The Kanzas news., 1857-06-20
Schools at the West.

| New Englanders are accustomed to boast
of the freedom of their institutions, the ia
cifities offered by them for the acquisition
of an education, and of the high position of
| their common schools. The State of New
York is not backward in its own self-glori-
fication, and is quite as apt as her republi-
| can sisters farther east, to consider the
means adopted by herself to educate the
people, as a little in advance of all the rest
of the world. They do not seem to consid-
er moment, that in this, as in all other
/ things, the star of empire takes its way to-
wards the setting sun. They have been ac-
customed to regard the people of such
states as Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa; as
I a kind of outside barbarians, living on the
outskirts. of civilization, and passing through
that transition state, half sunshine and half
shadow which forms the connecting link
between barbarism and civilization. They
can hardly be made to believe without an
actual survey of the field, that thriving and
popular communities are springing up all
over the vast field, in which all that adorns
and signifies humanity is sedulousiy cult
waited and improved.
Churches, chool-houses, public libraries
and galleries of art, are to be found in local
tiles, which within the memory of men yet
young, scarcely had a civilized inhabitant
Teachers, and men of science; the most ell
oquent and learned that can be found, are
drawn from the east, and encouraged to take
up their permanent abode in those attract
i've regions. Innumerable instances might
be cited to substantiate this position, but
two or three must answer as Illustrations
Bishop Lee of Iowa, has been drawn away
oft
to newer and wider pastoral field. Hor-
ace Mann, the eloquent and distinguished
advocate of popular. education, and well
sachusetts Board of Public instruction,
has been installed President of Antioch
College, Ohio. John Dore, an acquaintance
and friend of the writer, last summer re-
signed the mastership of one of the largest
public schools In Boston, where he was re-
ceiving eighteen hundred dollars year,
and has assumed the duties of School Su-
perintendent at Chicago. 1t is not only to
the distinguished educator and divine that
the West offers ample inducements; the la
borious and practical teacher finds abundant
employment and good pay. A young friend
of ours from Henrietta, In this county, a
first-rate teacher. however, as one of his
Df0lnefS was before GlIn, mas iaUefy located
at La Sale, Illinois. where they place him
at the head of school numbering six hum
dred scholars, and pay him twelve hun
dred dollars year. The school-house now
in process of erection costs the eommuni-
ty fifteen thousand dollars, and member
of the board Of education was In this city
last week to make arrangements with one
of our mechanics for the furniture of the
school rooms.
When it is considered that some of the
very best colleges in New England pay their
professors, who are men of the highest sci
entiGc attainments, and have had years of
experience, but thousand dollars year,
and that very few cities anywhere can boast
of school houses costing even ten thousand
dollars, we are partially prepared to appre-
ciate the iberality and energy of those
young communities OF the West which so
overbid Us for the services of our best men.
Think of young city a thousand miles
from the sea board and from the old haunts
of science and learning, erecting Common
School houses worth fifteen thousand. dol
lars, and paying their principals twelve hun
dred dollars a year! New England must
look to her laurels, for other and newer
States are also building school houses and
raising men.-Moore's Rural Nesc Yorker.