American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1859-01-13
New SER IEs---YOI 3. No 40 dAId TeIH0IA u

classification ofpthese institutions, and
some educational standards to which uni
versities. colleges and sshninaries shall be
required respectively to conform, in the
admission, instruction and graduation Of
students, as conditions OF Incorporation.
/ Besides these Colleges and Seminsries,
there are e'many Schools, corresponding in
general cliaracter,with our CommonSchools
but sustained by denomnalional or private
resources, in~whioh large. number OF
youth receive instruction.. .re.l
!, / regret that have no means Of ascer-
tanning the number ofthese various eluca-
tional institutions; the number Of their
teachers, students or pupils; or their
schemes of instruction; or their results:
and l respectfully suggest the expedisncy
OF such legislation as will secure the col.
lection ofthis information, so essential to o
full understanding OF the condition Of our
population in this important respect.
1t will not escape your observation that
while the actual progress rnd condition Of
our Common Schools may well crafty
and encourage the friends OF popular edu.
cation, there yet remains a work 10 be ac-
complished which imposes great responsi
bili!ies and must need excite earnest solic.
iiude. The whole number OF youth OF the
school age;as has been already. stated, is
843 $40, while the number enrolled is
500 ,343, making the rumber not enrolled
234, ,497. The disparity between the
whole, number and the number, 355, 1868,
in daily attendance, is more striking. The
differehceis d85,977. Making every al,
lowance forthe number taught in private
or denomination schools, there must still
remain acoHsiderahe number WHO attend
no school at all. while of those who do not
absent themselves altogether, very large
proportion attend so rregulary OF for such
brief periods that they derive little benefit
from itIr.etis a.ia iha ilsla :,
Next to this abseneeism, the most &C.
ricus hindrance 10 the prosperity of the
Common Scho OILS is tho wan: Of sufficient
numberof qualified teacher s. Not a few
indeed of our teachers possess eminent
qualifications for tHeirresponsible qfficeG
To such we owe not only many excellent
district schools, but also the High tcnools
which adorn many of our cities and towns,
and afford opportunities for education
which would have been sought in vain a
few years ago in most ofour Academiesand
Colleges. Avery large number. however,
are extremely deficient both in knowledge
and in that ability TO teach which mere
kn owledge can never give. ...t...
The correction of these evils, so far as
may be practicable, is your duty, and will
be. | trust, your pleasure and your honor.
able Distinction. ac t.-, ~ .,e,a
! The best means, in my judgment, Of se-
curing an adequate number Of good teach
ers, s,are the establishment of Normal School:
and the encouragement Of Teachers In
sti ues. ] ventured to suggest last yea,
the ganization of Normal Department,
In one Or both our State Uriversilies.-
More immediate and perhaps more valua-
BILE results would probably be obtained
from the establishment of thiee or four
Normal Schools in different districts Of
the State, giving the preference within each
district to the cityor town which would
provide the best buildings for the purpose
without cost 10 the State. Provision has
already been made by law Ter the encour-
agement Of Teachers Institutes, but it is
uncertain and inadequate. I recommend
the directisppropriation of an adequate
sum; to be paid, on compliance with prop:
er conditions, upon the certificate Of the
State Commissioner, 2
The indispensable Necessity Of securing
general, regular and continued attendance
in school is universally acknowledged
Without this the great object of the. com
mon schools, namely, good education for
every child in the Stale, fails Of accom-
plishment The Federal Census of 1850
exhibited the fact that over thirty fye
thousand persons in Ohio, twenty years
old and upwards, were unable to read OF
write. This number was about one in
seventeen Of all the people of the same age.
If we reflect that besides these tota ly IT,
ltterate persons. there is large number
whose education hardly raises them to a
bighrr level, we shall attain some just con-
cebtion Of the importance Of adequate pro.
vision for universal attendance. We must
not be satisfed while one person ctpable Of
instruction remains untaught or i'll taught.
No means seem better adapted to secure
attendance, awaken interest and quicken
effort in the attainment Of knowledge than
frequent visits, addresses and converse.
tons by properly qualified Officers OF the
| State. The law recognizes the value ol
| this agency in requiring the State Com
missioner toodevote portion OF his tin
10 such labors. BUTT is obvious that The
thorough discharge, Of the other duties
imposed on him is quite incompatible will
efficient labors of this kind. l suggest
therefore, that he he authorized 10 employ
one or more competentagents to visit eacl
township and urge upon parents, teachers
and children the duties essential to th,
! highest efficiency Of our schools. Thi
plan has beeh adopted elsewhere with hi
> bappiest effects. ,Ifadopted,here we meet
not fear the disclosures OF any future cen
sus, or doubtthatour system of Common
Schools; already regarded as model 70
imitation by other STATES, will vindicate
by perfect success, its claims to admiration
end honor. d
i While we may reasonably hope that th'
illiteratc, as class, will soon s3isSppea