Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-09-10
Who Eoumsled our Public School
Avananps -

Shortly after the death Of Thaddeus Ste
vsns was announced, the Eusnine Bulletin
paid glowing tribute to The Great Com
moner's memory, credtiDg him in full with
the paternity Of the common school system
Of Pennsylvania, and suggesting the pro-
prety Of collecting pennies FROM the chill
drsn In the public schools fer the purpose
OF securing . fund for the erection of q
monument to Mr.. Stevens. The Post, in
an enthusiastic mood, seconded the sugges-
ton, and conplimsnted the Bulletin for
having originated the idea. Without any
dcsise TO rob Mr.. Stevens Of tho intended
honor, or the Buiietin Of the credit Of hay
ing first suggested the monument. common
justice demands that honor should b given
to whom II Is due. and therefore Va state
tho fact that to that honest, Wight for
ward old Jackson Democrat, Governor
George Wolfe. is Pennsy lvania indebted
for the first Increment towards the estab-
lishmsnt Of a system or common schools.
Upon Gov. Wolie's re CONNIE ion, the
legislature Of Pennsylvania passed an &C,
providing for general system Of sIu.
cation" This &C. established . Com
mon School Fund.- appointed the Secrc-
tary Of the Commonwealth and others
commissioners and directed that all
moneys due or 10 become due the Common.
wealth for lands, and certain othor moneys
due or TO become duo tho Commonwealth
for lands, and certain other moneys, should
be set ASIDE for the use Of the Common
School Fund" and after the interest should
amount TO certain sum it should DO Tan
nually applied TO tho support of tho com
mon schoo,a throughout ths Comman-
wealth This nc, WAS passed April Sd,
ls3l-sevsral years before Thaddeus Ste-
vsns became member Of tho Legislature.
On the LIST Of April, 1891, another act vas
passed for tho distribution Of the Interest
OF the money raised under the act of 1881,
and organizing the State into erhooi dis
trcts, aud requiring each county or dis-
trict that received part of the State fund
to raise by taxes a certain fund in addition.
Under Governor Ritner's tWhig) nd,-.inis-
tra.ion. in 1885, the system became unpop-
ular, and Ritner's friends made vigorous
etiert TO have i; repealed This was resist
cd Ivy Mr.. Stevens. who threatened 10 with.
draw his support from the State admins.
tration il Governor Ritner persisted in riv.
ing ccuhteaance to the efforts to have tho
law repealed Ritner fearing to lose Mr..
Stevens support (he WAS then leader in
tho Hous yielded his opposition, and the
question WAS settled. 1t was shortly after
this that Mr.. Stevens made his speech.
which was certainly fine one, and upon
which his admirers claim that he is emit
tied TO hs called the father Of the common
school system Of our State From the
facts above presented, and for which wo
arc mainly indebted to an intelligent cor
respondent Of the tho Morning. Patriot,
IL VII te seen that the honor claimed for
Mr. stevens by the bulletin. Post and other
radical Journals, belongs, BY indefcasiblc
right, to Governor George Wolfe, and il the
children OF the public schools are 10 be
taxed for pennies wherewith to erect
monument 10 the founder Of our common
system. it is to be hoped that il will per.
petuate the memory of the right man.
Gov. George Woife.-PhI Herald.