Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-01-13

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resources, in which a large number of you'll
receive instruction.
q / regret that have no means of ascer
tanning the number of these various educa
tional Institutions; the number of theiI
teachers, student or pupils; or their scheme.
of instruction; or their results; and l res
pectfuHy suggest the expedency Of such
legislation as will secure the collection o.
this information, so essential to well un.
derstanding of the condition of our popu.
lation in this important respect. 90 -
1t will not escape your observation that
while the actual progress and condition Of
our Common Schools may we'll crafty and
encourage the friends of popular education,
there yet remains work to be accomplished
which imposes grave responsibilities and
must needs excite earnest solicitude. The
whole number of youth of the school age
as has already been stated, is s43, $40,
while the number enrolled is 609, ,343,
making the number not enrolled 234, ,597.
This disparity between the whole number
aud the numb.r. 355,863 in daily attend
ance, is more striking. The difference is
4s5,s77. Making every allowance for the
number taught in private or denomination
al schools, there must remain considera-
BILE number WHO attend no school at all,
while of those who do not absent themselves
altogether, very large proportion attend
so irreguarly or for such brief periods that
they derive but little benefit from it.
=. Next TO this absenteeism, the most Sc
rious hindrance 70 The prosperity of Com
mon Schools is the want Of a sufficient
number of well qualified teachers. Not a
few indeed of our teachers possess eminent
qualifications for their responsible Office.
To such We owe not only many excellent
district schools, but also the High Schools
which adorn many of our cities and towns,
and afford opportunities for education whicl,
would have been sought in vain few
years ago in most of Academies and Col
leges. A very large number, however, are
extremely deficient both in knowledge and
in that ability to teach which mere knowl-
edge can never give. .7
The correction Of these evils, so far rs
may be practicable, is your duty, and will
be, trust, your pleasure and your bonora-
bic distinction. -.... ..-.
The best means, in my Judgment of Sc
curing on adequate number of good teach
ers, are the establishment of Normal
Schools and the encouragement of Teach
ers' Institutes. l ventured to suggest last
year the organization of a Normal Depart
ment in one or both our State Universities.
More Immediate and perhaps more, ,ralua-
Bile results would probably be obtainad
from the establishment of three or four
Normal Schools in different districts Of the
State, giving the preference within each
district 10 the city or town which would
provide the best buildings for the purpose
without cost to the State. Provision has
already been made by law for the .encour-
ngement of Teachers Institutes, but it is
uncertain and inadequte. 1 recommend
the direct appropriation of an adequate sum
to be paid. on compliance with proper con-
ditions, upon the certificate of the State
Commissioner.
The indispensable necessity of securing
general, regular and continued attendance
in school is universally acknowledged
Without this the great object Of the com
mon school, namely, good education for
every child in the State, fails Of accomplish
ment. The Federal Census of 1850 ex-
hibited the fact that over thirty-five thou
sand persons in Ohio, twenty years old and
upwards, were unable to read or write
This number was about one in seventeen
of all the people of the same age. If we
reflect that besides these totally illiterate
persons, there is large number whose ed
ucatiou hardly raises them TO higher lev
e, We shall attain some just conception of
the Importance of adequate provision for
universal attendance. We must not be
satisfied while one person capable of in
struction 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 conversations
by properly qualified officers of State. The
law recognizes the value of this agency in
requiring the State Commissioner to de-
vote portion of his time 10 such labors.
But it is obvious that the thorough dis
charge of the other duties imposed on him
is quite incompatible with efficient laoors
Of this kind. / suggest, therefore, that he
be authorized to employ one or more com
petent agents to visit every township and
urge upon parents, teachers and children,
the duties essential 10 to highest efficiency
of our schools. This plan has been adopt
ed elsewhere with the happiest effects. II
adopted here We need not fear the disclo-
sures of any future census, or doubt that
our system of Common Schools, already
regarded as model for imitation by 9th.
er States, will vindicate, by perfect success
its claims to admiration and honor. :, st
While we may reasonably hope that the
illiterate as class, will soon disappear from
our society, no such pleasing expectation
can be INDUCED in respect to that large
portion of the community whom defect and
disease in mental or physical organization
render proper objects of public care; and
whose number and relation to society con-
stitute another element of our social con-
dition, which must engage your notice.
llj The benevolence of the State has al.
ready provided three Asylums for the In
sane, which have cost for grounds and con-
struction about $474,O00 and are sustain.
ed at an annual expense Of 100000, ex
cluding charges properly belonging to the
account of construction and interest. The