The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1868-01-15

Liabilities in excess of assets...,s2l, ,6i2,j3 81
The promptitudc with which citizens
of Pennsylvania came forward last.
April and took the whole amount of
the twenty-thrce million loan, (thc bids
being for upwards of thirty-three mil
lions, may be considered a most aus
picious circumstance in the financial
history of the State, and indicate un-
bounded confidence in the good faith
and substantial credit of the Common
wealth. The foregoing statement of
the finances is set forth with pleasure,
in consequence Of their flourishing con-
dtion.
In addition thereto, the balance in
favor of the General Government for
Pcnsylvania's quota of the direct tax
levied in the several States for war
purposes and for cash from the United
States, amounting in all to nearly two
millions of dollars, has been settled in
full by the allowance Of claims for eX-
traordinary expenses incurred by the
State during the war.
The Governor then advises the Leg
stature to authorize the loan of four
millions of dollars now idle in the
Treasury, which at four per cent.
would realize yearly the sum Of $l6O,
600, to the State, and also be great
relief to our commercial interest. He
also recommends the increase of the
salary of the Treasurer as the means of
preventing fraud.
The report of the Superintendent of
the Common Schools exhibits a full
view of our excellent system Of public
instruction, which is widely ditlusing
its blessings by securing sound and
substantial education to all the chill
drcn of the State.
At the close of the year the number
of School districts in the State was
,S99 the number of schools 13, 435 !;
graded schools, 2,l47 school directors
II, ,534 county, city and borough su-
intendents, GS teachers, lG,523; pu-
pills, 7S9,3S9; the cost of tuition, 49,
OPS, 20; building, 81 ,2G2,7SS,6S ;
contingencies, S790,675,33; tuition,
building and contingencies, S5,0Sl,
539,71 and the amount expended for
all purposes relating to schools, s.,
160,750,17.
Your attention is particularly invi-
ted to the want Of uniformity and con-
slant change Of books in the public
schools. These are matters Of serious
inconvenience and needless expense to
the poor, and might easily be remedied
by iudicious legislation.
The chief aim of our system of COM
mon schools is to place the advantages
of an education within the reach Of all
children of the Commonwealth when
it is considercdthat intelligence and vir-
tue are the principal safeguards of our
institutions, this system earnestly
claims the fostering care and wise gui-
dance of the legislature.
Serious complaints have been made
concerning the neglect of the educa-
ton of the children in the aims and
poor houses of some of the counties in
the State. They are permitted to grow
up in idleness and Ignorance, and when
sent upon the world to earn a living
are better prepared ro receive lessons
of vice than those of usefulness. The
directors of these institutions should
be compelled, by law, to send such
children to common school, or provide
proper schools for them, and it should
be made the duty of common school
superintendcnts to supervise and en-
force the execution of the law.
The annual report of the Superin-
tendent Of the Soldiers Orphans
Schools was made up to include the
30th of November, 1866. The appro-
priation for that year, extending from
January l, 1856 to January |, 1867,
was insufficient to cover the expenses
of the whole year, and consequently
those of December 1866, were unpaid.
The next appropriation, under the
present law, extends from January
/, 1867, to June !, 1868. 1t was,
therefore, determined that there was
! no legal authority to apply any part of