The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1859-01-14
Governors Message.


mitted to you, in obedience to tn
: Constitution, q full exposition Of tn
general condition OF tho State, to
!. gethcr with such recommendation
in respect TO legislation, as the pnbli
good seemed to me to require.
In that communication | endea
vored to set in a clear light the in
J dustrial progress, the material ~
sources aud the financial strength o
our great commonwealth. 1t seeml
not inappropriate, now, before pro
ceeding to moro special statement
and particular suggestions, to sub
init to you some general views o
our social condition, as affected bl
other elements than those to whicl
then invited your attention.
Seventy.one years ago what il
how Ohio was unbroken wilderness
Seventy years ago the work Of Amer
lean civilization within her limits
was just begun by the settlements a
Marietta and Cincinnati. Fifty foui
years ago che became q state of tn,
American Union. Her subsequent
social progress has been a sublime
triumph. To. o.day a powerful com
monwealth, numbering nearly two
millions and a half OF people, exists
upon her soil, with unsurpassed en-
crgies, resources, agencies Of devel
opmcnt, and means Of happiness. -
From the eminence already reached
we survey, with confident reliance
upon tho favor of Divine Providence
ana tho inspiration of free institutions
the loitier heights yet to be attained.
Prominent among the elements
which determine social condition, is
the numerical advance or decline OF
population. The rate and character
OF this movement, in the absencc Of
4 census, must be gathered from the
number Of marriages; OF births; OF
deaths, of immigrants; OF enigrants,
and Of new habitations. For asccr.
tanning the number of these witt,
reasonable certainty, -ut!icientmeans
are supplied by state and federal leg
isla,ion. According to the estimates
of the Commissioner Of Statistics,
the marriages in Ohio during 1888
were 1900; the deaths IS, 900; the
births 80 900; the naturaliZations
5000; the new structures 10000. -
The increase by births, according to
this estimate, is 80, 900 annually,
and the yearly immigration from
foreign countries aud other states is
estimated to exceed the yearly emi.
grafton by 10000; giving an aggre-
gate increase Of 55 900 annually, or
40 900 in eight years. The new
structures. allowing six persons for
each, Indicate nearly the same rate
.of progress The population OF
Ohio in 1850 was 1 $50, ,329, and is
now, if ihe estimate. just referred to,
be correct, 2,42O, ,329.
The foremost concern of an intel
ligent and prosperous people is pub
lie instruction. The mind oi every
community is the motive power Of
its advancement; and the measure
Of it's education is practically the
measure OF production and oi all
substantial progress. In Ohio thI
Constitution wisely requires the Gen,
eral Assembly to secure thorough
and efficient system ef Common
Schools throughout the state. The
honor OF the iirst act, in fultillmen,
lcf the duty thus enjoincd, belong
to the Legislature Of 1923. Tha,
Legislature rc-orgsnized Common
School education in Ohio. 1t doe;
not at all detract from the honoI
justly due to it, to say that much has
been done by previous Legislation
and by the intelligent and jealous
labors OF the first State SuperintenI
ent and the State Teachers Asso
citation, to prepare the way for tn
comprehensive and beneticent mea
sure then adopted, under which til,
Common Scho Is OF Ohio have at
tained their present state Of excel
Ilcnce and usefulness.
!. A brief comparison between tn
, ,ccndition Of our Common School
the year before this enactment an,
at the present time, will illustrate
in some degree, its happy effects,
har NJ 4 nh Al
in 1853 was 1884, 1853, II, 800; til
Il number Of youths over five years {
age and under twenty-one enumcrs
ted in 1853 was 500, 1872; in 1855
s S43, $40, the youth enrolled as a
tending school in 1853 we're 35S
- All; in 1858, 900, ,343, the averag
y number in daily attendance in 1s5
n was 271 1876; in 1858, 355, ,S63; IL
. number OF teachers employed in 49,
ID was 1864; in 1853, 1873: Il
- amount paid teachers in 1853 WI
$500, las, 90; in 1858, $1,975,S3
the number OF school houses in Is!
O. was $3.50; in 1853, 10 497, the va
ne OF school houses in 1853 was G
timated at $4,000, 900; in 1858,
$3, SAG, APO.
These figures exhibit gratifyil
), progress; but they by no means fu
nish a complete view of our educ
- tional condition.
~ There has been a constant a.
rapid progress which figures cam
:, measure. The character and CO
es dition Of our school houses .
n school rooms has been greatly b
III, tered; the standard OF qualificati
for teachers advanced; the meth,
: of teaching improved; the range a
m, 'nd scope OF instruction enlarged, a
= the results, in acquisition and Cal
- city, largely augmented.