Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-01-25
.rHE PRESS" AND OUR COMMON
NGHOOLS.

our schools, says
s,Tbese causes. as well as imperfectious,
described az length in the State ana county
reports, render It desirable that our eauca-
tonal system should IN some eSsehu9l reS
,,ertg be ssreeonstructedm - While it embraces
muclt worthy of admiration and approval, the
only way to correct its Deficiencies is TO define
their character aud to suggest remedies. Inc
pfinciple that the blessings Of education
skould be universally distributed by the action
of the State is now established, and She trite
maxim that Whatever is worth dong at an
is worth doing welI' can be more apPfQpfi'
ately applied 10 this subject than 70 any OAh'
er IT this generation resolved 70 oeglh g =
earnest and determined a struggle to improve |
| our common school system as was eomnene,
! ed q generation ago to establish It, we shoaia
| soon have the best schools in the Union bnt |
| PENNSYLVANIA falls far short Of this standard
now 1t is necessary, first, that increased IN |
creased interest should be felt by ali elaSses sSs
general wakening Of public interest would
| soon be followed by appropriate legisi7uohI
and eyentually lead to such system OF com
mon schools normal schools, academies and
colleges, Ms would place within the reach Of
! every child IN Pennsylvania, nch or poor, All
the advantages that education can confer
| What will appear further in the way OF
proposals or plans for the accomplishments
of the highly desirable object set firth IN
the above extract we know not. The pnn-
lciples there enumerated are sound and we
hope that the subject win not be allowed to
rest at this point. We called attention to
this subject year ago, and showed, as we
believe, conclusiyely that the only method
by which our common schools could be ele-
vated to the high standard here advocated,
involved a radical change il the administra-
ton Of our school laws, and q going back to
the fundamental principle upon which our
common school system is founded, viz That
3 the property and wealth of the State should
bear the expense of educating ths children
of the State. The application Of this
principle, ever since the adoption Of cur
) school system, has been limited to the least
possible extent consistent with the acknowl-
edgment of its existence in the system at
all. We now confidently assert that she
only method, by which We can even approzi-
mate to the condition of affairs contempia-
ted in the above extract, is by the extension
! of the system of equal taxation, from the
single school district to which it is now con-
fined. to the whole State As long as this
fact is igaored no progress can be made in
:, the rural districts where the chief difficult
ties Of the system are now encountered It
: will be Of no avail to bemoan the want Of
: qualified teachers, the short school terms,
the insufficient grounds, the injurious and
!, insufficient furniture, low salaries &c, while
the means to remedy them is withheld by
: law. 1t is much easier to advocate i'm
proVements and changes in all these things,
!, from the comfortable sanctum Of city edit.
!. or, than to grapple with the difficulties il
the Ray- of. Improvement, that meet every
which, from his practical knowledge learned
y by bitter experience, he knows to bt
insuperable without important changes IL
the existing laws. To attain even to the
= low standard now prevailing the rural dis
!, tricts have long endured such oppressive
rates of taxation as would be borne for NJ
- other purpose. If any one wishes to know
the sacrifices that have been made to obtaiT
even the minimum length of school term il
the poorer counties, he has but to turn t.
= the statistics In the school reports. a brie
: examination of the figures there viii con
vince any impartial mind that it not igno
rance of the benefits of good schools nol
- lack of interest that retards progress
n When the people of school district endure
:, : a selfimposed tax of 2! per cent. upon all
= their property las did the citizens Of Rec
:. Bank district, Armstrong county in 1864
for the sake Of four months of such schools
- UIu DO UDuaIuUs ouC uIUdgre SaIaFy o.
$23 per month, it win not do to reproacl
! them with indifference. Especially does i
: come with a bad grace from the inhabitan
: of populous city or wealthy and densely
= populated rural district where the taxation
= for incomparably better schools and doubl.
the minimum length of term, scarcely
- amounts to half mill on the dollar The
. rural districts long for better schools, Longer
- terms and more efficient teachers and under
! stand the conditions on which they can be
4 obtained They viii be found in the follow
ing resolutions drawn up and offered at tho
- Superintendents Convention at Harrisburg
~ on the 9Th of December last:
Resoired, That we recommend to the Schoo
Department and the Legislature that the
q school fund be raised by general and equa
re taxation throughout the State
Is ReS0ired, That we recommend to the De
g partmeut and to the Legislature an increase
of the State appropriation sufficient to defray
the expenses of tuition throughout the State
for the minimum school term.
= Resoloed, That the appropriation of the
school fund shall be made in proportirn to the
number Of schools instead of, as at present
~ to the number of taxables
If the Press wishes to display It's earnest
:, ness in the cause of Common Schools, and
= its devotion to the great principle at the bot
le tom of our system, let it agitate for the
r. adoption Of some such measures as are con.
a tanned in the above resolutions and it win find
I, the rural districts not only ready and willing
but eager to obtain all the benefits to be de-
3 rived from longer terms and more efficient
q teachers.
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"a nFFFs FINETEn ErrATzR SR<Narnn