The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-01-17

tempted to become defaulter! How
easily could he secure to his bondsmen
the amount for which they would legal
ly be liable to theState and appropriate
the balance to himself! For years, il
seems to me, the Treasury of the state
has stood, us ii were, upon a volcano.
Examples all around Us show the falli-
bility of man, and how frequently and
easily he is swcrved from the path of
rectitudc and honor. Even many of
those in the most elevated positions and
enjoying the highest confidence Of the
public, are often found to yield to the
temptations that surround them. The
desire for the rapid accumulation of
wealth ; the thousands of schemes pre-
scnted to excite the cupidity of human
nature, and the looseness Of public NOR
ais, cngcndered by the escape of the
guilty from punishment, have so demOr-
allied public sentiment that it may be
considered wOnder-almOst miracle
that Pennsylvania has so lOngcscaped
from the calamity that might at any
time have hadpened, or that may here
after happen, by the robbery of her
Treasury, and render the suspension of
the payment Ofthe interest upon the
State debt, for Il time, inevitable.
In the performance of my duty, have
fOrewarned the Legislature of a danger,
as respects her finances, of no common
magnitude. 1t remains for it to deter
mine whether this danger shall be avert
ed by prompt and efficient legislation
and the Treasury guarded against the
occurrence of so great calamity.
EDUCATION.
The report of the Superintendent of
1,p oh Ii all
view of our excellent system of public
instruction, which is widely di6using
its blessing by securing a sound and sub
stantial education to all the children of
the State. A brief summary will give
an idea of the immense proportions it
has attained and the vast amout of use
fulnes5 of which it is capable,
At the close of the year the number of
school districts in the State was 1889 ;
the number of schools, Is, 1876; graded
schools, 2,li7; school directors, II ,53i
county, city and borough supernten-
dents, Is, teachers, III, ,j23;pupils, 7S0, $3.50;
the cost of tition 80, OPS ,06j 10; building,
81 ,262, 79S 6S; contingencies, 800, ,G75 33;
tuition, building,and contingencies So
0Sl ,539 II; and the amount expended
for all purposes relating to schools, So
| l6O,7j0 II.
Your attention is particularly invited
| to the want of uniformity and coestant
change of books in the public schools
| These are matters of scrioeseinconven.
ience and needless expense to the pool
and mighty easily be remcdicd byjudi.
ciouS legislation.
The chief aim of our system of com
mon schools it to place the advantage:
of an education within the reach Of al
the children of the Common wealth; ant
when ii is considered that intelligence
and virtue are the principal safeguards
of our free institutions, this system
earnestly claims the fostering care anC
wise guidance of the Legislature.
The graded schools have largely in
creased during the past year. Tin
system established by the state wa
designed, not only to furnish instruc
knowledge, but wherever practicable
to impari TO them an education in tn
higher branches of learning. The mul
tiplication of grammar and high school
should, therefore, receive every encour
agcment, for they are necessary to per
feet the system and enable the State t
avail itself of that talent which is bOrl
in the cottages of the poor quite rs fire
quently as in the palaces of the rich.
Good schools cannot exist Withou
good teachers, and good teachers can on
ly be obtained by using theprOper mean
to prepare them. Recognizing theS
facts, the legislature of 1877 passed
general Normal school law dividing In
State into twelve districts, and look
ing forward to the establishment, j
each of them, of II Normal school. AC
f cording to provisionso of this law fou
of these schools are now organized, tn
prosperous condition of which is eXcn
plificd by the fact that two thousand on
hundred and eighty-hve students attcn
ded them during the past year,of whor
torty-siX graduated.
Fourteen colleges and thirty-tw
f academies have made reports to tn
School Department during the pcs
year. Such institutions supply grcf
public want, rs the common school sy'
, TEN is not competent to perform tn
whole work Of popular education.
| STATE requires men of generous cultul
in all the walks Of life, as well rs i'll III
+ profession of teaching, and the perie'
) ton of the system OF public school II
struction is one of the Wise,t and noble!
f objects of legislation. All Of the diilc
. ent institutions of learning would t
strengthened and their usefulness II
r creased by bringing them together in
, closer union, which possibly can he be-
. accomplished by the creation of gene
: al Deparement of Education.
: Serious complaints have been mad
f concerning the neglect of the cdncatio
= Of the children in the aims and poe
houses Of some Of the counties of Il
, State. They are permitted to grow Il
| inInnnSS
/ upon the world TO earn Il living are be
. ter prepared to receive lessons Of VIZ
than those of usefulness. The dirccto
i, of those institutions should be compel
!, ed, by law, TO send such children to Il
a common schools, or provide prop
/ schools for them, and it should be mac
- the duty of common school superinte
y dents to supervise and enforce the cX
q cution of the law.
q SOLDIERS ORPHANS SCHOOLS.
f The last annual report of the Supe
Il intendent of the Soldiers Orphan
= Schools was made up to includeth 30
i of November, 1866. The appropriate
c for that year, extending from Janua
d |, 1866, to January |, 1867, was inst
@ whole year, and consequently tho
of December, 1866 were unpaid. II
G next appropriation, under the prcse
n law, extends from January |, 1867,
l. June l., 1865. 1t was therefore detC
% mined that there wasno legal authori
\. to apply any part Of it to the payne
l. Of expenses prior to January, lsG
l. hence those incurred in December, lS'
n amounting to S3l l,0I0,77, remain u
n paid,
1t Hon. Thomas IL. Burrows, who "
d appointed Superintendent by my preC
Is ccssor, continued in Office until May
D 1867, when, under the act of April
Sc 1867 ! appointed Colonel George
y MFarand, superintendent, Rev.
4 Cornforth, Inspector and EXamiuer,a
O. Mrs. L. W. Hunter, Assistant, who
le once entered upon the discharge of tn
+, duties by visiting and re eorganizing
in schools, correcting abuses which h
OF Crcpt into the local management ofsOl
}" Of them, and in settling arrearag
v, which was done with zeal, fidelity, II
d, commendable promptitude.
H. The present Superintendent repo
4 IL 8 . .l.,