The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-17

engraYings and paintings, and sometimes
pianos. Every city has large, handsome
school houses of brick or stone, well lighted,
warmed and ventilated, and comfortably
furnished. In Connecticut, which has the
reputation of being as backward as any
State in school improvement, the High
Schoo. building erected in Hartford IN lo4O
cost $14.4OO. In New York State there was
expended in 1864 for school houses and sites
S647 900, while in their school libraries there
were over eleven hundred thousand volumes
These excelencies are Of late introduction;
for thirty years ago in some OF the Northern
States the school buildings were no better
than have been known in North Carolina
Here in 1857 the $500 school houses with
their land, furniture and apparatus were es-
t1mated at $3.50, 900, or an average ola hum
dred dollars a piece. None of them con-
tanned more than one room.
Since writing the above we have received
the July number of the Kansas Educational
Journal, and we find in its State items tor
the month the following notes of school
houses.
Baldaoin City, erecting Public School
edifice which will be ready for the fall term.
G7usshopper Falls: The new public school
edifice is 35 by "a, of stone. three stories in
GLIDING the basement, to be ready by fall
Humboldt: neat edit ,e, nearly complete, at
cost of $4,000. lola has issued bonds for
So, 900 for school house. LeaUeaacorth The
foundation of a high school building. 70 by
90, three stories HIGH with BASEMENT has
been laid on beautiful site overlooking the
city. Marysoille has stone building, 30 by
"a, two stories high, with basement, cupola
and bell, cost $4,000. Mound City has
stone school house, 45x30 feet, two stories
high. Olathe making an effort to erect
school house at cost of $4,000. Ottoao0
has brick school edifce, two stories. PdOtG
has erected brick edifce for $14 1000.
Let it be remembered that Kansas was not
admitted asa State till 1851. The above facts
tell loudly how precious the Free School sys-
tenn is to those who have tried it.
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
4. Teachers are educated with special re-
ference to their work Massachusetts has
four Normal Schools where the art of teach
ing is itself taught to 500 candidates for the
profession of a teacher. The course extends
through year and a half Besides this, for
ty eight deserving students in colleges re-
ceive 500 annually to assist them during
their four years course, on condition that they
shall teach ar equal number of years in the
public schools of the State.
New York has but one Normal School
with sol pupils, but teachers classes were
authorized in 81 academies which gave spe-
cial instruction to 1,641 persons who had
signed declaration of intention to teach in
the Common Schools; and Teachers Insti-
tutes, held from one to four weeks in the
different counties, diffused much normal in
struction through the State.
The Superintendent of schools in 1855
says: eff only one-third of the Common
School Teachers of North-Carolina could be
induced to read the most Indifferent work on
teaching, what vast change would soon be
perceptible Do we not all
know that the Teacher in Primary Schools
here, forgets nothing and learns nothing?"
FEMALE TEACHERS.
In the North, moreover, most of the teach
ing is done by women as in Massachusetts,
1854 females to 1856 males. All authori-
ties are agreed as to the desirableness of
such teachers. The N. G. reports inform US
that only one-twelfth of the teachers in 1859
were women, though females make much
the best teachers of primary schools" The
N. Y. Superintendent "points with undis-
guised pleasure to the fact that nearly eight
tenths OF the teachers employed in the
schools of the State are females. To teach
and train the young, seems to be one of the
chief missions of woman. Herself high
minded, the minds of those with whom she
comes in daily contact, unconsciously aspire
Gentle herself, she renders them gentle
Pure herself, she makes them pure. Wo-
man is more deeply read than man in the
mysteries of human nature, at least, in that
of children. Her touch conquers the rebel
lieusness which his but increases. Her per-
suasive reprooffs ar exceed his stern menaces
and cold logic. The future will be grateful
for these labors of Woman in our schools"
SCHOOL TAXES.
5. The schools are supported chiefly by
direct taxes In n G. the whole annual out
lay was $685., 641, of which $1S0,s50 or near
ly two-t thirds, was paid by the school fund.
The remaining sum, if divided by the num-
Der of children at school, shows that II cents
apiece was raised by taxes for the education
of each child in school, or less than 80 cts.
for each white between the ages of and 81.
New York distributed from school funds
1888 412 and raised by taxes, 3,793. 829,
which makes the revenue from taxation 81, 80
for each child in school or $2,90 for each
child between 5 and 81 years old. Massachu-
sets received from school funds 95623 and
rdlSeu ny LAX lnOC lncluulnS the DullQlnS
and repairs of school houses $1,429,476,
which is $S,47 for each child in school, or
$6,3s for every child, between the ages of
and Is.
These statistics are commended to those
citizens who think we must in some way
get a great fund before establishing free
schools. DELAYS are dangerous; we may at
once follow the example of the great States
of the North and compel all property hold
ers the niggardly as well as the generous,
to support a solid system of public educa-
ton.
GOOD TIMES COMING.
Let us now imagine the free school system
developed here to the liberal proportions we
have been considering and Raleigh become
school going city. There will be comfort
able school houses, some frame and some of
brick, in different parts of the city, all plas-
tered, well lighted and cheerful, accommo-
dating from fifty to three hundred pupils
apiece in rooms of fifty children each. The
primary scholars will have low benches with
rack for states. Pictures for drawing, wri-
ting copies, and reading lessons will hang
on the walls. Older pupils will have each
separate desk and chair. The furnishing in
general will be such as short-lived private
schools cannot aff,rd. The two sexes, if
tbau N, in tho como room, will howe ca,,a