The Big blue union. [volume] (Marysville, Kan.) 1862-1866, 1863-06-06
Common Sch0Ols-Pr0f Good.
nOW,s Lecture.

nOWsS Lecture.
According to notice in last weeks Un-
ion, Prof. l. T. Goodnow spoke at the
school house in this city Wednesday ev-
ening on the Educational Interests Of the
State. The meeting was organized by
calling DR.. Lee to the chair, and after the
introduction the speaker proceeded to en-
terrain goodly number of our citizens
with lecture that was characterized with
sound practical instruction and one emf
nently fitted to the occasion. He referred
to the school system of the S,a,e-said
that a perfect system, in his opinion, was
one that commenced at the primary depart.
ment and advanced step by step to the
highest department in education. The
speaker here referred by way of illustra.
tion to the schools Of Chicago, where ev.
cry child Of the most common natural
talent can commence at the first rudiments
of learning and push his way up to the
highest branches-obtain perfect educa.
tion-and all without cost Of tuition to
the pupil. We want such system here
and can have it if We commence Alright
and follow up the good work. In new
country where there is everything to do,
where the labor of providing "to keep
soul and body together and the care Of
personal ends and interests engross the at
tention of the people, Education is gener-
ally most sadly neglected, and the first Pc
riod Of such settlement witnesses def.
cheney that will take vast amount of in
telligent, industrious labor to fill up
Kansas has been settled some nine years.
The youth Of six and seven years coming
here at its first settlement, now fifteen and
sixteen years old, must Immediately have
an education or they will come on to the
stage of life uneducated and unfit for any
Of its varied and active duties. He dwelt
upon the School Law passed by the last
Legislature; spoke of its most prominent
provisions, and argued that the people
were aiming right and would at no very
distant day realize the advantages coming
from well schooled children. The school
lands reserved by Government-every 10th
and 36th section-amount in the whole
State to 2, 2,844 900 acres, making with the
lands 100000 acres) for internal i'm
provements. devoted to school purposes by
the State Constitution, the vast area of 81
344, 900 acres; the source for a large
school fund and promises we'll for good
time coming. The number of children
in the State is put at 16,549. The one
mill tax divided equally among them gives
now to each scholar about 81 IS. ss,51O.-
AZ of which tax was distributed last
March-giving each scholar something
like 81 cepts-and the next division will
be made in July. Of the 33 organized
counties in the State, ~ have made their
reports to the State Superintendent; and
of the 524 school districts in the State
304 have made their reports through the
proper officer and received school money.
He advocated large school districts and
secuted the idea so general among the peo-
pie that their children can not walk rea-
sonable distance to school. Pronounced it
an effeminate habit and hoped the people
would renounce it. Referred to the prac-
tice Of rotating teachers, and thought it
a bad one; said good teacher was always
progressive and that such should have the
preference over . I" raw hand" even if he
did require larger pay than the inexperi-
enced. There were many other points
that the Professor dwelt upon, among
which he traced the intimate connection
between the Agricultural and Educational
Interests-the basis of Commercial worth.
Referred to the liberal endowmen.s made
to the Normal School, the University, Ag-
ricultural College, sc. The advantages
Of Teachers Institutes we're displayed, and
it was hoped they would be encouraged oil
over the State. 1t is mete that Kansas
-ho N A. end f,,rnad hack tho tik rs De