Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1860-01-17

For several years the sum for distribu-
ton was fixed at $200,000: less than
one fourth of which was derived from
general taxation. After a time this an
nual sum was reduced, for number of
years, to S150,0O0; but finally increased
to $500, 1000. During this period in the
history of our schools, somewhat larger
sums than that derived from the State
were annually raised by local taxatien;
but the aggregates from all sources,
State and local, did not reach one-third
/ Of the totals under the existing system.
The tax for Schools and School Iii
braries now. constitutes somewhat more
than three -eights of the entire -levies for
State purposes, and nearly one-fourth of
those for local purposes. The State and
local school taxes in 1853 were 50, ,791,-
924, or nearly one-third of the aggregate
levies for all purposes. In 1859, the
same levies amounted to $2,792,17S, and
bore about the same proportion to the
whole. These facts will suggest to the
Legislature and to the local authorities
the necessity of prudence and the most
careful economy. asss g-s
Few citizens, I trust, are disposed to
abridge the means and opportunities of
education now offered to the. youth Of
the State. They know that the power
created by education and made available
in all forms of labor, in all processes OF
art, aad in every sphere Of useful action,
is worth many times its cost They feel,
however, that the cost is great, and care
is needed, lest by improvidence and ex-
travagance disaffecti0n may be excited
toward system SO beneGcent,
With viewto the increased efficiency
of the system again direct the atten-
ton Of the Legislature to the propriety
of more effective aid to Teachers Insti-
tutes, and OF some provision for agents
to be appointed by the State Commits
sioner to fulfil those duties of addressing
public meetings and comforting person
ally with local authorities, now imposed
on that officer, but impossible to be adj
equately performed without prejudice to
demands on his time and attention even
more important. -;s. .,,=. u1
) With view to greater economy, ii
deserves inquiry whether some addi-
tional limitations may not be usefolly
| imposed on the powers now exercised by
! the Township Boards of Education
The interest ef the rIrreducible Debt
5 arising from sales of School Lands is now
} distributed among the counties according
to their respective interests in such
lands. In the counties it is again dis
, tributed among the townships in proper
) tions determined by similar considera-
: tions. l, as4 .gf.
1t cannot be doubted that the Federal
Government, in granting these lands, in
} tended equal benefits to all parts of the
State. The terms of the grants, however,
} we're originally construed as vesting the
title to them in the State for the use OF
the townships in which the sections six
teen were situated, OR for the use OF
larger districts for which provision was
made by grants of land not within their
! limits Whether this construction was
correct Or not, it may not now be worth
while to inquire. 1t has long been acted
on, and may perhaps be regarded as set
tied. 1t defeats, however, to a certain
extent, the equal intent of the grant; i'm
poses great labor on the State and county
Auditors; perplexes the public accounts,
and emharrasses somewhat the genera
operation Of our school system. = ~
i Upon examinasion Of the apportion-
ment among the counties Of the whole
fund thus distributed, am satisfied that
very little, if any, cause OF complaint
would arise, if the various divisions of
the Irreducible Debt into Virginia Mil
itary, United States Military, section six
teen, section twenty-nine, Western Re-
serve and Morayian We're consolidated
into one fund, and the whole interest
distributed among the counties in the
same proportion as the general School
Fund The saving of labor and expense
which would be effected by this reform,
and the clearness and intelligibiity,
which it would introduce into our fnan-
cial system, will, in my Judgment, warrant
some compensation to particular coun=
ties, should it be found that any are de-
priyed by it of revenue, to which they
have Just claim. The subject is GER
tainly of sufficient Importance and inter-
est to merit your careful consideration,
and as such [ recommend it to your at
tention.
The condition of the Benevolent and
Reformatory Institutions is, upon the
whole, highly satisfactory.
The number remaining in the Asylum
for the Deaf and Dumb at the close Of
the last year, was 159; at the close of
the preceding year, $50. A greater
number Of inmates than the present can
not be accommodated, though, for want
of room, many equally needy and equally
deserving with those now received, must
be excluded The expenses of the past
year were SO, 124, and those Of the pre-
ceding year q ,433. A large part of the
increase was for necessary repairs and
improvements beyond those of ordinary
years. An appropriation of S24, 500 is
asked for 1860; and an urgent request for
new building is preferred. Nor should
/ I hesitate to recommend new and en-
] larged structures if the revenue from the
levies of last year would warrant me in
so doing. Should you see. fit to take
measures for ascertaining the best loca-
ton and plan of such structures, and
| provide for the-ee by the necessary
levy, l do not doubt that your action
would be approved by our common con-
stituents.
The number of inmates of the Institu-
tion for the Blind increased from los in
1853, to 120 in 1859. The highest num-
ber which had previously enjoyed the
benefits of the Institution was 73, in
l94S. The constant increase in the
number of pupils, and their improvement,
is the highest eulogy upon its manage
ment. The expenses in 1859 were $lS,
837; in 1858, 16;202. The appropria
ton asked for 1860, in view of proposed
enlargement, is $26,500
In the Asylum for Idiots, thirty chill