Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-12-18
}. y. HOWARD.

WAR DEPARTMENT, BUREAU REFUGEES.
ton, November 10, 1S69-HonOrdJle .Secretary OF
Wdr-Sr: In accordance with your request
have the honor to submit to the President and
Congress, through you, my views respecting the
educational work which the Freedmen's Bureau
in cooperation with the benevolent societies os
the country, has organized and carried on for
the last four years.
1 believe any thinking man will admit the ne
cessity OF continuing in some shape the educa-
tional advantages we have furnished, and Of so
extending them as to meet the wants of large
classes in the South still destitute of them.
The welfare, or, as view 1t, the very exist
ence Of our free Republic demands this. But
gentlemen say: " Let each State care for the
education Of its own children" 1 answer: Yes,
just as soon as it can meet the exigency and Is
willing to do 1t. But at present this is simply i'm
practicable wherever the majority are ignorant
Of the advantages Of thorough system of free
schools, or are opposed to them. 1t is impracti-
cable also where a State or community fa ncies
itself so poor as to necessitate dispensing with
the luxury of education.
believe that a Department OF Education may
be so organized as to meet speedily the imper-
ative wants to which have briefly referred,
and to do it in substantial conformity with the
policy of having each community take care OF
alternative of leaving ignorant masses to gravi-
tate downward, without the means of acquiring
knowledge, in the midst of those who are prac-
tically opposed to their education.
The plan offer is to consolidate the educa-
ional department of the government and the
educational division OF the bureau, under new
name, III you please, but embracing the powers
Of both. This will enable the Commissioner to
gather statistics from those States where ade-
quate educational systems now operate, and,
further, to establish schools by cooperation
with benevolent, state, and local agencies, where
no such systems exist. The power Of incOrpo-
rating into the work Of the new department or
bureau the state superintendents Of schools
with or without additional compensation. will
produce organic unity and gradually accom-
plish what Is 80 much to be desired, the cOrrec-
ton Of adverse sentiment, the practical demon
stration of the value Of schools, and the gradual
assumption Of the school work by the States
themselves. All this can be effected by An act
of Congress carefully drawn and put in the
hands Of proper men for its execution.
benefits to the impoverished whites not vet
reached, but may also tend to develop the limi-
ted educational advantages now offered to the
Indians. II objections are offered to this pro-
position on the ground of its cost or Of the ten
dency to Capitalization, it may be answered
LIST. That education is generally the very best
possible investment that can be made in q free
government. Intelligent citizens, as every one
knows, in all their varied occupations, make
constant returns to the government largely in
advance of the money expended by il for their
educution. To the second objection, It Is suffi-
cient TO oppose the well known fact that he
general education of the mas ses always tends to
the procurement OF the largest liberty consist
cent with good government, thus counteracting
all centralizing tendencies;
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
pravet Ma ior- -(,eneral (,ommissioner