The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-01-10


expenditure of money, and its influence
upon the happiness, prosperity and pro-
gress of the people. u
The schools are the great nurseries
of intelligence, patriotism and virtue.
Your duties. as the constant guardians
of this great and successful system, in
which the people have just pride, are
always important To elevate their
character and increase their usefulness,
is our steady purpose. To this end,
the Superintendent Recommends the
creation of the Office of County or Dis
trict Superintendent, to take the place,
in a great measure, of the present sys-
tenn of Township Inspectors. If this
system should be adopted, and i hope
itmay, the counties would seem to fur
nish the best and most convenient local
divisions for that purpose. The Super
intendent also recommends shat the
law for Union or graded schools should
be so amended as to permit districts
having one hundred children of legal
school age to organize under it." /
see no valid objection to this, and there.
fore recommend the amendment. These
are: the High Schools of the State.
They now number. ninety.faur,, and it
is believed they are generally exceed
ingly useful and successful. Through
them the opportunity for a liberal edu-
cation, almost entirely free of cost, is
pnt within the reach of nearly all the
children in the State. hne .fn8md fda
The two mill tax, provided for by
law of the last Legislature, was inten-
ded to take the place of the one dollar
forleach scholar, to be voted by the
districts, but by some mistake this last
was notrepealed. Probably the intent
Of the Legislature, had better now be
carried into effect i very much doubt
the wisdom of making any change, at
present, in the mode of distributing the
proceeds of the school taxes. In en-
deavOring to avoid present inequalities,
we shall incur the hazard of producing
greater, in a ntdirection. When
ever districts find the income of the
taxes insufiicientto support its schools,
1T seems best for them to resort to the
Rate Bill until the increase of popula-
ton and wealth works a remedy.
The income of the Primary School
Fund last year was Sis, 1880. There
are over four thousand districts, con-
tanning two hundred and forty-six thou
sand, six hundred and eighty-four chill
dren, oflegal school ages. There were
engaged in teaching, seven thousand
nine hundred and forty-one teachers, at
cost for wages of $467, 2s6l50. There
isinvestedn in school houses and other
school property 81 sos, 6I6.34.2 i.it ITO.
I.referyou to the Report oftbe Boyrd
of Education for all sneedful informa-
ton in regard to the State Normal
School The number in attendance
upon all its departments is three hun
dred and forty-two. The amount OF
expenditures during the past year, ex.
elusive of building, has been something
more than sixteen thousand dollars.
recommend you to consider whether
the expenses of this institution cannot
be materially reduced. 49,.
The University of Michigan is under
the care and control of Board of Re
gents, elected by the people. For de-
tails Of their action the past year, re-
fer you to their report, accompanying
the report Of the Superintendent o.
Public Instruction. ~. -.
The Institution has now in full and
successful operation, its three depart
ments of Law, Medicine, Science, Lit
erature and the Arts. The whole mum
Der Of students taught there. the las,
year, is FIVE hundred and nineteen
Tire University merits, and have nc
doubt will continue to receive the libe
raj patronage and care of the Legisla
ture.. Under its present intelligent
guidance, it has risen to very higf
rank among the best Institutions O
learning in the country. The people
naturally and properly look to it, t.
occupy the most important place in TIT
educational system Of the State. re
commend to your favorable considera
ton, the suggestions ofshe Board of Re
gents, in relation to measures to b,
adopted for the purpose of materiall,
increasing the permanent fund of tn
University. :. e.;sss,ss -.
THE SALT BOUNTY sa
The last Legislature enacted a Law
ssto encourage the manufacture Of sal
in the Stateoof Michigan" and by it
provisions exempting from taxation
for any purpose, all property, real an,
personal, used for the purpose of BORN,
for, and manufacturing that article an,
at the same time provided for the pay
ment from the Treasury of the State o
bounty of ten cents per Bashel for al
salt manufactured, The act, no doubt
stimulated exploration considerably
and with sshe best results. 1t is n
longer doubtful that we have ,excellen
f3eAities, and abundant saline waters
for this manufacture Appropriate en-
enlargement is wise, but the bounty
evidently much too large, being,
fact; it is said; fully equal to the entir
cost of manufacturing the salt. / re
commend you either greatly to reduce
or entirely abolish, this bounty, as yo
think most conducive to the public ir
terest.
SWAMP LANDS AND STATE ROADS.
In pursuance of the act of Congress
granting the Swamp Lands to tn
State, the last Legislature provided ft