The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-12-11

esnminc The School Law, and either prs
sen, i new one, OF prone away the cxcrcs
ceuces, AID supply the wants q no ~
naw "a Tie statute book. The roper ~
The SUPERINTENDENT al Public lnstrnesiai.
together with the report ot The Commission,
ers viii. doubtless, materially and You III
what measures are nccessar.
!, advance the interests ol ComDoi
Sch ,ols.
The Superintendent Of Public instrue-
lion, il his last Report TO The cg'sia'ur
takes tho ground that some plan oHgh' Y.
he uanpted whereby the expenses attend
mo the management oi the School rune
may he decreased To remedy the eva,
he recommends that the law providing io'
county Sand Commissioners be ALTO ''shed,
and the Office of State Sch, oil Fund Com
missioner created. The lahers Of The Coun-
IL Fund Commissioners arc ardunus ana
complicated, and il may be question 'hle
whether State Fund Commissioner could
,roperlv attend to them. The Sppoflnten-
dent may, possibly, submit different plao
in his forthcoming report II YOU. ANY
scheme which you nas adept, whereby The
objection NAV be wholly, or IN part rcmov.
ed. would certainly be desirable.
Tie Constitution provides, IN The second
section af tho tenth article. that ''thc Gene
raj Assembly shall encourage. BY al suit
able means. the promotion # intellectual.
scientific, moral and agricultural iM2rore-
aeats.n No steps have been taken hy The
Legislature, since the adoption OF The Con
siitnlion. for the advancement oil agrlcul-
,ure. This portion of the Constitution Il
~ obligatory and binding as any cihcr.
Il was probably inserted for The reason tint
our State has every facility ior becoming,
in an eminen, degree, an agricultural
State. The best method Of cnllva'lng the
soil is, and il is believed ever will be, u
subject OF the first Importance TO a large
majority of tne citizens OF the State. The
greater portion Of those who attend our
Comm N Schools will become agricultural
lists, when the term Of their education ey.
pires; and consequently. any knowledge
which they may obtain, touching thai
branch Of industry. will be to them OF the
most essential service. |, would therefore
seem to become yeur duty 10 enquire
whether books relative to agricultural
science. can. with pFepfiety. be intrndnc-
ed iu,o our Normal and Common Schools
| feel confident that, i!,intredacea, The most
benz fetal results max he anticipated.
The formation Of agricultural societies
would also he encouraged; end ! trust
that anv facilities which san can supply,
for the promotion Of such societies, will be
cheer!i!ls granted.
A lsw was passed nj the last session Cor
dividing the State into three di.iflcis, and
for the establishment Of Normal school
ii each district for the education Il school
teachers md Others. The State has been
has divided aud board OF Trustees
appointed fnr each district, as required ht
ihe act. The las further prov .dcs ibat the
schools shall lie established al Andrew.
O>kaloosa aud Mt. Pleasant. The school
IT Andrew commenced Oh the : Isl Of Nov.
1919 1t is now under the Snperinien-
ieuce II teachers uiIo are graduates d. the
Sew York Normal sc',ou--a respectable
lnnber Of pupils attend The Institution, and
Is prospects are ilaueriuu. The Trustees
ire erecting building for tue use Of the
school, at an estimated cost Of 50 800.
bout $1,000 Of which las been already es.
1ended. A very conmendable zeal is
in that district for the support
Il the school. II is understood similar
ceiling exists il each d: the other districts,
,l,hoagh am not able to state Tie progress
f those schools. That information YOU
sill probably obtain from lie report OF the
Of Public Instruction.
Wherever the normal system has been
n operation, in other States, the most for
un9te results have been experienced. Il,
o. Of tho State Nor.nil School cf!hc State
j New York, made - tie Legislature Of
hat State on The ! ith Of February, 1850,
/ appears hat the first term Of that school
oeesn on the 18Th of December, 1874.
From That period up 10 tue time the repor,
vas made. AS pupils had graduated, and
, large proportion Of them hid accepted
situations IN common schools; and, viii,
CIV exceptions, had acquitted themselves
u such manner a. ID do honor 10 the
iehpoi. The committee are ofopnion that
hese teachers have caused grea, improve
neni 10 the schools where they have taught
md that they have been highly instrument
al in advanc'ngthe cause OF common school
.dncatipn.
Permit me TO express the hope that the
Normal schools established 10 oar State will
,ccciye the fostering care OF tic Legisa-
IRE. If there exists any opposition 10
hem, it would seem 10 spring from a mis-.
of,heir objects. It's under
TODD that there are two features charac-
crising them which are not found il other
schools or academies; First, HE State pn-
Ill is required TO devote bis attention cxc!u-
,iyely to obtaining an cducn,inr, md to
alch s'ndics as wiliqualfy him to perform,
II a superior manner, The duties Of com
non school teacher; and, secondly, he j.
eqilred TO learn the hes: mode Of communi