St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-12-29

salary of the Secretary, so as to ena-
BILE him to employ competent assist
ant, he should oppose the amendment
Mr.. Perry wished TO make few re-
marks upon the amendment. 10 his
mind, the question resolved itself into
this shape-are the travelling duties
of the Secretary worth to the people
$3.50 per year? If the duties are not
worth that much, why require him to
perform them and pay him that amount
for such useless scrvicesy He be-
lieved that the Secretary's travelling
duties were of no practical value, and
hence he should oppose the amend
ments proposed to the bill
Mr.. Connolly thought the views OF
Mr. Perry correct. If members of the
Board will read the report of the Sec
rotary, they will find that he does not
claim that his visits among the people
have been of any practical value, and
if these visits have been of no value,
why continue to impose on the Secre-
tary the duty and pay him for such
useless service, $3.50. The Secretary
should remain in his Office. The poo
pie, when they write to the Secretary
of this Board for information, they ex-
pect such information to come from
the Secretary to be official. He should
oppose the amendment.
Mr. Garfield said that the efficient
School Systems of the older States
had been made so by employing COM
petent and active Superintendcnts and
Secretaries of Public Instruction.
Look at the labors Of Horace Mann in
Massachusetts and the Superintend-
ents of New York, Vermont and 9TH
er States. Who will attempt to esti-
mate in dollars and cents the services
of these men to the great educational
systems of the country? He would
not use dollars and cents in that con-
nection. Millions of dollars would
not be sufficient estimate for the SER
vices Of competent and efficient Sec
rotary of this Board, to go out among
the people and explain the School Law,
and create new influences in behalf of
education. ... ...
Mr.. Hildreth was opposed to fire.
quent changes in the School Law
Let us give the school laws time to
develop their good results. Gentle
men complain that no good results flow
from the Secretary's visits. They APP
pear to be in too great hurry to real
ize benefits. He (Mr. H. had long
ago been taught that results folioao
causes and do not prcccde them. The
Secretary has just returned from his
visits to different counties and we are
not now prepared to estimate what
benefit will result from the Secretary's
visits. He thought great good would
result from this provision Of the School
Law.
Mr.. Lowe remarked that in the main
he concurrcd with the views of the
gentleman from Floyd, Mr.. Hildreth, }
and should oppose the striking out Of
Sec. IA, as proposed by the bill under
consideration. There is much diversi-
ty of opinion among the people with
reference to the School Law. The
visits of the Secretary would do very
HttIh ioN Aus lidi iilOHiLiHS thooS
views and thus secure an unanimity
of action, of feeling and interest in
behalf of the School system.
If the county Superintendent will
not attend the meetings of the Secre-
tary, for the reason of the expense Of
attending them, he should favor a
proposition to pay the county Superin-
tendents sufficient to defray their ac-
tna' -srpemses- and require them to
(~.f-'-"s~-s- 1hts is the first ssaa" &c A.
workings of the new law, and VIC must
not complain if the meetings of the
different county Superintendent have
not been well attended.
The persons who made the most OBJ
.jections to the present School Law,
were, as a general thing, those who
knew the least about its provisions.
He wished some man to go out as Sec
rotary of the Board who was learned
in the School Law, and to educate the
people under its provisions. He be-
lieved that great good would result
from such visits.
He should oppose reducing the sala-
ry of the Secretary Our officers
should be allowed a decent living
while serving the public He should,
therefore, oppose the amendments as
indicated by the bill before the Board,
thought the law as it stood, goad
one. and desired to see it tested be-
fore it was changed.
The Secretary stated that he had al
ways believed that provision some
what similar to the one under discus
sion, requiring the Secretary to visit
the different portions of the State, and
lecture upon educational topics, should
be Incorporated into our school law.
Thought the law as it stood, if it
could be properly carried out, would
be found very beneficial.
Mr.. Garfield moved that the bill be-
fore the Board be laid upon the table,
and explained that his object in max
ing the motion was to await the re-
port of the committee on Revision be-
fore any further action was had in ref |
erence to the bill now under considera-
ton.
Mr.. Cooper opposed the motion. He
hoped that the Board would proceed
with the bill under consideration, ull-
til it was finally disposed Of
Mr.. Garfield withdrew his motion.
Mr.. Hildreth renewed the motion to
lay the bill upon the table, and after
some discussion his motion prevailed