Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1859-01-07

nifty, it, by the happening of any contingency,
the Commonwealth should be constrained to
again become the owner, and resume the man
agement of any portion of the public improve
ments.
The power of the General Assembly to pass
the Act of the 2lst of April, 1853, relative to
the sale of the State canals was questioned be-
fore the Supreme Court of the State, since the
transfer of the Canals and, after full argu-
ment, the Constitutionality of the Act was sus-
tanned by the unanimous Judgment OF the
Court.
Since the sale of the public works, and the
settlement of the principal outstanding claims
against the State, it is obvious that there is no
further necessity for "A Board of Canal Commits
sioners, or Canal Department. l, therefore,
recommend the abolition OF the Board, and that
provision be made for the transfer of the re-
cords to the Office OF the Auditor General
In view of the foregoing exhibit of our re-
sources and financial condition, it is apparent
that "a most interesting era has been reached in
the history of the Commonwealth. Relieved
frum the entangling embarrassments OF an eX-
tensive system of internal improvements, the
means of the State are now ample tor all le-
gitimate purposes, and her public debt is
gradully but certainly disappearing. From
these aud other causes, governmental action
las hooome greatly simplitied, and the nature
of the subjects OF It's operation has changed i'll
degree no less remarkable.
The almost entire disposal of the lands which
belonged to the State, has already dispensed
with one of the Departments created for their
care, and will, ultimately, render the other
unnecessary, except for preserving the evidcn-
ces of their transfer.
The sale of the public works has relieved the
Executive branch Of the Government Of many
of its most responsible and perplexing duties.
and in effect, dispensed with one of its most
formidable and difficult departments.
In the same proportion, the action of the
Legislature WILL if the representatives of the
people be true 10 the interests repOsed, and
sterny refuse to entangle the public with those
numerous projects and enterprises which are
continually seeking its alliance, be simpliiied
and economized, purified and strengthened
And it is as remarkable as it is propitious,
that an era which has thus relieved the State
authorities of burthens that consisted. either of
mere material interests. or the care of local ad-
miniStration,- on,-Committing the one to the local
sovereignty of the people, and the other to pri-
vate or associated enterprise, should also pre-
sent for consideration and promotion intellect
ual and moral claims OF peculiar Importance.
1t is at this period in our history that the
system of public education challenges the at
tention of the most unObservant. And shall
be much mistaken in the cautious but steadast
character of the people of Pennsylvania, if their
Representatives do not make il the first object
OF their sOlicitude.
The annual report of the Superintendent OF
Common Schools will lay before you the pre-
sent condition of the Common School System,
and of its operations during the past year
Your close and scrutinizing attention is invited
to the details of that document
Including the city of Philadelphia, it will be
observed. tnat there were in the public schools
of the State. during the year which terminated
on the first Monday of last June, 62o 20l
pupils these were Instructed during an average
term of little over five months, in IL Isl
schools. by 1856 teachers, at a total cost of
81 427 ,632 Al.
Here is a public interest which, whether
we regard its ramiicatons into every portion
of our social fabric its large cost, the import
ant powers over the present which it wields, or
its incalculable influence upon the future, TN
dOubtedly transCends all Others committed to
the care OF the secular authorities. This be-
ing the case | have no hesitation in asserting
that the time has arrived when its full import
tanCe should be recognized, and that its due
should be made the duty of a
fully orsauized and effective, as well as u sep
arate department III the government.
But the mere care and promotion of our sys.
TEN of Common Schools-important and ex-
tens.ye as it obviously is.-should not be the
sole object of such a Department. If it is
true that the power to punish crime includes
also the right to prevent it, by providing for
The proper intellectual and moral training of
the people, it would seem to follow that the
department charged with the latter moment
Gus duty, should also he in possession of all
the sources and subjects of information, calcu-
lated to shed light upon the object of its
action Hence the collection, arrangement,
and practical deductions from population and
industrial statistics from natural defects such
as deafness and dumbness, blindness and luna
cy from crime in its various forms and de-
velopmcnts together with such control over
all the literary and scientific Institutions in the
State as shall bring their full condition into
view. should also belong to the SAME Depart
ment
Therefore, ! most respectfully, but earnest
", urge upon your favorable consideration. at
the present prOpitious moment, the organlZa-
tion of such a Department, in the room of
those for the care OF mere matter whose agcn-
cy has been or soon will be discontinued by
the onward and upward progress of the Com
A suitable Department Of Public lnstruc-
tlOn. VIII not. however. ol llSCH- tutCI All
that is needed in this direction. The general
results of the Common School system, alrcI-
dy cited, show the importance of its nature,
and the magnitude of its operations. If
we look. also, into its special statistics,
the conclusion will be equally clear that GER
tain Improvements in its working machinery
are equally Indispensable.
1t is needless to attempt to prove the trII-
ism that the properly qualified. teacher is the
life and success OF the school. But the facts
are startling, that of the l2,S2S teachers Of
our public schools, exclusive of those in
Philadelphia, only 5,OS7 are reported as
for their important trust while
) ,3S7 are returned as :. medium" or such as
,rc only tolerated till better can be obtained /;
md that 2,3l3 are stated to be ssunfit.'' In
other words of the 569, $50 children attend
ing the schools out of Philadelphia, only
,bout 230, 900 (lcss than one half) are under
proper instruction from inferior teachers
100000 are actually in charge of persons
wholly unfit for the task.
This presents the subject in light that clu
lot be shut out and, though the great aud
efforts recently made by the
eachers of Pennsylvania, for their own i'm
1rovement, are fully recognized, it can not he
concealed that there is work yet to be done,
n this relation, which would seem to be beyond
heir unaided power to accomplish