The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1859-01-13
Governors Message.
Ftllotu Citizens Of the Senate
and of the House of RepreSertdtireS

a year ago, transmitted TO you, in obedience 10
the Constitution, II full exposition of the gen
eral condition of the State, together with such
recommendations in respect to legislation, as
the public good seemed to me TO require.
In that communication endeavored TO set in
a clear light the industrial progress, the material
resources and the financial strength of our great
commonwealth. 1t seems not inappropriate,
now, before proceeding 10 more special state
ments aud particular suggestions, to submit to
you some general views of our social condition,
as affected by other elements than those to
which then invited your attention
Seventy years ago what is now Ohio was
unbroken Wilderness. Saveuty years ago the
work of American civilization within her linn
1t was just begun by the settlements al Marietta
and Cincinnati. FiIty.slX years ago she became
State of the American Union. Her subsequent
social progress has been a sublime triumph
To-day a powerful commonwealth, numbering
nearly two millions and half OF people, exists
upon her soil, with unsurpassed energies, re-
sources, agencies of development, aud means of
happiness From the eminence already reached
we survey with confident reliance upon the fa-
vor of Divine Providence and the inspiration of
Free Institutions, the lo(tier heights yet to be
attained.
Prominent among The elements which deter
mine social coudition. is the numerical advance
or decline of population. The rate and charac
tel of this movement, in the absence OF cen
sus, must be gathered from the number of mar
riages; of births of deaths of immigrants
of emigrants, and of new habitations For as
certaining the number of these with reasonable
certainty, sufficient means are supplied by State
and Federal legislation. According to the es-
Inmates of the Commissioners OF Statistics, the
marriages in Ohio during 1888 were $4,000 !;
the deaths 4J,UOJ the otrllS oJooo, ,ho-'.-'".
! ra izatont 5000 the new structures 10000
/ h., ,irthc aCrprliuu IN fhiS i
mate, is 50, 600 annually, and the yearly imm-
grafton from foreign countries and other States
| is estimated to exceed the yearly emigration by
! 10000 giving an aggregate increase OF $4,000
annually, or 440, 900 in eight years. The new
structures allowing six persons for each, indi-
cate nearly the same rate Ct progress The
population of Ohio in 1850 was l,95O,329, and
is now, if the estimate, just referred to. be cor
| rect, 2 120 329.
The foremost concern of an intelligent and
prosperous people is Public Instruction. The
! mind of every community is the motive power
| of its advancement and the measu of its
education is practically the measure OF pruduc-
ton and of all substantial progress In Ohio
| the Constitution wisely requires the General As
sembly to secure thorough and efficient sys-
| TEN of common schools throughout the State.
! The honor OF the first act, in iHf!lment OF the
! duty thus enoned, belongs to the legislature of
!
mon school education III Ohio, il does not at
all detract from the honor justly dae to it, to
say that much had been done By previous legS-
| lation and by the intelligent and Jealous laburS
of the first State Superintendent and tue State
| Teachers Association, to prepare the way for
| the comprehensive and beneiicent measure then
adopted, under which the common schools Of
! Ohio have attained their present state OF excel
! lence and usefulness.
! A brief comparison between the condition Of
our common schools the year before this enact
ment aud at the present time, will illustrate, IN
some degree, its happy effects.
| The number OF common schools in 1893 was
! 59S4 in 1888, II, 800: the number of youths
over five years OF age and under twenty-one
enumerated in 1853 was 806, ,7S2; in 1858, 3d.
S40 the youth enrolled as attending school i'll
1883 were 358 All: in 1888. 609 S43: the aver
age number in daily attendance in 1893 was
27l 1876; in 1853, 80 S63: the number of teach
ers employed in 1893 Was l3 56l; in 1888, 49,,
873 the amount paid teachers in 1883 was
$500, las 90; in 1888 81 975 S32: the number
of school hOusese in 1893 was $3.50; in 1888
l0497; the value of school houses in 1888 Wa;
estimated at So ,0000O0; in 1853, al $3 SAG ,42o
These figures exhibit gratifying progress
but they by DO means furnish complete view
OF our educa tional condition.
There has been constant and rapid progress
which figures cannot measure. The chara cel
! and condition of our school houses and scho0
rooms has been greatly battered; the standard
OF qualihc for teachers advanced tho
method of teaching improved; the range anC
scope of instruction enlarged aud the results
in acquisition and capacity largely augmented
A great education work is prosecuted, also
outside of the common schools. The College;
aud Female Semlnaries in the Slutt, send forth
yearly numerous young men and women to take
Z ~ N and forward uPnhft l.
ments, the work OF moral social and political
improvement. During the past year attended
! the Commencement OF es many OF the Colleges
as was practicable, and was gratitied to oh
serve the marked ability aud proficiency dis
played BY the graduates.
1t is to be regret ted that the requirements lo
admission and the course of instruction vary 81
greatly in these colleges and semlnarles; and
would suggest the expediency OF establishing bl
law some Classification OF these institutions, ant
some educational Standards to which universe
ties colleges and seminories shall be required
| respectively to conform, in the admission, IN
sruction and graduation Of students, as condi-
tons of Incorporation.
Besides these colleges and seminaries. there
are many schools corresponding in general char
i acter with our common schools, but suStainst
by denominational or private resources, i,
whicn large number Of youth receive iastruc
ton.
| regret that have no means of 0scertainiHs
the number OF these various educational in ii
tutiOns the number Of their teachers, student
Or pupils or their schemes OF instruction o
their results; and respectfully suggest the ex
pedienCy of such legislation as will secure th'
collie cion Of this information, So ealisl 10
I full understanding OF the condition OF our pop
ulaio in this important respect.
l. will escape your observation that while
| III, AZ
mon schools may we'll crafty aud encourage h,
friends OF popular education, th-r1 get reIntln
work to bs accomplished which imposes Sra"
spousibiips aud must needs excite earn s
soictule. The whole number OF youth OF th
school age, as has been alred stated, is 81 ,34O
while the number enrolled is Coz 3l3. maxim
the number not enrolled 234 497. The disparI
ty between the whole number and the number
S6o s6S, in daily Attendance, is more striking
L Il. 4 L..