Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-12-13


encies in the present law which demand
your action. Ii is expected that the COM
appointed to revise the code,
viii examine the School Law, and either
present new one, or prune away the exc
cresences, and supply the wants of the on
now on the statute book. The report Of
the Superintendent Of Public Instruction,
together with the report of the Commits
sioners will, doubtless, materially aid you
in determining what measures are neces-
sary 10 advance the interests of Common
Schools.
The Superintendent Of Public Instruc-
tons, in his last report TO the Legislature
takes the ground that some plan ought 10
be adopted whereby the expenses attend
ing the management of the School Fund
may be decreased. To remedy the evil,
he recommends that the law providing
for County Fund Commissioners be abol-
ished, and the office of State School Fund
Commissioner created. The labors of the
Comfy Fund Commissioners are arduous
and complicated, and il may be questiona-
BILE whether State Fund Commissioner
could properly attend to them. The SUI
perintendent may, possibly, submit diff
lerent plan in his forthcoming report to
yon. Any scheme which yon may adopt,
whereby the objection may be wholly, or
in part removed, would certainly be desi-
rable.
The Constitution provides, in the second
section Of the tenth article, that 'sihe Gen
eral Assembly shall encourage, by all suit
able means, the promotion of intellectual,
scientific, moral and agricultural improve
ments." No steps have been taken by
the Legislature, since the adoption of the
Constitution. for the advancement of ag-
riculture. This portion Of the Constitu-
ton is as obligatory and binding as any
other. II was probably incerted for the
reason that our State has every facility for
becoming, in an eminent degree, an agri-
cultural State. The best method Of cult
waiting the soil is, and il is believed ever
will be, a subject Of the first Importance
to large majority Of the citizens Of the
State. The greater portion Of those who
attend our Common Schools will become
agriculluralists, when the term of their
education expires; and consequently, any
knowledge which they may obtain, tuch-
ing that branch of industry, will be &c
them Of the most essential service. Il
would therefor seem to become your duty
to enquire whether books relative 10 az
ricultural science, can, with propriety, be
introduced into our Normal and Common
Schools. ] feel confident TINT if intro
duced, the most beneficial results may be
anticipated.
The formation of agricultural societies
should also be encouraged; andI trust that
any facility which you can supply, for
the promotion of such societies, will be
cheerfully granted.
A law was passed at the last session
for dividing the State into three districts.
and for the establishment of Normal
School in each district for the education Of
school teachers and others. The State
has been thus divided and board of trus-
lees appointed for each district, as requi-
red by the act. The law further provides
that the schools shall be established al
Andrew, Oskaloosa and Mount Pleasant
The school at Andrew commenced on the
2lst of Nov. lS49. II is now under the
superintendent of teachers who are
graduates of the New York State Normal
school--a respectable number of pupils
attend the institution, and its prospects are
| flatlering. The trustees are erecting a
building for the use al The school, at an
estimated cost of $1,000, about s. 600
of which has been already expended
A very commendable zeal is manifested
in that district for the support ofihe school
1t is understood that similar feeling ex-
lists in each of the other districts, although
l am not able TO state the progress Of
those schools. That information YOU vii!
probably obtain from the report of the
Superintendent Of Public Instruction.
Wherever the normal system has been
in operation, in the other states, the most
fortunate results have been experienced.
BY the annual report ofthe executive COM
mite OF the State Normal School of the
State nf New York, made 20 the Legisla-
ture of that State on the llih of February
1850, itappears that the first term of that
school began on the 18Th of December,
1874. From that period up TO the time
the report was made. 428 pupils had grad
uaied, and large proportion of them had
accepted situations in common SCHOOLS;
and, with few exceptions, had acquitted
then selves in such manner as TO do hon
or to the school. The committee are of
the OF inion that these teachers have caus-
ed great Improvement in the schools
where they have taught, and that they
have been highly instrumental in adyan-
cling the cause OF common scool education.
Permit me TO express the hope that
the Normal schools established in our
State will receive the fostering care Of
the legislature. If there exists any OPP
position to them, il would seem TO spring
from misapPrehension OF their objects.
il is understood that there are two lea-
lures characierising them which are not
found in other schools or academies:-
First. the State pupil is required to de-
vote his attention exclusively to obtaining
an education, and TO such studies as will