American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1859-01-13
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
,E.llo,v. C;,t;rers Of he !Ssnote 3 =

AtIhs commehcen Of your regular
session a,year ago. Transmitted 10, yOuin
obedience to the Constitution, a full expo
sition ofthe, general condition ofths State
together with such recommendations in
respect to legislation, as the public good
seemed TO me to require. ,al s' .sg 5,.,s &c., (
In that communication | endeavorCd to
set in clear light the industrial progress,
the material resources and the financial
strength Of our great COmnonwealth, L
seems not Inappropriate, now. before pro-
ceeding to more special statements and
particular suggestions. to submit to YOU
some general views Of our social condition
as Affected 6y other elements than those to
which then invited your attention.
Ssyenty-o -one years ago what is now Ohio
was unbfokeu wildtrness. Seventy years
ago the work of American civilization
within her limits was Just begun by the
settlements at Marietta and 0ineinuati.---
Ffty-four years ago she became State Of
the American Union :, Her subsequent
social progress has been sublime triumph.
To-day powerful commonweallh. num-
bering nearly two millions and a half Of
psopie. exist upon her soil, with unsurpass'
cd energies. resources, agencies OF de-.
velopement, and means OF happiness
From the eminence already reached, we
survey, with confident reliance upon the
favor of Divine Providence and the inspi>
ration Of Free Institutions, the loftior
heights yet to be attained.
Prominent among the elements, which
determine social condition. is the numeti-
cal advance or decline Of populption. The
rate and character of this movement, in
the absence OF census, must be gathered
from the number Of marriages; Of births;
Of deaths; OF imisrants; and of new habi.
tation. For ascertaining the number OF
these with reasonable certainty, suffic-
lent means are suppliedby Stale and Fed
eral legislation. According to tie es>
Inmates Of the Commissioner Of Statistics,
the mafFiages in Ohio in 858 we're 24,-
900: the deaths As, 600; the births 80, 900;
naturalizations 5000; the new structures
10000. The increase by births, accor-
ding to this estimate, is $4,000 annually,
and the yearly immigration from foreign
countries and other States is estimated 10
exceed the yearly emigration by 9o,00oi
giving an aggregate increase Of $4,000 an
nually, ori440;ou0 in eight years. The
new structures, allowing Elk persons to
each. indicate nearly the same rate OF pro-
gress. The population Of Ohio in 1850
was 800, $50. and is now, if the estimate,
just referred to. be correct, 2,42o, 329
The foremost concern Of an intelligent
and prosperous people is Public lnstruc
tion. The mind of every cammunity is The
motive power of its advancement; and the
measure of its education is practically the
measure OF production and Of all substan
tial progress In Ohio the Constitution
wisely requires the General Assembly tc
secure thorough and efficient system o
Common Schools throughout the Stste.- =
The honor Of the first act. in fulflment o.
the duty thus enjoined, belongs to the Leg
islatnte l852-3. That Legislature re or
ganized c. nhmon school education in Ohio
It does not at all detract from the honor
Justly due TO it, to say that much had been
done by previous legislation and by the
intelligent and jealous labors Of the first
State Superintendent and the State Teach
ers' Association, TO prepare the way for the
comprehensive and benehcent measure
,hsn adopted, under which the Common
Schools Of OHIO have ettaned their present
state of excellence and usefulness.
:, A brief comparison between the condi-
lion Of our Common Schools the year be.
fore this enactment and at the present
time will illustrate, in some degree, its
ILL., number ofGonmon Schools in 1858
Was 5.9S4; in 1853, is. 800: the number
Of youths over Eve years ofags and under
twenty -one enumerated in 1858 was 806.'
782; in 1858, 843, $40; the. youth. enrolled
as attending school in 1858 were 358,4l7
in 1855, B0J, ,345; the average number in
daily attendance In 1853 was 271 (, 1876; il
1858, $50, 1858; The number of teacher;
employed in 1853 was 1864; in 1853
1888; the amount paid teachers in 1858
was 800, ,145,o0; in 1859 1875, 832. The
number Of school houses in 1858 was g.,
$50; in 1853, 1O,497: the value Of schoo
houses in 1853 was estimated at 1000, ,0O(
in 1853, at 3,846, ,42O.
These figures exhibit gratifying prog
ress; but they by no means furnish com
plete view OF our educational condition.
There-has been constant and rariC
progress which figures cannot messure.--
The character and condition OF our scboo
houses and school rooms has been greatly
bettered; the standard Of qualification fo
teachers advanced; the methods Of teach
ing improved; the range and scope Of in
struclion larged; and the results, in ac
QUESTION and capacity, largely augment
ed. tfYH 'F'f'N Gli EIiI II Il4-
A great educational works. prosecuted
also, outside of the Commen Schools. Th,
Colleges and Female Seminsries in tn
State send forth yearly numerous young
men and women to take up and carry for
ward, 10 its various departments, the worl
Of moral, social and political improvement
During the past year attended the Com
meneemeuts OF as many Of the Colleges
was practicable, and grati6ed to observ
the marked ability and proficiency dis
played by the graduates.
II is to be regretted that the require
ments for admission and the course Of in