Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1851-01-16

trnges, were but means ol seli-eevaboh.
There is no subject upon which the peo-
pie OF Missouri are mole united than that
Of securing to the whole youth OF the coun-
Try the means OF education. The people |
are forit; let no tiinility OF their repre- sen.
tatives deprive them OF it. The present
means Of common school education are not
sufficient to give efficacy TO the system.-
The State School fund amounts To $685..
G67 So, TO which should be added S3,7S5-
81, now in the trcasury--procceds OF Sa-
line lands, and which constitute portion
Of the common school fund. These, to-
ge,her with the proceeds OF the township
school lands, constitute the only available |
fund. This is til, proceeds OF the 100000
acre grant. II il Is believed the people will
not sanction this, stop its further distribu-
ton, until, by law, the question can be
directly submittrd 20 thcm. The friends
of education need have no fears for the re-
suit. ii the con,cai OF congress be by any
thought necessary to DC had, It can
no obtaincd Though, in my opinion, no
sich ccisen, is necessary. When this anl
other Resources shall have been exhausted,
in charging this fund, then pass law sub
hitting the question directly To the people
TO vote vet additional means, 10 enable the
State To pu, the .ystem into successful OPP
cra,iou. feel authorized 10 say, from the
success Of this experiment, ia Il number OF
oar sister States, that the people OF Missou-
ri will never dishonor a draft made upon
them for so noble purpose
The present system tor the organization
and government o! common schools Is de-
i.ciivc. Its complication often puts 10 tins
test, ;hr Judgment Of our best citizens elected for lis
nagcmc bit above alt il lacks head 70 lake charge
cf and give Direction 10 lis operations. None Oi our
t,cr s.ses ior rs have beeu capable Of observing,
have been Gbt 20 put inlo successful operation syJ-
tom o! common schools, without III, aId Of supcIln'
telden, 0l public instruction.
Til, duty is now performed by the Soc
rotary OF State, and to his repor, | refer
you to show the working OF the system.
recommend that provision be made for
the elect ion OF Il superintendent OF public
Instruction., by the people. And in order
10 give efficacy TO the system, he should bt
required TO devote p rtlon oi his Time IN
visiting every county in the State, and by
the aid oil bis public addresses, his energy
education, and strong common sense, hC
should cvincc 4 disposition 10 enlist all hi
powers in the business, by his efforts tc
awaken an interest, and give point an,
system TO the cause oil popular education
Erch county III the State should have
county superintendent, OF director, for TN
county, an each school district three trui
tees. With these, aud !ls dates properi
assigned to each, the v .Dic system may D,
made complete.
The trustees should rc yort to the dlrecto
for the county, and he to the supcrinten
dent Of public instruction, at least once
year. Each district sh lid be PROVIDE
with district school library, to be paid fol
if no other way, out OF the funds ol III
district, and for the sake of uniformity j
TIC course OF instruction, tho selection sIou!
be made ualer the direction Of tie supel
intendent OF public instruction. The 5,
pcrinlcndcnt should Il SO be required t
make out an alnnal report, showing tn
course oil instruction prescribed by him
the number of schools .! each county, an
his examination Of them the number
months in the year each school is kept--t>
number of scholars, ANA the average nIl
Der OF days each has attended thu brancl
cs in which they have been instructed, au
such other Information as may be decmc
use!ul.
The striclcst care should be observed
the selection OF teachers; general systci
should be adopted Tor their examination
and zone should be employed, bu! thosc
irrcproachable moral character, AMI. wh'
upon a most thorough cXamin alton, sha
be inHnl competent to teach all the brancl
cs OF Il common English education. n
teacher should be employed, whose attain
men,S do not elevate him up to the wan
OF pupils. Ii he be dciicicn, in this, 'n'tca
OF advancing, he will prove hindranca
their progress. The youthful mind, alwa,
susceptible, should never I've placed und,
the control OF teachers incapable %! impa
ting to it, those lessons OF wisdom an
knowledge Sc necessary As foundation Il
finished scholar.
!, should be made an Indispensable T.
qu'i,e, that children be taught in all tt
schools, to understand the earl, hist
ryot our country-to read its con'titu,io
land learn to appreciate the blessing
free government. II it be true. rs is sal
that the very boys in ancient Rome, we
made to learn the twelve tables by hear
in oder more fully TO impress their youth!
minds with II knowledge Of their count
and its laws AMI il ii was though, nece
saIy to the preservation of British liberi
that magma charta, viii h embodied ii
concessions obtained from the crown, shou
be publicly aud repeatedly read to the PEI
pie. How much more important j. it TN
u, ho .,h, L..