The Ottawa free trader., 1854-11-11
Ottalpa frte GraNer.
OTTAWA, NOVEMBER II, 1854.
About schools.


About schools.
At the last session Of The Illinois lcgisla-
turc, as cur readers are aware, law was
passed directing the Governor to appoint
state superintendent of pubic schools, and
prescribing his powers and duties. The ut
ter want of method and efficiency in our
common school system hitherto, and the
crying necessity for reform and more vigor-
Gus system, were the promptings Of this
measure. The Law gives the supcrintcnd-
ent liberal salary, and requires him to de-
vote his whole time to the duty. lie is re-
quired to circulate among the people and
deliver lectures on educational subjects 1t
is made his duty to recommend and urge
the adoption of a uniform series of school
books for the whole state to prcscibe a reg
ular course Of studies; and generally to
adopt such rules and regulations as he may
find necessary to carry ont the intention Of
the law, and give efficiency to our common
schools.
In obedience to this law, the Governor, at
as early date as practicable, appointed the
Hon. NISIAN w. EDwARs, State Superin-
tendent Of Public Schools, and from the date
Of his appointment, Mr.. +. has devoted him
self laboriously and unremittingly to the dis
charge of his duties. lie has spent por-
ton of his time in New York and the New
England States, examining the school sys-
tens as in practical operation in those local
tiles. lie has consulted the superintcndcnts
and most eminent teachers of those states in
reference to the course of studies pursued,
the books in use, and the practical results;
and he has carefully examined vast num-
Der of school books submitted to him from
all quarters and collected large amount of
other information, at home and abroad, Of
much practical value in fixing definitely
upon a system suited TO the wants of our
own state.
Thus prepared, Mr.. +. has carefully ma
tured plan, which he will submit to the
next Legislature, intended to impart unifor-
Elity and efficiency to our common school
system. The plan embraces a uniform Sc
ries of books for all our schools, and regu.
lar course of study, from the alphabet up to
the higher mathematics, philosophy, and
and languages But as the plan proposes
many important changes in our system as At
present administered, and to give it cillcicn,
cy requires not only to be thoroughly under
stood, but needs also the cooperation of pa
rents, teachers and the local officers Of our
schools generally. Mr.. Edwards has been
at great pains to lay his plan fully before
the people, and explain its details. With
this object in view he has, within few
months visited nearly every county in the
state, and tried to meet the people and talk
to and with them on the subject. II was
with this view that he came to Ottawa
week ago, and proposed to meet the people
ofour county in the court house. We blush
to state that at nearly every county seat he
visited he was obliged TO address a thin and
listless audience but We believe in no place
did he find such a perfect torpor on the sub
ject Of education as it is our Illuminating du-
ty to state he met at Ottawa.
Ample notice Of four weeks had not ONLY
been given by handbills, but it was repeated
over and over in both papers of the city
yet when he came, he found posters about
our streets announcing that the negro Fred.
Douglass would deliver political speech in
the free church on the evening he proposed
to talk to the people about schools, and when
in the evening he went to the court house,
the seats were found vacant, our people hay-
ing preferred to hear the political haraugue.
We find no fault with Douglass in the matter.
lie had been invited here by his political as
sociatcs, and was not aware of the vastly
more important meeting in contemplation;
but we do think the fact that our people
ran Otto hear him in preference to Mr. Ed
wards, is under all the circumstances, hu-
initiating and GisgraccfIL. Ofal the cities
in our state, Ottawa ought to blush whom
the subject Of schools is mentioned. We
have population of probably six thousand
souls. Between Chicago and Peoria no city
does near the amount of business that is done
here ye. with all our population, wealth,
and prosperity, Ottdra is sithout a school
house! Schools we have, it is truc-privatc
and "sclect" schools. Out of our 1900 chill
drcn that ought to go to school, probably
one or two hundred can be crowded into our
schools, the teachers of which, without any
community Of plan or interest, exc out u
grudgingly paid living. But as to public
schools-whcrc the children of the poor can
be alike educated with those more highly
favored notwithstanding we have fair and
rapidly accumuating school fund, W. are as
destitute as the llindoo. Our fund is frit
tered away, bestowed loosely on this or that
teacher that may occasionally for month or
two WELD the birch, but as to any regular
plan or system, it is not attempted. Yet
this is the people who, when they are called
upon to hear some practical discussions, hav-
ing in view change of this disgracciUl state
of things, go in preference to hear a negro
discourse ON politics.
We have said this much because we be-
liovc the occasion justitcs it. We intend to
cast no reproachcs on any particular party
or set of men. The apathy of our people
on the subject of schools and school houses
has been standing matter of rcproach for
fifteen years, and it is time that reproach
should be removed. If different language
is necessary to effect the needed reform we
shall endcayor to usei. We mean to try to
do our duty in the matter We Shall rccur
to the subject again.
The Springfield Enterprise has been sold
by pitiful lie of WcntNorths, alledgirg
that there would be a meeting of Judge