The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1861-01-16

houses OF The best structure and most com
p'ete arrangement may be dotted at conve-
nient distance over the whole face of the
land; the most perfect order OF studies may
be adopted and the best possible selection
OF books made; bnt wha; are all these,
without the learned and sklful the faithful,
moral, and devovted teacherl Without
this animating spirit, all is barren and un-
fruitful. In this vital department, | am
happy to announce that the improvement
of the common school teachers OF the STATE
shows more solid advancement, within the
the past three years, than any other branch
| Of the system. This, therefore, being the
point whence all real progress in learning
and culture must originate, is also the one
TO which the fostering attention and care of
the public authorities should be mainly
| directed
Oul peculiar mode of training teachers
under the normal act Of 1857, has now stood
the test oil practical experiences and agains;
! the most adverse circumstances, has pro-
duced results decisive of It's success Al
ready il has placed one institution in full
| operation in the southeasterE part of he
| State, equal in standing and extent to any
in the Union. Another, with all the re-
| 4uirements of the law, has just applied for
J State recognition in the extreme northwest.
| commend these noble, and peculiarly
Pennsylvania schools, 10 your favor. Aid
o them will be the best investment that can
be made Tor the rising generation. Good
| instruct ION for our children is the strougss;
earthly guaranty, that whatever else we be-
| qnea;h them, their inheritance will be
blessing aud not curse and, if nothing
more is left, in the well cultured minds the
willing hands, and the trust in God, OF free
men, they will have all that is essential.
Nearly eleven thousand of our fellow cit
zeLs are now devo,ing their efforts TO the
! improvement of the common school,, a.
directors. Than this there is no more mer
ilorious body o: men. An increa Sc OF the
annual state appropriation would not only be
material relief 10 the districts, at this time.
but would. 10 some extent, dlsembarrass
directors in their local operations.
II is not, however, the common. school
system, vast and honorable 10 the Stale a.
| it is, that claims your entire attention, in
reference 10 education Pennsylvania also
boasts of her collegiate accidental scientific
professional, aud phi hlanthropic institutions
and numerous private schools OF every
grado. In this respect, she is second 10 no
member of the Confederacy; but from
mean want of attention 10 The proper s,als
tistlcs, she has thus far been ranked far
below her just standard. The present is
not the proper time TO renew grants TO lh-
stiiutions OF these classes which heretofore
received State aij If ii were, the public
authority do not possess the requls data
for a saIe and just extension OF lberaliy.-
The period Will arrive when all public ed
ucational agencies must be included in one
great system for The elevation OF mind and
morals aud when he State will no doubt,
patIonize every proper effort in the good
work
For The details of the system, during the
last school year, III. attention of the Legis-
latnre is respectively referred 10 the annual
reporl of The Common School Department,
herewith submitted.
desire, again, especially TO call the at
tention of the General Assembly 10 the
Farmers High School 10 accomplish an OBJ
lect which has never been attained in this
country-the supply OF a want which has
ever been iell by the agricultural commu
, nifty the education of their sons, at once,
| 10 scientific knowledge habiiual industry,
and practical skill, 10 hi them for The asso-
Citations of rural life, and the occupation
chosen for them by their fathers. The
gains of the farmer, however, certain are
small. The education OF his sous should,
therefore, be measured by the nature of his
business. There seems TO be no practical
mode of cheapeping education, but by COM
blnlng an amount OF expenditure, within
the ability of farmer, with the daily labor
of The student, so as TO make the institution
so nearly self-sustaining as 10 bring it with
in the reach of that class who constitute so
i'm portant branch OF the Industry of our
people. The original design OF this school
embraced the accommodation of four hun.
dred students, number essential TO the
economical working OF the system and
although the applications for admission are
numberess. the utmost efforts of the irus-
lees have not enabled them TO complete
more than one ihird of the building, or to
accommodate more than a corresponding
number of students. Many individuals
throughout The State, convinced OF The merit
of an institution which promises so much
good, have contributed liberaily to what has
already been. done and the board of trus-
tees have labored with a zeal which cannot
fail 10 commend itself to the kind feelings
/ of all our citizens. Scientific education has