Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1856-12-31
The school Laws.

We are indebted to Hon. Lyman Cook for o
copy of the Report of the Commissioners of
Revision of the School Laws. The Report is
/ made by Horace Mann and Amos Dean, two of
the most distinguished Educators in the United
States. 1t is brief document but full of wise
suggestions, and justifes the sagacity of Gov
ernor Grimes in the appointment of the Com
mssioners. Iowa owes it to herself to take adj
vantage of all the experience that has elsewhere
been gained in the cause of public education.
Intelligence and virtue form the only sufficient
basis of Republican Government. In the
language of the Commissioners ''the young State
of Iowa owes it to herself, having rejected the
clog OF human seryitude and banished the evils
of intemperance, to adopt such an educational
system as will develope in harmonious proper
tions, and push to their EXTREMIST limits, both
the intellect and the moral power of each COM
ing generation" t $500
We give some extracts from the Report as to
the principles which should be Incorporated into
our laws. We hope to see these principles
universally accepted by the population of our
State. we recommend to Debating Societies in
every school district to discuss thcm H.
/. That every youth in Iowa is entitled to re-
ceive an education in the elements of knowl-
edge; that every one desiring it is entitled to
have facilities afforded for further progress and
that those originally endowed with large capac-
tiles should be stimulated to improve them by
the cheering prospect of having their education
furnished as a reward Of their merit, scholar
ship and good behavior, provided the State
might thereafter secure to itself the benefit of
their services.
2 That education, to be successful, must be-
come distinct and separate pursuit and bust
ness, having its own laws and princpes;5its own
means and agencies; its own pervading spirit.
That the human mind, although living, spirit,
ual organization, possessing inherent active ten.
denotes, requires nevertheless, to be tutored
and trained in accordance with method and sys-
TEN, to produce the full and complete develop
ment of all its powers and capacity.
3. That as property, material wealth owes its
existence to mind, it ought, in return, to furnish
adequate means by which the intellect and NOR
al power of the State can be brought out and
developed in all their varieties of application.
4. That to complete perfect system of edu-
cation, three elements are necessary. These are
the organizing, the financial, and the education
al. The first two mentioned are only impor-
ly expended in the advancement of the other
two.
In regard to the financial department. the |
commissioners have been DESTROYS of making |
liberal provision for adequate common school |
and also to supply the growing
wants for high Academic or Polytechnic schools
to meet the demands of the future. They have
devolved upon the taxable property of the dis
trict the duty of furnishing school houses; of |
properly equpping them; of finding them in
fuel; and of founding and sustaining district
libraries; and of providing necessary appara
tus. They have created motive in the inhab-
itants of the district to do this, by subjecting
their property to county tax, and rendering
their participation in it conditioned upon their
having school kept. and the proper returns
made.
They have devolved upon the taxable proper
ty Of the county the duty of raising, for COM
mon school purposes, the same amount as that
portion of the public school money which it re-
ceives by apportionment of the county superin
tendent. In doing this, they have only adopted
the same principles as that which for almost
forty years was acted upon by the State of New
York, and under which the school system of
that State has mainly grown upto its present
state of prosperity. 1t was only abandoned in
that State, when more onerous system of taxa
ton for school purposes was required and sub
stituted for it; while, in the State Of Iowa, if
rigid economy is exercised, and the unsold lands
judiciously managed in regard to their sales, it
may wen be doubted whether such onerous sys-
tenn will ever be rendered necessary.
EpiroR HAwKEYE-Dear Strive have made
q change of passenger trains, leaving here in
the evening.
Morning express leaves at $50, as formerly.
Evening 500, D. IN. "A
Yours truly, D. REMICK.
Burlington, Dec. 26th, 1856.
Hoor BALLooNs.-Some country editors we
know Of, who say most about hoops and crino-
line skirts, had better, by short tonsorial ope-
ration, make themselves look more like men
and less ike balloons, and other unnameable
animals, before they expend all their wit at the
expense of the Ladies.
THE WEArHEa.-What Of it, Well, We we're
going to say to you, very kind reader, what you
III know, that the weather-was bad, bad de-
,idedIy on Saturday last; that is, ii was in the
morning q disagreeable day sntireiy-raining
md freezing, consequently very bad getting
-. = 49, A. n 4 = s