Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-03-22
Extracts from the First Annual Report
of the General Superintendent Of Common
Schools Of the State of North Carolina.


Schools Of the State Of North Carolina.
To HIS ExCELLENcY, DAVID S. REID,
GOoernor ct'the State of North Carolina
SIR The Act of Assembly providing
for the appointment of Superintendent Of
Common Schools, (Sec. IL makes it the
duty Of that officer to submit to the Cover
nor of the State an annual report in writing,
9 giving a detailed and condensed account
of the manner in which he has performed
his several duties of the operations of the
system of Common Schools, together with
such suggestions and recommendations as
he may deem proper; with tables showing
the number of white persons, five years old
and under twenty-one, in each County in
the State the number who have attended
school during the year; the length of time
open IN each County; the number OF male
and female Teachers licensed in each Coun-
| ty to teach Common Schools during the
year, and the average salaries of Teachers
tits one off my duties, as Superintendent of
Common Schools, to ascertain the condition,
history and promise of the system in all
parts of the State; and also to deliver lee
lures whenever convenient occasions offer.
To discharge these two duties together and
in the most satisfactory manner, | deter
mined, at first, to goto every County seat in
the State; and during much of the past
year have been travelling, giving notice
some days before of my intended visit.
desired, as general thing, to visit first
those Counties which are most remote frj m
: the centre and those wherein natural OBJ
structions, such as swamps and mountains,
present the greatest difficulties in the way
of the success of system of Districts schools.
made it rule to deliver an address at
3 most of the places at which [ attended,
: whatever the size of the audience and in
these talks, for they were not what are ter
: med speeches, my great object was to diff
fuse practical information, and to set the
: people to thinking.
. From the start great difficulty in the
$ way has been the want Of proper informa.
i ton ; and that [ might diffuse my own
J views as widely as possible, I have addres
/ sed to your ERcellency, in letters for pub
n lication in the newspapers, the substance Of
u portion of my lectures. | thought could
u best ascertain the condition of things in the
, various sections of the State by institutins
. enquiries on the spot, and by an actual OBJ
L servation Of the field of operations; and
pt also deemed it the part of wisdom to see fo
Is myself the condition and workings of ou
d school machinery in the several peculia
De geographical divisions of the country, be
IT, fore undertaking to pronounce upon its fl
Do ness or unGtness, in its present organization
th sincerely believe the information [ hav
IS, acquired will be interesting if not useful
OF those who have the public good at heart
d and as | shall continue to prosecute my RI
searches in this wide field, from which 4
SO general report has ever yet been made,
10 hope, if Providence spare my life, to be
Bile to submit to the next General Asser
at bly, mass of statistics from which, al
on from the experience of the members, thC
Se; will be enabled wisely to modify our syste
nu and accelerate itsprogress towards that hie
iP state of usefulness attained in other Stat
It's and not beyond our reach.
oI. In my future travels [ shall be govern
IS to some extent by the character of the !
IN ports received this winter in other wore
ird [ shall visit those sections which do 4
aS make the most satisfactory exhibits, a
on while endeavoring to ascertain the dific1
ong tics in the way, give such advice and inf
eel nation in my power, as | may deem m
Ger suited to the exigency of each case.
TO Unless, however, | utterly neglect
other duties, it will hardly be possible
into me to visit every County during my te
the of Office; unless, indeed, I neglect to G
1een notice and go from place to place as fas
lead l conveniently can.
OF The presence of the Superintendent,
'ton one sense, ought to be felt Immediately
long every section ; questions, coming up f
have every quarter. ought to be promptIy
ether svered. while constant and proper attcn
neg. ought to be given to the preparation Of