofthese gem
tiemen would obtain with the meeting. It's incor-
rectness, however, so clearly exposed, that the
meeting agreed to raising the committee above re-
ferred to, with scarcely dissenting voice.
We regard It As vastly important that in Aying
the foundations OF system Of common schools for
our city, we should begin upon the most approved
principles. limo other business or enterprise is
the experience Of others more instructive, or Is
there more need Of wise management and judicious
economy. There is now due this district, We be-
ieve, about efkaap hundred dollars. This money
cannot be appropriated to any other purpose than
the payment of teachers wages. Properly expen-
ded, perhaps with the addition Of small private
subscription like that contemplated in Section 4 Of
the school Law, it Is sufficient to pay all the teach
ere that are needed to instruct the youth OF our CITY,
Il will enable the district to hire two principal
teachers ata salary Of $500 each per annum and five
assistants at salary OF Slso each. This is bet
Ter wages than any Of our teachers now get. With
the children properly classified, seven teachers can
better instruc them, than seventeen can under the
system which now prevails AMONG US. And good
schools can be kept up throughout the year.
This money, we trust our citizens viii, remember,
must be expended somehow. And the question for
tneta 70 determine in school meeting is whether it
shali be done jud;ciously and to good purpose, or
De FILTERED away. To provide for the expenditure
ofthis money, they must tax themselves, either to
rent, at exravagant prices, dark, damp and incom-
srodious rooms, or to build one or more school
houses. Which is the most advisable. and which
in the long run will be the cheapest, it needs the
exercise of but little good sense and calculation to
determine. There is not in town room suitable
for . school. Education demands houses suited to
its object just as merchants need Stores and far
ners barns built for the purpose. ! 1t il unpsr--
'enasie sOsurdity 10 think of having good schools
without good school. houses. Whether we ought TO
build one, two or three school-houses is question
which deserves the most careful deliberation. We
ventured to recommend plan in our paper Of Feb
ruary LIST, and we would renew the invitation then
given to any who prefer other plans, to our col
umss for bringing them before the people. The
question should be most thoroughly discussed.
The only opposition to the establishment OF the
common school system among US proceeds from
those who dislike the principle Of taxation for edu-
caional purposes, from aristocrats and from secta-
rians. In relation to The first, we would remark
that this principle seems too reasonable and rghte-
GUS to the mass Of the people, and is too firmly es-
blished to Be given up at this late day. It 10 part
Of the law Of the land, and the only question is,
whether it shall be administered wisely and eff
GENTLY. Az TO the second, we must confess that
our sympathies are al against them. We do not
blame them for wishing to educate their own chill
dren well: but pity them for failing TO catch the
generous spirit OF our institutions, which would
give equal privileges to all the children OF the State,
and which recognizes no distinction Of wealth or
: sect. We like the Boston schools, in which visi-
ter several pears ego reported, that he saw the son
ola woodsawyer sitting beside the SON of Presi-
dent OF the U. States. As to church schools, we
respect the demand for them, so far as it arises from
afear that our common schools will be the teachers
Of immortality and irregion; but we deem this fear
groundess, is illustrated in the excellent cha
racter Of the New York and New England common
NNVa o1d ,r,nf ocr ~ AML
its origin in the desire to perpetuate and propagate
sectafianisrn. sectsrians alas, prefer uniyersalg
norance to an ignorance Of their dogmas. We be.
ieve that the common school system can be 50 con.
Quoted as to give satisfaction to every reasonable
conscience in the community. This has been done
elsewhere, and with the most gratifying results
We hope that il may be done here. To this end the
school meetings should be fully attended. Tht
meeting on The 18th ult. adjourned to two week,
, from that date.
PcsTMAsTERs-we see stated that the Postmas
ter General has positively declined to appoint m,
ediorto once unless he actually retires before ap
plication from the editorial tripod. This III prove
rather hard on portion Of the faithful, since al
cannos DC accomniodated.-tS Louis Union
The above must certainly be hoax. Did we mo-
think so we should certainly Offer some serious re-
marks to demonstrate its absurdity. While editor.
perform al the hard work for their respective par
g ties, without any adequate compensation, ana are in
general far more deserving of Office than those who
obtain office through their influence and instrumen
tayas class they are less clamorous for place thar
any other. We shall speak very plain on this sub
ject should occasion require. @
Our new Steam Ferry Boat, the Flint Hills, i,
constantly filled with emigrant wagons for Califor
Z mia. The mammoth loads she brings are astonish
ing. She can and has slowed away as high a.
eleven large wagons with their forty-fo oxen
besides casual horsemen, footmen and buggies.--
During the high water she is obliged to take hel
passengers from ShockoQuon.
Co., ~ 49,. <-