Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1851-05-28
For the Desmoines Valley Whig.

SOtIlIIlOil oCuOOl 01ctCHAuuty va
Superintendentn'--in which my acts
as a public officer are called in ques-
ton. Notices of a similar cast haye
appeared in other prints; but under
such circumstances and in such tone
as to forbid an answer on my part.
But as you profess TO have written in
spirit of frankness and candor,-
unbiased by party zeal and political
prejudice-l feel myself at liberty to
reply in the same spirit.
1t will be remembered that in the
spring Of lS4S, when | entered upon
my official duties, sour school system
was literally PROSTATE in the dust
without form and void" All that
IA. been slQaes served only to o'meke
venty-swo flspd-ce7is
fnlssioneEs and about two thousand
inspectors and directors had been
engaged in the performance of their
respective duties for a period of more
than twelve months, without any con
cert among themselves, or uniform
plan by which to be governed. Dis
organization prevailed among the
school districts throughout the state.
Forthis unhappy state of affairs | am
not responsible, nor is it any part of
mypresent purpose to determine who
is, but simply to state, that it did erist.
Under these circumstances, my first
object was to devise some general
plan by which degree of uniformi
ty might be attained in the action of
the various school officers. The re
suit of my labors at that time may be
seen in my circulars of June 1913, to
fund commissioners, inspectors and
directors, and those of September fol-
lowing to the same officers, copies of
which were transmitted to each of the
public journals of the state-yours
among the rest-and although they
received naught but ridieulc and con-
demaation at your hands; | am, new
ertheless, willing to leave it with an
impartial public to investigate them
and determine upon their merits. 1t
will also be remembered that, that
portion of the press entertaining diff
ferent political sentiments from those
held by myself, made a combined and
unrelenting effort, during the summer
of ls4s, to create in the public mind
an unwarranted prejudice against me
both as a prirate citizen and public
officer, which rendered the then unfa-
vorable and much embarrassed con-
dition of our school system, still more
gloomy; and by reference to the col
umns of the "Des Moines Valley
Whis" you will lind that no paper
was more bitter in its denunciations
than that sheet. In January lS49
the school law remodeled, and new
duties imposed upon the superinten-
dent. The first and most essential
of these duties-the publication OF
the law in pamphlet form-received
my immediate attention. added
such forms and instructions for the
benefit of school officers, as our wants
seemed to require. The work was
generally approved by the friends ol
education at home and abroad, with
the exception of some unimpoytan,
structures which it received at the
hands of the editor of the 'Whig ano
Register Under it our school sys.
tenn received a fresh impetus, and
confusion and disorganization gradu.
ally gave way to order and harmony
About this period the friends of ed
ucation in the United States deter
mined to hold National Comma,
School Convention in the city of Phila
delphia-the first enterprise of tht
kind ever undertaken in this country
| was warmly solicited by the com
.mittee of arrangements, the superin
tendents of common schools in othe
states, and a large number of ou
own citizens to represent our state il
person. Among that number, ont
individual was particularly importum
ate. | allude to the editor of public
journal at Burlington, who has takel
extra pains of late to denounce m
for my absence from the state, an,
neglect of my duties at home. at
tended the convention and conferre,
personally and freely with the lead
ing advocates of common schools
from different parts Of the Union, re
lative to our future plans and pros
poets iu Iowa, and visited a larg
number of the principal schools ofth
older states. This was done at m
orn crpensc, while for similar service
other states made liberal crt,u ar
propriations--not only for visitin
the schools of this country, but ais
for examining those of Europe. Th
unbiased eader may determine whetl
er in so doing, have proven recreal
to the interests of the state | had til
honor to represent.
Twelve months ago | visited tt
south at the request of a widowe
mother, whom | had not seen for te
years, for the purpose of dividir
e with her the scanty pittance wi
a which Providence had favored m
and of imparting those consolation
in her bereavement and and affii
;. tions, which maternal affection al
f filial obligation required at my hand
If for such an act deserve censur
| have only to say that | am reae
$ and willing to receive, but pity tt
Q naaiignity Of the heart that bestows
= With the exception of these two vi
its, | have been constantly engagt
G in the performance of my official d
. ties at home. and have confined M