Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-04-27

| system is deserv edly occupying the atteutioi
Of the more enlightened and liberal minded
Of our citizens. 1t presents question no
merely instructing 70 parents and guardian
who are solicitous for the proper education
Of their children and wards. but to property
holders and those cherishiDg just pride II
the material interests Of this beautiful city
Among the elements Of prosperity to citie'
Of its clssa, good and efficient public school'
economically and judiciously administered
are Of primary importance. They have i'm
mense influence In determining the future
residence of the business man and retiring
capitalist, who not only seek pleasant To-
cation but one 1t the same time also pre-
senting all desired facilities Of schools
The general features OF the Davenport
schools are quite satisfactory. A graded
system is attempted, and it will be faulty
management If there should not be found a.
the crown of the system, . Normal. Model,
Or High School, containing advanced classes
in literature and science. just as soon as the
materials can be furnished by promotion OF
the more Industrious and successful pupils
from the various districts This is the char
acteristic feature of the general system in
other cities which it is designed to initiate
here. While the primary schools may and
shall constitute the popular feature. ss
bringing within the reach Of the humblest
citizen. the opportunity of securing busi-
ness education to his children; the high
school. with its advanced classes, will be in
dispensable to those of more ample means,
also for its refining influence generally, and
as beacon light to classes of inferior grades
stimulating them to more elevated ambi-
tion and to higher efforts.
This train Of reflection has been induced
by my attentive watching of our city schools;
and, We are grieved to add, that much has
been found unsatisfactory. We Hstrust
their management, we doubt whether the
pilots who have been temporarily entrusted
with their direction and charged with the
Inauguration Of the system, possess the en-
larged, liberal views; the requisite skill and
attainment to command . success commsn-
surate to the means disbursed and the hopes
of the community. 1t is not sufficient that
they should be practical and successful men
in the ordinary pursuits of life; for financial
success may furnish only . cheap and super.
fetal education; but they should possess
those liberal attainments which alone can
qualify them to guide others to true literary
and scientific success; they must necessarily
exercise controlling influence and iLspress
upon the system, themselves and q standard
of excellence no higher than their own. Tn
fortunately we have conclusive evidence
that this standard is not creditable to our
city, nor adequate to its wants and is too
much of the character adumbrated in tue
familiar quotation.
"Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
These shdNo,C draugh sintoxicate the brain;'
and from such direction we may expect to
find crude aud imperfect text books. a spe-
cious attainment and unsubstantial mental
culture. But let us be distinctly understood
As limiting these doubts to the direc ION and
not including the personnel Of the schools.
The teachers are believed to be Of highly
creditable average standard; they are many
of them graduates of established and sue
cessful schools of older and more experienced
States and have brought hither the ripeness
of scholarship characterizing matured and
ancient institutions But their spheres are
prescribed and their duties appointed, them
selves oppressed by the incubus, if any there
be, Of unskillful controlling powers. They
are wholly subordinate and the tenure Of
their places may perhaps depend upon a
quiet acouiesence in, and seconding OF, au-
II the fountain head" the Pierian
Spring. be wanting in clearness. its issues
will not be pellucid.
But, the character of "ths Spring" at the
head OF our school system may perhaps be
indicate ed. by, among other evidences, the
complexion of the two Documents cited be-
low; viz: the Superintendent late Report
to the Board of Directors. and the "Cards"
employed at the notorious Griffith exami
nation, 90 called. The latter We do not pro-
pose at present to 'criticise in detail ; that
was done contemperanesusly, and with
seorching effect bys Chicago journal
However, we think every we'll educated
person would esteem those cards as not
worthy Of the occasion, or creditable to the
parties. They are excepted to as character
;stic productions They betray an imperfect
with. or murky apprehen-
sion of the topics under examination. For
examples, take the 18th in geography the
4th, 9Th and llth, in grsmmer. and the
opinion on the applicants answer to the I'd
in arithmetic. Allow US in this connection.
(by way Of parenthesis.) to cay. that we are
no sympathisers with the rejected applicant;
he fell far below even the standard pro-
posed to him. The points referred TO are
especially faulty, because svincing mis-
apprehension of principle. and the web and
woof Of the cards, as . whole. have little to
be recommended Vide grammsr, ques-
ton 4th, "Writs-an adjective word,
phrase and sentence" and 6th, "Give IN
example Of IN advsrbial word. phrase and
sentence" an adjective sentence, or an ad-
verbal sentenced An adjective sentence
or an adverbial sentence il an absurdity.-
There can be no adjective or sdverbial sen
se~css, unless every sentence in well writ
ten treatise may BE- 70 considered in refer
ence to the general or particular PROPOSE
ton, But for this there is no respectable
authority. And yet, the inimitabls Griffith