The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1853-03-11

ON this subject, and append the AddiIofl
Report for this County, correcting some
errors which appear in The published
report:
Na PUTNAM COUNTY.
Ny reports are lille imperfect, from
the defect Of the necessary particulars in
the reports made to this office; defect
arising probably from the fact ,ha, teach
ers have no forms of returns 10 guide
them in making ont their reports, and
from similar cause other officers make
imperfec, returns; and it is almost i'm.
possible TO furnish remedy without
additional legal enactmenis, OF the sys,
iemaiizing OF those we have, SO that the y
! may furnish 4 knowledge TO those who
are 10 carry them ou, Of what is the law
and their duties.
Our school laws should be made 10
lave some character of permanehce.
Frequent changes in law of such i'm.
mediate interest to all, causes confusion,
aud prevents those in force from effect
from want Of any uniform understanding
Of the workings OF The system.
Improvements, however, in our school
system, have recently been made in the
enactmen,s Of the Legislature, but an
adequate dirtclorsbip is still wanted.
Township directors, paid for The discharge
Of their duties, as are officers Of honor in
a higher sphere, governors, judges, mem.
bers of the General Assembly, &C.,
would be an additional improvement, as
they would be selected with more cere
from larger constituency. II is the
duly Of the State, having undertaken the
supervision Of education, TO see Il,ai
where This supervision is confded, the
officers be, il possible, fully adcqeA,e to
lhsir duty. *
The whole system OF our State educa-
lional supervision is incomplete, and dis
| plays a niggardliness Of conception Of
what is required in this department Of
governmental provision, no, in tile larges!
degree indicative Of legislative wisdom,
or Of careful regard for popular instruc-
lion.
Discoveries Of improved methods Of
teaching are doubtless made by thought.
ful and investigating minds in every part
Of the State, engaged in this employ
ment, but these nre lost, Gom want Of
proper intercommunication, 10 all bui
the locality in which the practice obtains.
There is no State superintendent TO de-
vote his whole Time to receiving, classify.
ing and impariing information on such
matters, or who can devote his fine, to
compare, analyze, and enquire what is
truly valuable in proposed Improvements,
embodylng this in his annual reports, or
making j, known as be traverses the
State to visit districts or couniies.
The Stale appears satisfied, as If all
had been done that could be necessary,
when il has distributed sum, foreduca>
tional purposes, equal TO abou, ten cents
annually lor each inhabi,an, Of the State,
and made a budy Of laws, so imperfect,
TO regulate Its distribution, that they
need re.modeling and tinkcring every
year, and a knowledge of legal science
to explain them. Thsis is scarcely what
is required, however.
The Secretary of State, who is ex-
oficio made superintendent, of common
schools, has TO be selected with view
to his fitness for the discharge of the
proper duties of his Office Of Stater Sscre.
larry. and these are moi in consonance
with the most fit exercise OF the duties
of school superintendent. His reports
generally do credit to his Judgment as
citizen anxious for the improvement OF
the young mind of the State, but are not
and cannot he what thorough superin-
tendance of the interests Of education
demands. The whole body Of the State
reports, for the last ten years, beyond the
tables they contain, (Which clerk could
easily abstract from county reporis,) have
not IN value paid the expense incurred
in printing, and have developed nothing
more than that the Legislature we're deaf
to the continued remonstrances Of the
Secretary for any adequate Improvement.
They, however, serve TO show the poverty
Of effort made ins,he completion Of an
adequate system for the education of the
children among two millions of1eeple.
p Nor do conceive the county Auditors
the proper county superinfenden,s OF
common schools within their counties.
Their peculiar duties, no more than those
u the Secretary Of State, give them any
peculiar G,ness Tor the exercise Of the
proper functions Of such an Office; and
IN almost all other offices, fitness is in.
tended as the reason Of appointment; but I
sducation, though the most material con /.
sern Of all, can only receive incidental I
cafe. llriga II