The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-01-14

our Common Schools NAV well erntifv and
encourage tho friends of popular education
there yet remains q work to 30 accomplish
cd which imposes grave responsibilities aud
must needs excite earnest solicitudo The
whole number of youth of tho school ago,Gs
has boon already stated. is S43 540, while tho
number enrolled is COO 343, making tho nun.
Der not enrolled 234I97. Tho disparity DO.
tween tho whole number and tho number,
355, 1868. in daily attendance. is moro strik
| ing Tho difference is AS5 9T7 Making
every allowance for tho number taught in
! private or dcnnminational schools. thoro
must still remain considerable number
who attend no school at all. while of those
who do not absent themselves altogether, q
very largo proportion attend so irrcgularly
or for such brief periods that they derive
little benefit from it..
Next to this alscnteeism, the most seri-
Gus hindrance to the prosperity of tho Com.
mon Schools is the want of sufficient mum.
Der of well qualified teachers. Not few
indeed of our teachers possess eminent DUAL.
ifications for their responsible office To
such wo owo not only many excellent dis.
trict schools, but also the High Schools which
adOrn many of our cities and towns. and af
ford opportunities for education which
would have been sought in vain few years
| ago in most Of our Academies and Colleges
A very large number, however. arc extreme.
~ deficient both in knowledge and in that
ability to teach which nero knowledge can
never give.
The correction of thcse ovls. so far as
may DO practicable. is your duty, aud will
bo, trust. your pleasure and your honora.
BILE distinction.
Tho best means, in my judgment of secur.
, ing an adequate number of good teachers
are tho establishment of Normal Schools
and the encouragement of Teachers Insti.
tutcs. | vcntured to suggest last year the
organization of a Normal Department in
one or both our State Universities More
immediate and perhaps moro valuable ro-
suits would probably DO obtained from tho
establishment of three or four Normal School
in different districts of tho State. giving tho
preference within each district to the city
or town which would provide tho best build.
| ings for the purpose without cost to the
State. Provision has already been made
! 10y law for tho encouragement of Teachers
Institutes, but it is uncertain aud inadequate.
| recommend the direct appropriation of an
adequate sum to DO paid,o compliance with
proper conditions, upon the certificate OF
the State Commissioner.
general, regular aud continued attendance
in school is universally acknowledged. With.
ont this tho great object of tho common
schools, namely, good education for every
child in the State. fails of accomplishment.
| The Federal Census of 1850 exhibited the
fact that over thirty. FIVE thousand persons
in Ohio, twenty years old and upward. were
unable to read or write This number was
about one in seventeen of all the people OF
the samo age. Ii VIC reflect that besides
these totally iIlitorate persons, there is Il
! large number whose education hardly raises
them to higher level, We shall attain some
just conception of tho Importance of ado
uuate provision for universal attondancc.-
Wo must not be satisfied who ono person
capable of instruction remains untaught OF
i'll taught. No means seem better adapted
to secure attoudanco, awaken interest and
quicken effort in tho attainment of knowl'
edge than frequent visits, addresses and con
versations by properly qualified officers %
i the State. The law recognizes the value o
this agency in requiring tho State Commls
sinnor to dovote portion OF his tmo tt
!, such labors. But it is obvious that tho thor
oueh discharge of tho other duties imposed
on him is quito Incompatible with ciicion
lubors OF this kind. Suggest, therefore
that he bo author lied to employ one or more
competent agents to visit every township
! and urge upon parents. teachers and chill
dren, tho duties essential to tho highest Of
: (iciency of our schools. This plan has beer
adopted elsewhere with tho happiest effects
II adopted tere, wo need not icar tho dis
closures of any future census; or doubt tha
our svstem OF Common Schools, already re
gardcd as n model for imitation by otho
| I
y claims to admiration and honor.
Whilo We may reasonably hope that tn
> ilitcrato as class will soon disappear iron
our society. no such pleasing expectation
can DO INDUCED in respect to that large POI
y ton of tho community whom defect and dis
case in mental or physical organization rcn
+, dor proper objects of public caro-, aud who's
|, number and relation to society constitnt
:, another element of our social condition
:, which must engage your notice.
BENEVOLENT AsYLUMs.
J. Tho bcnevclerco of tho State has nread
!. provided three Asylums for the Insane, whic
have cost for grounds and construction abol
y S474, 900. aud aro sustained at an annu
o cxpense of 800 900, excluding charges pr
,s perly belonging to lho account OF constru
ton and interest. Tho cost of tho Northcl
l. anu SCutldl hASIuHlo uCCh nu'N' Iics
/; 600 Ca. that of the Southern about Sl6S 90
Tho actual value of the Central Asylum
Y, now probably moro than double that
either of the others.
d, In these Asylums there wore at the b
10 ginning of tho last year, 56S inmates Al
to there wore received during tho year II
I'd making the whole number of participant
Is in their benefits 9S2; thero were discharge
o. 4I2; there died 43 and there remained
10 tho commencement of tho current yoar 81
Is OF those discharged, 2i0 had been restore
n to sanity, and 35 decidedly improved. III
K average expense OF each inmate was abo
10 $l58.
Tho Central Asylum will accommoda
is $50 inmates. tho Northern $50. and Il
N southern 100. Each has been filed TO Il
4. extent of its capacity. Another Asylum
" in progress of construction in Hamilton ct
Of for the reception of the Insane OF that Z
4, only. After its completion and oponin
ID tho County will constitute tho South-Wes
to crn Asylum District
ID The number of insane in Ohio, accordir
l- to tho census of 1850 was 1903. This nun
ber was doubtless undCrstated. am sati
$, fled that tho present number is not less th0
in two thousand. The Superintendent of Il
s, Central Asylum thinks it docs not fall shO
to of three thousand. The arguments whiC
h establish tho duty of some provision f
some of the insane, requires doubtless ad
n auate provision for all. Several plans Il
l. -.nso has hann fnH II