The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1859-01-12

extremely deficient both in knowledge and il
that ability to teach which mere knowledge car
never give
The correction OF these evils, so far as may
be practicable, is your duty, and will be, trust
your pleasure and your honorable distinction.
The best means, in my judgment, of securing
an adequate number of good teachers, are the
establishment Of Normal Schools and the en-
couragement OF Teachers Institutes. l ven
tured to suggest last year the organization OF g
| Normal Department in one or both our State
Universities. More immediate and perhaps
more valuable results would probably be OBJ
tanned from the establishment Of three or toul
Normal Schools in different districts of the
State, giving the preference within each district
/ to 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 encouragement of Teachers Insti-
tutes but it is uncertain and inadequate. ! re
commend the direct appropriation OF an ade-
quate sum, to be paid on compliance with prop.
er conditions, upon the certificate of the State
Commissioner.
The indispensable necessity Of securing gen
cral, regular and continued attendance in school
is universally acknowledged. Without this the
great object of the common schools, namely, a
good education for every child in the State,
| fails OF accomplishment. The Federal Census
of 1850 exhibited the fact that over thirt y-five
thousand persons in Ohio twenty yers 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 be-
sides these totally illitcrate persons, there is u
large number whose education hardly raises
them to a higher level, 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 illtaught. No
means seem better adapted to secure attendance,
awaken interest and quicken effort in the at
tainmcnt OF knowledge thau frequent visits, ad-
dresses and conversations by properly qualified
officers ofthe State. The law recognizes the
value of this agency in requiring the State Com
missioner to devote a portion Of his time to
such labors. But it is obvious that the thor
ough discharge Of the other duties imposed On
him is quite Incompatible with efficient lahorS
Of this kind. | suggest, therefore, that be he
authorized TO employ one or moro competent a.
gents to visit every township and urge upon par
ents teachers and children, the duties essential
to the highest efficiency OF our schools. This
plan has been adopted elsewhere with the hap
picst effects. Ifadopted here, we need not fear
the disclosures Of any future census, or doubt
that olr systcm Of Common Schools already re-
cardcd as a model for imitation by other States,
will yiDdicatc. bv perCect srccoS. It's Claims to
admiration and honor
While We NAV reasonably hone that the illit-
crate, as a class will soon disappear from our
society. no such pleasing expectation can be in
dulred in rcspect TO that large norton of the
co,n,nuniayyy1 hem defect and disease in mental
or Dbysical organization render nropcr objects
Of public core; and whose number and relation
to society constitute another element Of our So
c;al cund ition, which must erte9oi. your notice.
The beneyolence Of the State has already pro.
yiGcl three Asylums for the insane, which have
cost for grounds and construction about A.
1850 dollars. and arc sustained at an annual ex
pense of00OOO, excluding charges properly be-
longing to the account Of construction and in
taTest. The cost of the Northern and Central
Asylums has been about l53 Geo each; that Of
the Southern about 10000. The actual value
.o( the Central ASYLUM is now probably more
than double that oreithcr 0 the others
In these Asylulns there were at the beginning
Of the last ycar. 5GS inmates. and there were
received during the wear 414 making the whole
number Of part,cipants in their benefits 6S2:
there were DISCHARGED 4l2, there died 43, and
there remained at the commencement Of the
current wear. $40. Olthosc DISCHARGED go had
been restored to sanity, and IS decidedly i'm
proved. The average cxpense Of each inmate
was about Gl58.
The Central AsyIum will accommodate $50
inmates. the Northern $50, and the Southern
100 Each has been filed to the extent Of its
capacitv. Another ASYLUM is in progress Of
instruction in Hamilton County, for The recep
tion Of the Insane ofthat County only. After
its completion and opcnipr, That County will
constitute the South western Asylum District.
The number of Insane in Ohio according to
the census of 1850 was I.3O3, This numl er