Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1853-04-19
Report on Common schools.

The Cincinnati Gazette says-We have
before US the Annual Report Of the Secre-
,ary Of State on the condition Of the Com
mon Schools of Ohio for the year 1859.
The Report embraces much valuable stals-
lical information in regard TO the Schools,
though complaint is made of the irregulari-
" and imperleclions in the returns which
have been made by the officers ot many
school districts. While the great benefits
resulting from the common schools system
are fully recognized in the Report, ye, in
comparison with the high expectations OF
the people of the State, and with some future
time in which The means Of intellectual
culture will be so diffused that the humblesi
child of poverty may receive the advanl-
ages of thorough education the schools
have not accomplished all the good OF which
they are capable. High anticipations of the
benefits likely 10 result from the adoption Of
the new School Laws, are expressed.
The construction Of school houses with
reference 10 health is urgently insisted upon
and recommendation made of an abridge.
ment of Mr.. Barnod's books upon the sub
ieci for general circulation throug ghout The
Stale. A dry location, away from slagnan.
waters, abundant space, ample room and
proper ventilation, are essential TO good
school houses. The superiority Of the
Free Union System over The unclassified
schools is slriklngly indicated in the differ
ent expense Of the TWO plans in Towns con-
tanning the same amour, of population. In
the first case The COSTS Of schools was $16,-
900, while in the later il was $25 000 be-
ing a saving of more Than 33 per cent. in
favor Of the classified schools. The Secre.
tary's Report closes with the recommends
lion Of liberal appropriations for the cause
Of education, in the hope Of supplanting by
its means ignorance, idleness. and vice, the
costly occasions oil penilenliaries and jais
The whole number of youth in the State
is $4,000. The entire number Of pupils
enrolled, male and female, is 437,4 ,4l2. The
average daily attendance during the year
has been but 266,267. These figures Ger.
tainly are not very credlable 10 the Stale
even though every allowance be made fol
attendance upon private schools. Nearly
four hundred thousand children entitled &c
attend these schools but who do not! There
is defect somewhere. The difference be-
tween the number of pupils enrolled anc
the average attendance is still more pain
(ul fact. Either parents or teachers are ir
fault when less than ive.eighlhs of the
scholars of all the schools of the Stale are
present. 1t is sgnifcan, fact ,ha. The en-
rolled number of boys exceed that of girls by
more than forty thousand. There are 9,9lt
schools, with 1864 teachers N the State
10 the latter Of whom $77l, Jas are paid a,
wages. One hundred and sevenly-one
school houses have been built during the
year, al a cost of $61.8 1886.
The statistics are given of As Unior
Schools in towns varying in population
from 1926 inhabitants 10 100000, and which
pay from $270 TO 81 900 each for teachers
Most of the schools are free 10 the children
OF residents, but with an annual tuition fet
Of from 81 10 $l5 for non-residen,s. Tht
expenses are met by special school tax o
from one 10 four mills. Ten oil them pos
sess districI Libraries, varying in value from
swelve and half cents 10 six hundred dol
lars.
There are ihiny-one Teachers Institutes
in the State, with 1894 teachers, under in
sruclion.