The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-12-02


portion Ct the year. This may he true to
/ some extent, and in some localities: but
/ Tie evil. if il he one, am satisfied, Is much
I less than many have supposed. Inferior
7 schools have in many. and indeed in most
counties. been superseded 10y the Common
/ Schools. But this report shows that private
( schools and academies have increased large
! ~, and are still on the increase.
/ | am satisfied from my own observation,
( land in the two years lat past have had
ample opportunity 10 observe in travcrsing
( every section Of fire Statc) that the number
! of schools, male and female, especially the
! inter. of ii high grade. is rapidly increasing
I in every part of the State and have OBJ
served it with pleasure as one Of the best
and surcst indications Of the progress OF
! our people.
! Before leaving this subject, deem it but
an act of justice to the Superintendent Of
! Common Schools to say that, in my opinion,
| he has been dligemt. faithful and conscien
| tious IN tx. discharge Of his duties as such
/ that he has du.ic much already to introduce
order. harmony. and uniformity into the
/ system, and that he is Jealous and active
! in cidcayoring TO carry out further plans
! for It's improvement.
! No State, so far as | am informed, has
| successfully put in operation Common
. SCHOOL SYSTEM, WITHOUT Il superintendent,
| or some officer Of the kind; and it is bclicv-
/ ed that such IN office: is essential to the
/ success Of our own,
/ By the law; as it now standS, the Gov
/ crmur IS to have printed $50 copies Of the
| annual report of the Superintendent, 80
copies whereof he j. to distribute among the
! public offices and libraries of the State, and
! colleges, am: such other literary inSttu-
! tiuuS, il and out 81 thn State, as he shall
, deem proper; the residue to be delivered
to the Superintendent ior distribution by
! him lin such manner az will best promote
/ the cause Of common education in the State"
| Ills number for general distribution is en-
! tircv too small to effect the purpose de-
/ signed. The additional cost of larger
number would be Only that Of the addition
/ al paper and press work, which is compare
! ti'cly small. The typc-srtting constitutes
! the main item in the cost of pUhlication.-
! \ sufficient number should be published to
! supply most of those who are connected
! with, or take ali active interest in, our Com
+ mon Schools: ,he expense of printing and
/ publishing to be paid out Of the Literary
I Fund. The Literary Board, seeing the
/ propricty Of such a thing, deemed it not
/ beyond its power to order $50 additional
I copies to be struck off, which was done at
IL tritling cost: and it is out of these only,
/ that copies can be supplied to the members
| Of Assembly.
/ The Literary Board distributed among
! the several counties of the State, for the
/ support Of Common Schools, the sum of
. .;lSO.SSO for the year 1875, and the like a.
mount for the year 1856. With half that
amount, required to be raised by taxation
( in the respective counties for like purposes,
We have the sum Of S27I,}2 applied to
4 go. L, Al
years.
The sum of -, coo out Of the Literary
Fund was also appropriated, each year, for
the use of the Institution for the Deaf, Dumb
and the Blind.
Applications have, from time to time,
been made to 1ne by the principals of schools
in different sections of the State, to be fur
nishcd with arms for their pupils from the
State ar>emalS with a view to making mill
tarv tactics part of their instruction. The
law making no provision for such cases, |
was compelled to refuse Il compliance with
all such applications. Arms suitable for
schools may be obtained from the general
government in part Of the States annual
quota of arms derived from that source.
| recommend that the Governor of the
State be authorized to furnish such arms to
schools bond being given for their safe
Uutcer companies.
a knowledge Of the duties of the soldier,
in country like ours, having no regular
military system, i highly important. Eve
~ citizens is liable to be called upon to
discharge these duties, and if properly in
structed i'll his youth, would be ready in
manhood, at his country's call, to step for
ward either for Il command or to serve as a
we'll drilled soldier in the ranks. For an A. |
mcrican citizen. that system of education is |
most perfect which enables him to perform !
mis- duty best, under any and all circum- |
stances.
1t is entirely mistake to suppose that |
such a system would foster a military spirit |
dangerous t" the peace and good order of
the country. 1t has been practically intro
duced in many of the States of the Union,
with no such results; but, ON the contrary,
with marked benefit.
The Asylum for the Insane. though vet
incomplete, is now in successful operation,
and has as its inmates some IS patients
Several of those who have been inmates
have been restored to their reason, and dis
charged. Some few deaths have occurred.
| have every reason to believe that the
general management of the institution under
the present Superintendent. DR.. Fisher, has
been good. The institution will be we'll .
worthy visit from Nour members, when
You will he able to see. for yourselves, its
system and general economy. More dctin-
lite information will be given in the report |
Of its Directors, which will be laid before
you at an early day.
At the Institution for the Deaf, Dumb
and the Blind there are some 81 pupils.
The same general remarks will apply to this
institution, and 4 report will be submitted
To You by the Directors thereof
The revenue law, passed at the last
session, has, in several respects, been found
difficult to construe, and needs revising and
explaining in many particulars. Some Of
the difficulties arising under it will present
themselves on Il careful examination.
Others can be pointed out by the accounting
officers of the State, to whom questions Of
practical difficulty have often been presented
by the officers whose duty it is to collect
Z a I,ui IL. nv