Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-01-13

hereafter, the recommendations therein Civ
en- are respectfully referred to, and renewed.
Whenever there may be surplus funds in
the Treasury, they can, with safety and benefit
to the State, be employed in the purchase of
its outstanding bonds, and in saving the
interest on them which would accumulate
prior to their maturity.
regret to state that the last Legislature,
although fully forewarned in regard to the
insecurity and want of proper and sufficient
guards for the safe keeping of the money of
the Commonwealth, failed to determine upon
any mode by which the Treasury may be eff
tectually guarded against the possibility of
loss. The present Legislature has it in its
power to secure for itself no ordinary honor,
by the enactment of such law, strong and
efficient for the purpose indicated, and the
enjoyment rot only of the appreciation, but
the permanent gratitude of every citizen.
Notwithstanding the satisfactory reduction
of the public Indebtedness, as shown in the
foregoing statements, an immense State debt
is still upon US, requiring nearly two million
OF dollars to be collected to pay the interest
accruing upon it annually. It's extinguish-
ment at the earliest practicable period, not
inconsistent with other public interests, is of
the highest importance to every Taxpayer.
l cannot, therefore, too strongly urge the
strictest economy in respect to every expen-
diture and the utmost retrenchment in every
department.
Retrenchment is emphatically demanded
By the people, in legislative expenditures, as
well as in every other branch of the Gov
ernment. Their eyes are open to investigate
every transaction; and by their ballots they
are ready to strike down those who will n not
take effective action in favor Of positive and
radical reform The money paid into the
Treasury is the property OF the people, every
one of whom has a just right to hold his
representatives to strict accountability for
every dollar that may be appropriated or
expended.
| here renew the remarks made last year
On the subject of annual appropriations,
to which you are respectfully referred. For
four successive years the general appropria-
tion bills have been signed on the 1ltf day
of April. being about the time of adjourn
ment The Governor has been forced either
to sign the bills without proper investigation,
notwithstanding any objections he may have;
suspend the means to defray the operations
of the government for the ensuing year, or
call an extra session of the Legislature. L
repeat that sit is earnestly desired that the
appropriation bill be taken up, discussed and
passed at sufficiently early period during
the session to enable it to receive that thor
ough examination which its importance de-
mands.
EDUCAUoN-CoMMoNS SCHOOLS.
The annual report of the Superintendent
Of Common Schools exhibits the condition
of that department in highly satisfactory
manner. Within the State there are l.9lS
school districts; l3. 100 schools =, 1882 gra-
ded schools; IL, sos school directors; 73
county, city and borough superntendents;
1911 teachers; and S00,5l5 pupils The
cost of tuition for the car was So, 273, 269 43;
of building, purchasing and renting school
houses, Sl,99l,l52 55; of contingencies,
SS54,243 2l These three items, with ex-
penditures for all other purposes connected
Herewith, amount to the aggregate sum of
Sc, 200, 537 90.
These facts are exhibited with great salts
faction, as they show the average annual cost
for the tuition of each pupil to be about
seven dollars and seventy four and halt
cents. The average amount paid to each
teacher is about Sl95 ia per annum. This,
in my opinion is too small a salary to secure
the services of competent teachers; and |
am fully justified in urging the necessity OF
increased compensation. 1t is but Just, and
it will have an elevating tendency not only
upon the teachers but the manner in which
their duties are performed.
Your attention is called to the fact that
notwithstanding the ample provision now
made by law for the education OF all persons
between the ages of six and twenty.one years
large numbers of children, principally In our
cities, do not attend any kind OF school,
Over twenty thousand of this class are found
in Philadelp phia and the number in the State
is estimated to be not less than seventy five
thousand. These children grow up in ig-
norance, frequently without employment,
and many of them contract habits OF vice,
which eventually cause them to be commit
ted to houses of refuge, county prisons or
penitentiaries. Humanity and sound public
policy demand that something be done to
remedy this growing evil, and also that OF
the neglected condition of considerable num-
bers of children in the aims and poor houses
in many of the counties.
Four Normal schools are now recognized
as State Institutions. The number OF stu
dents attending them during the past year
was 2,ll5. of whom eighty graduated. Two
additional Normal Schools Will probably go
into operation during this year, one located
at Bloomsbury, Columbia county, and the
other at California, Washington county. The
value of these institutions to the common
school system cannot be estimated. Our
schools are comparatively worthless without
qualified teachers, and such teachers can
most easily be obtained from the Normal IN
stitutes, where the art of teaching Is made
a speciality.
4 meeting Of the presidents and other
authorities Of number of our principal col
leges was held in Harrisburg last winter, the
object of which was to bring about closer
union of all our educational institutions, and
connect by bond Of sympathy, If not of
organic structure. the common schools, high
schools, academies and colleges. The es
tablishnient of such an educational depart
ment seems to be desirable.
There is no subject more worthy the delib-
eratious of the Legislature than the promo
tion of the welfare OF our common schools.
They Immediately underlie the characteristic
features of our social system; they are
fountains of that widespread intelligence,
which, like perennial vitality, pervvades the
nation, and are nurseries of that inquirlng
spirit to which we are indebted for the purity
and preservation of our free institutions. In
a republican government education is sure
basis of power and public prosperity. BY 1t
the people are taught to discern and estimate
the value of their own rights; to distinguish
between oppression and the exercise of law
iul authority; to discriminate between liberty
and licentiousness to preserve an lnvlo!abie
respect for the laws. and exercise eternal
vigilance" against any encroachments upon
T. IL