The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-01-21

late Superintendent, will be learned from the
report of the agent, which herewith trans
mil for your consideration. It will be obser-
we'd that the deficit will probably amount TO
| forty-six thousand four hundred and three
eighty one hundreGth dollars, for the pay
ment of which recourse must be had to the
official bonds OF Mr. Eads
Iagain call your attention TO the revision of
the school laws Of the State, as prepared and
Submitted to the last General Assembly bv
Messrs. Horace Mann and Amos Dean. 1t
can safely be said, that the general provisions
of that report met the approval of the
friends Of education in the State. Indeed the
the report was acceptable to large majority
of the members of the last General Assembly;
| but failed to be enacted into law for reasons
not connected with thu merits of the report it.
| self. The obstacles then in the way of its
adoption have since been removed bv the
adoption of the new constitution, and know
no reason why it should not now be consider
ed and enacted into law.
! cannot forbear repeating the opinion ex-
pressed to the General Assembly three years
ago. s'that the public schools should be sup
ported BY taxation of property. and that the
present rate system, or per capita tax upon
scholars, should be abolished, I have seen
no reason to change my opinion on this sub
ject, but, on the contrary. / have been every
day more and more strengthened in the con-
yiction that it is the only wise and polite
method of educating the people. The per capi-
tai system is based upon the idea that educa-
ton is a personal benefit for which those who
receive it should pay, whilst the true theory
of popular education is that it is public ben.
ehtfor which the public should pay.
The Capitol building at Iowa City has been
surrendered TO the trustees of the State Uni.
versity. Tie building is out of repair, and
requires considerable change in its internal ar
rangements to adapt 1t to The purposes for
which j. is to be used. recommend the
General Assembly to appropriate sum suf
fcient to put it in compile order for the uses
for which it is now designed.
The report of the trustees Of the university
will be laid before you. The time has come
when this institution should be put in vigorous
operation and be made benefit and honor tc
the ate. The constitution requires the
General Assembly TO 'sencourage by all suita.
bic means the promotion of intellectual, sclen.
tific, moral and agricultural improvement"
know no more practicable method of compli.
ance with this constitutional injunction, Thar
by the organization of the university upon tht
basis of the report submitted by the commits
sioners to the General Assembly at its las
session.
The report Of the trustees of the blind ant
deaf and dumb asylums will he laid before ou
| The Geaf and dumb asylum is in prosperous
condition and only lacks the proper accommo
dasions, to answer all the reasonable desire.
IF The friends Of the institution and of tn,
J children in charge. I recommend that thi
} institutian be permanently established at some
J point in the State. and that steps be taken te
!, erect proper asylum building.
The pupils at the blind asylum are so few
that it does not seem necessary to maintain al
: Institution for their instruction. They can b.
educated by the State in similar Institution
J elsewhere. less expense than is now annu
ally appropriated for this purpose.
lam pleased 70 be able to say that the hos
, pital for the insane at Mount Pleasant has ad
vanced rapidly towards completion, and ca
be made ready for occupancy during the pres
J ent year. The main rear projection, embra
!. cling the kitchen, bakery, wasbrooms, laandr
: chapel dining room, servants room, &c., i
, under roof. and can be plastered in the earl
spring The whole east half of the buildin
can be raised TO The roof in thirtydays, the ma
terial being now all upon the ground, Tn
9 west half is raised to the bottom Of the secon
story windows, and considerable portion Q
the stone required for the completion Of thi
, wing is also prepared md upon the ground.
l The whole work is cf the most substantia
: character; the plan Of the structure meets tn
e appreciation of all who are familiar with tn
!. treatment of insane persons, and think ha7
ard nothing in saying that when complete
8 the hospital will be creditable to the State.
RI The amount already expended, including
) labor, materials of various descriptions on han
!. glass, sash and window frames for the entir
, building, stock, &C.. is 3S,54S.Q1. The es
. Inmates Of amounts that may be necessary I
} complete the building, out buildings, fnrnis
steam, gas and water, and to prepare the hosp
tai grounds, will be found in the report of tn
!, commissioners, herewith communicated. q
1t may be thought by some that the size Q
: this building is greater than the necessities q
the State require, and more expensive than tn
finances of the State will justify.
In response to such suggestions. beg leav
; to say that there are now insane people enoug
in the State to I'll it to its utmost capacity, an
!: that, while il has thus far been most substar
tally built, ho money has been spent, nor do,
the plan contemplate the expenditure Of an,
for useless finish or adornment When it
remembered that each patient requires sepa
rate dormitory, enclosed by brick walls, thu
. requiring three hundred rooms Tor the inmate
alone; that there are day-rooms and assoc late
dormitories; dining rooms, wash-rooms, bath
. ing-rooms and water-closets, in each OF IN,
sixteen wards; and that there must necessarily
be large accommodations for baking, cooking
. washing. ironing, &c., &C., for a household q
nearly four hundred persons, the magnitude O