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

q ticable, and was gratified to observ
, the marked ability and proficienc,
: displayed by the graduates.
3 1t is to be regretted that the re
, quirements for admission and tn
course Of instruction vary 80 great,
. in these colleges and seminaries; an,
: | would suggest the expediency o
establishing 10y law some classifica
ton of these institutions, and somt
educational standards to which uni
versities, colleges and se rinarie,
J shall be required respectively tc
conform, in the admission, instruct
ion and graduation of students, al
conditions Of Incorporation.
Besides these colleges and semina
ries, there are many schools, CORES
J ponding in general character will
our Common Schools, but sustained
by denominational or private re
sources, in which large number
OF youth receive instruction.
! ! regret that I have no means o
|, ssccrtaining the number OF thcs,
various educational institutions; til,
number Of their teachers, student,
or pnpils; or their schemes of in
struc ion; or their results, and | re
spoctlully suggest the eypediency %
such lcgislation as will secure the
collection OF this Information, 80 es
sen,ial to Il full understanding oftho
condition Of our population in thi.
important respect.
1t will not escape your observation
that, while the actual pro sreas and
condition OF our Common School.
,npy vel crafty anl encourage the
friends OF popular education, there
I yet remains n pnrl In hr accom-
plished which imposes grave respon.
.iGilities and must needs excite earn
est solitude The whole number OF
youth of the school age as has been
already stated. is Sl3 80. whilo the
number enrolled is 609 .343, making
the number not enrolled 23i, 1877. -
The disparity between tho whole
number and the number, 355, 1853, in
daily atten lance, i= more striking.
The diiiercnc, is 4S5, 5,977. Making
every allowance for the number
Taught in private or deno,ninariornl
schoo.s, there must still remain a
Considerable nuub,r who do not At
tend any school at all, while of those
who do not abssnt themselves alto
geSher, "a very large proportion at,
tend 40 regularly or for such brief
periods that they derive little benefit
from it.
Next to this abscnteelsln, the most
serious hindranse to the prosperity
OF the Common Schools IL tic want
of sufficient number Of vel quail
tisd teachers. Not a iew indeed Of
our teachers possess emin mt quail
ticatuns Tor their rc-plnsib'1 oiice.
To such Te owe not only ueny cx-
ccll-nt District Schools, but also the
High Schools which aiorn many Of
our citiss aud towns, and afford
opportunities for education which
wDull have been sought in vain =
tew years ago in most .: our Aca-
dsmies and Colleges. Much the
larger number, however, are ex-
tremely deficient both in knowledge
and in that ability to teach which
mere knowledge can never give.
The correction OF these evils, so
far as may he practicable, 10 your
luty, and will be, trust. your plea
sure and your honorable distinction
The best means, in my jadsmsnt
of seenring an adequate number o
good teachers, are the establishment
OF Normal Schools and the sncour.
agement OF Teachers Institutes.
vcntured to suggest last year the or
ganizstion OF a Normal Department
in one or both our state universities
More immediate and perhaps more
/. valuable results would probably b,
obtained from the establishment %
: three ol four Normal Schools in dif
: fcrent districts of the state. givin:
the preference within each distric
10 the city or town which wonl,
provide the best buildings for til,
! purpose without cnst TO the state
, Provision has already been made b,
law for the announcement OF Teach
5 .rs' Institutes, but it is uncertain
2 aud inalcqnate. | recommend tn
u direct appropriation OF an adcquat
: sum, to bo paid, on compliance wit
J, proper conditions, upon the certit
: cate OF the State Commissioner.
: The Indispensable necessity of 81
. curing general, regular and COZ
q tinued attendance in school is un
G versally acknowledged. Witho,
3 this the great object of the Commo
e Schools, namely, q good educatio
Is for every child in tho state, fails
}: accomplishment. The federal Gel
- sus of 1850 exhibited the fact tn
j. over thirty five thousand persons
s. Ohio, twenty years old and upward
at were unable to read or write. Th
number was about one in sevente,
ig OF all the people of the sans age.
+ Ii we reflect that besides these
a tally illiterate persons, there is
large number whose education har
Id ly raises them to higher level, ,
ot shall attain some just conception
n, the Importance Of adequate provisi
nd for universal attendance. We m,
st. not be satisfied while one person {
on pable Of instruction remains U
'ls taught or i'll taught. No mes
nd seem better adapted to secure after
nd ancs, awaken interest and quick
"a effort in the attainment of kno
ledge than frequent visits, addres