The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-07-27
From Tho po,ro,, r,.o p.a..
From tho Detroit Free Press.
Answer of Mr.. Mayhem to the Free Press.
"The Report of the Superintendent of
Public Instruction.. Where is itgn

4 a
Answer Of Mr.. Mayhem to the Free Press
"The Report of the Superintendent O
Public Instruction. Where is itg"
as LASsINo, June 3Oth, 1858.
- Mr.. EDITOR In the Free Press O
yesterday | discover an editorial under th,
above heading, to which, from its tone.
have thought you might be pleased to pub
lish reply.
In answering your inquiry, regret tba
shall feel compelled TO say some thing,
which would gladly avoid, but Which
cannot we'll omit, if notice your article
at all; AMI from tho s'opo of its state
mcnts think reply beftting. there
fore leave an interesting portion of my re
port, upon which am at present engaged
to communicate reply.
entered upon the duties of tho Office
of Superintendent of Public instruction
IN January, 1866. From that time to the
present, my time and energies have been
devoted to tho duties of the Office. Du.
ring this period have not devoted so much
as week each year to my own private
business. For the greater part Of this
t'mo | have devoted from twelve to fifteen
hours day to official labors, and often H.
tho most cyhausting form of labor, till
my declining health admonishcd me to ro
lax somewhat of my efforts, which have
done; and as consequence, my health
has become pretty fully restored. But
even now, there is scarcely n day during
which fail 10 devote ten hours 10 office
labor; and have not taken weeks re-
cess from labor, nor hardly enjoyed sin,
gle day, the last three years, even during
the oppressive heat Of Sumner.
! published report in 1856, in which
set forth the varied and arduous labors cor
noeted with this office, and urged upon the
Legislature the Importance of providing
clerks, as in the other State Offices. The
need of such provision my predecessor in
office had felt, and urged in his last an
nual report, at n time when he claimed he
could have no immediate personal interest
in the recommendation. A bill passed
one branch of the Legislature in 1865, pro
viding the relief asked for, but it failed to
become law. In 1857 n bill passed the
other branch of the Legislature, but il
likewise failed 10 become a law, as n SINH
lar bill had done two years before. Anl
as you stated, the Legislature last winter
had the matter again under consideration:
but although the bill which passed the
samc Senate year before, now passed the
House, still it failed to become Ia
This is not the time nor the ace to
state at length The reasons why additional
help is impcrativcly required IN this Office;
md, why my report, now some time past
lac, has not been published. These rcas.
,ns occupy several pages Of my report to
Tho Legislature of 1857, and Of the com.
you refer to which was sent
% tho LcgislaLur1 last winter. Still the
aw makes no provision for either a deputy
'r clerk in this office; and at times, at
east, both arc necessary.
Rather than suffer the duties OF tho of
ice to be unpro,ijod for, to the extent
hey otherwise must have been, employ
ii clerical help at my own charges during
he years 1855 and 1856, to the amount |
# several hundred dollars. During the
ear 1857 | employed clerk constantly, |
q whom pai ! more than half of my sal. |
ny, and | have now employed with me
the office two gentlemen whose moder-
tc remuneration will several hundred dol.
tr' exceed my constitutional salary
WIN this Force constantly employed, and
'borlng myself ten hours or moro Il day,
hope to be able to give my report TO the
ublic me iimo in the month of August.
hen 1t shall appear, trust shall not
eed other vinlication of The course have
'ken. Till then must bo tho subject of
lch lmpuiations as shall satisfy the caprice
others, if ihc documents already rcfcr-
'd to, and which were communicated TO
10 Legislature and TO the public at the
me, are not u sufficient ,indication.
But in order to forward my report which
III OF necessity be quito voamnous, |
II compelled to ovorlay important official
'rrespondencI, Of which there is now on
y table enough to occupy my undivided
JLcnllon for several weeks.
With this brief exposition, which | de
,rt from my usual course in giving, but
hich | hope you will do mo tho Justice TO
ibish, | gladly return to the more con
'nlal labor of preparing my reports.
IRA MAYHEM.