The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1860-01-21
Gollfdtionol Department.
Edited by q Practical Educator.

FEW GENTLE HINTs IN RxeARD n
- 1s EDUCA1ION. ~ 4.
The assstion has eftsa ssessstsd ITSELF =
our mind: Why 10 there such IN apath.,
manifested in the cause Of sducation-no
only in our own county, but Throughout th
State generally? We have assumed thu
such state of things exists, and We prssun
no one acquainted with the facts in the cas-
win deny that thsrs i . very general iDdif
ference, amounting, almost, to crimins
neglect towards the educational interests o
our own county.
This is q cause for serious regret, AM
some reform must be made. It IL nsiths
our intention nor our desire to attach blsm
to any particular individual, but the tim
has come, aye, fully come when the eorse
tive must be applied If We would remove tn
evil, and preserve intact that institution
which is the main pillar Of our republican
form Of government, and the very basis O
our liberty, our virtue, and our indepsn
dence.
1t willno do to lay supinsly on our back
and say that our county is yet new !; that on
citizens are too poor that when our popu
lation becomes greater; that when ws BE-
come moro wealthy, then We will do NOR
for the advancement Of our common schools
and pay more attention to our sducationa
interests generally.
No! it will not do, for education is al
ready far behind our population-fa
behind our agricultural, mechanical AMI
commercial interests.
A wise man and fine writer, upon th
subject of education has truly said: II, il
our haste to be rich and mighty, We outrul
our literary and religious institutions, the!
will never overtake us; or only come VI
after the battle of liberty is fought and lost
as spoils to grace the victory, and .,
resources of memorable despotism for tn,
perpetuity of our bondage. But what viii
become Of the West, if her prosperity rush.
Is up to such majesty of power, Will,
those great institutions linger which ar,
necessary to form the mind, and the con-
science, and the heart of that vast world
1t must not be permitted. And yet what il
done must be done quickly, for population
will not wait, and commerce will not cast
anchor, and manufactures will not shut of
steam, or shut down the gate, and agricul'
ture, pushed by millions of freemen, on oul
fertile soil will not withhold her corruptinl
abundance"
1t is true that our young and prosperous
State has been endowed with muni6cen,
and increasing school fund, but this, if no,
judiciously applied and properly used, may
prove curse rather than blessing to Us,
Our Legislators have done much, and the
Board of Education have done, and are still
doing much, for the encouragement of on,
common school system, yet much, indeed
the greater part depends upon the parent.
and school directors, to render their praise.
worthy efforts available.
And first, We need general awakening
to the importance of education. The caus,
seems to be in dormant or lethargic state
Let an announcement be made of public
lecture on the subject of education, and il
utterly fails to draw respectable au.
disnce together. Literary subjects have nc
attraction, and the lecturer is doomed to
address empty benches. e
And, in the second place, We must have
suitable school houses. The want of these
has long been serious evil.
However large and extensive the views Of
the people may have been on other subjects,
on this they have been very contracted in.
deed. The common and almost universal
fault is, they are too small, and built with
no more reference to the requirements of q
school-room than to q horse stable, and, IN
deed "to such base uses do they come al
last.o
Our school houses are generally not more
than l6xlS feet, to accommodate from thir-
ty to sixty pupils. And it is in just such
commodious edifces, that the educator is
expected to accomplish the almost impossi-
BILE task of educating his pupils. We have
it from reliable authority, that outside Of
Council Bluffs City, there is but one solita.
ry school house ocned by the district, and
that is the Ravendale school house in dist,
No. 3, Kane Tp., commonly known as Gar.
ner's district. This, for county having q
population of 5000 souls speaks volumes Of
disgrace, had almost said. s
In the third place, we should always strive
to secure, the best teachers qualifications
and character being the main requisites,
and preference should ever be given to res
ident teachers whose interests are identified
with ours-taking, of course, their quali6.
cations and character into consideration.
Many of the teachers in the West, are
mere transient "birds of passage " who
teach only Decause-to use vulgar phrase
they are " strapped" 1t cannot bs sup.
posed that such feel any very profound in.
terest in the cause of education.
We have but little more to say on this
subject at present, as we have now extend
ed our remarks to a greater length than We
anticipated.
Our wcll-meant suggestions may fall upon
the. ear snheeded, and pass away "like q
dream related" leaving no impression, yet
We shall not he discouraged, bat ever hope
for the best. 1 II.
CT 1t may not generally be known that
multiplication can be performed BY placing
the multiplier under the left hand Of the