St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-01-14
''A'e'f MIRIAM lisRssfl ffk,, e. ~


3" - IN, ag43, Sfa.& $500 ssa.5st 1ss. ~ sS
Dn11v. = !; At. .Aul, JANUARY
Gsntlemeas 81 khe Senste and House Of Repre-
sentdti1ss |
With profound gratitude to the
Father Of all mcrcics, for innum arabic
State and National blessings, during a
perisd Of imminent peril and under a
= sense Of deep and abiding obligation to
the people Of Minnesota, I this day as.
sumo the duties of that position to
which they have assigned me. =.
My ABLE AND PATRIOTIC predeces.
sor in his annual message Of the clev.
cnth instant has presented such coul.
prehcnsivc view of the condition and
resources Of the State, that shall, as
nearly rs practicable, condne myself
to brief cnunciation Of tho gen
GRILL lo|icy, which I deem essential to
her Future prosperity.
One If the leading objects of your
legislation should be tho improv ements
aud success Of our Common School
System The postponement Of this
duty may be attended with serious Diet.
riment to the present as we'll as com,"g
generations, and to the reputation Of
our State.
In view Of the other official respon.
sibilitics Of the Superintendent of Pub.
lie Instruction, that officer has perform
ed his outy with u zeal and fidelity
worthy of all commentator, and too
much weight cannot be given to the
many valuable suggestions contained
ia his annual report.
But in my judgment the necessities
Of this Department demand the organi-
cation Of an independent Bureau OF
Public Instruction. We require a
State Superintendent, whose time and
labo, shall be exclusively devoted to
the great trust, committed to our care ;
and whose integrity, experience and
executive administrative capacity,
shall commend him for the position.
lie should be authorized to decide the
minor controversies pertaining to the
system without costs, and those Of great
er magnitude subject to Judicial re-
vision.
The efficiency Of FOUR instructors, and
the success of our schools, demand a
thorough local or County Superintend-
ency. These officers should be held
amenable to, and be examined by the
State Superintendent ; and they should
III turn be authorized to examine,
grade and issue requisite certificates Of
qualifications to the teachers of their
respective Counties or Districts.
The Importance Of Nortt,al schools
to provide men and wo,1ien for the no.
bic avscation Of teachers ean scarcely
be over-estimated, and I earnestly re-
commend this class of institutions IA
your favorable consideration.
l feel it my duty also to invoke your
prompt action in extricating the State
University from its present embarrass-
mcnts if practicable, and to place it in
such position as will ensure the &C.
complishmcnt Of the noble object tor
which it was created. And such en-.
couragements as is compatible with
cur limited resources, should also be
given to the Agricultural College, and
to such other higher institutions Of
learning, as may be requisite to meet
the wants Of the rising generation.
As intimately connected with the
advancement of our educational sys-
tem-as we'll as the general prosperity
Of the state-the great land interests
Of Minnesota require your vigilant su-
pcrvision.
Our predecessors have wisely provi~
ded stringent cnactments for the safe
keeping of the millions Of acres devo-
ted to public instruction; and the evil
dences Of their wisdom arc already dis.
cernablc in the accumulating revenue
which bids fair at no distant period to
furnish the means for strengthening
and invigorating the most distant
schools within our borders.
The Importance Of a fixed, uniform
and equitable policy; which shall regu-
late the disposition Of our swamp lands
is daily becoming more apparent.
With prudent management the pro-
cccds Of these several millions Of acres.
will ray the public debt, promote i'm
migration, erect q State Prison, and