The national Republican., 1869-06-29

give you . dry disquisition upon the requisite
qualifications OF teachefs. In entering upon
the untried and responsible duties Of the offiee
/ conferred on me By the favor OF our city'H
chief executive ohiser, and BY rstiacation OF
the Board Of Aldermen, have felt that the
first thing necessary was for me to make the
low hborers. Fortunately I have . very
pleasant soqetia.ance with majority OF our
tesehers, to whots, 4: we'll as 70 those with
70 say hst como ss your friend, and hope
to prove myself your best friend, so far as
yS., rs,afion. 70 ne a.s sesoos hoo. are concerned
sions which nay have been created BY the
fsl.e and fsl!sslons report which has been
put In eirsulation that. am about TO assum
ber of the present tsschers and OF Importing
q "bsteh OF teachers from the North,S / viii
an aSs Gns q 'SOss rs
believe change is aiways Improvement. But
AN in favor Of progress, and OF fesching ss
% 3, 81 To as Pe:s:Ss and .n.a
selves. for the sake OF improving our public
schools, and TO devote yourselves 70 the iegitI.
hnd that you are .aosss.fai IL PEI performing sG
hat shall ss Ia favor o. change 'S But w .o%s ss
up 10 my ideas Of perfection, or even 10 Wf yout
own Ideas, I shall feel It my duty nrst to ad.
yiss with you, and help you to Improve and
Here allow me to say that have had an 40.
quaintanee with large number OF teachers in
many o. our most favored cities, snd am
our teaehers In this city will compare fsvors.
Ply with those q any sityi and ! believe that
Iasa may y,ssp t,ssspss our Public sshSol. have been
those OF almost any other city. We have de-
fects, which arise In part from the shortness
M q time n ~ which our system has been in opera.
our motto 10 and should be "Exeeisior." AZ
We have for the last twenty years been taking
oos ,sp; iorrs,s srsry year now
0ns Of the steps Of progress which I hope
may be- taken this year, and which cannot
Mayor and our city fathers, is that Of estaS.
and normal school. We have, at the present
oGss % asa sSo 81 ss: ss. cVG
within 2 year or two past, 10 start such q
young people, who have made % up iheir II Minds Minds
to 90 out OF Town and spend their scasty
| selves for such places hs will make them more
useful citizens among US. Then sgain, q large
number are obliged to break away from tic
Into the bp.ise.. of lie unprepsrcd or hsif
ntied Tor their responsibilities,
gregste Of wealth and physical prosperity OF
any city or community 10 In proportion to the
aggregate OF knowledge among the masses of
and refinement Increase, aud II cannot be sue.
eessfully denied that the moral growth Of a
people And tho asSregate Of real hsppincss are
Increased In proportion to the improveme int Of
the human mind and tho Increase of knowl.
edge, As this growth becomes a part OF :he
wealth and power Of the people, II Is the
which can furnish this higher educatIon. At
present our grammar schools, while they arc
doing lS noSie & ana neess,sry e, work, are doing
our youth for the successful pursuit Of knowI-
edge. They, on leaving school, like half
struggle along aud combat with III ifcuitics for
mauy years; when few years under a master
worknau would have e1Abled them to gain
more Knowledge and power, with far greater
pleasure to themselves. but this ia not the
place. perhaps, to argue this question, and /
think II not necessary, so far As our distin-
lators are concerned. At any rate, we hone
that they are prepared to move forward In this
some persons may object 10 thi. movement
now because they think we are not provided
either with suitable buildings or with teach
err; A. the most expensive part Of inaugu-
suitable buildings for High md Normal
School, may be pardoued for suggesting
Ing, now about being completed, will furnish
Just such accommodations as arc needed
without any increased expense. The eiabo.
great that the city viii not be likely al pres.
ent to attempt another such for q Grammar
school buiidinEj and besides there would be a
drsnmsr school building or The n FIrs, s az. ihS
trict, whilo cheaper and OF course less pre-
tsntious building were to be built In the SEQ.
needed.
while the Franklin building may no, have
the most central location, 1t has ali the neces-
ssry show and commodlousness required for
the peoples city college. This building
should be the place for. the High and Normal
school, and for furnishing accom- odations for
. n nG nEGA AalI a.laI
the lowest to the highest, and where there
should bo a model school OF every grade.
while the High and Normal school might be
present Grammsr schools OF the First dis.
trict might be accommodated In the building.
graded. At once the normsl class should be
organized. The principal additional expense
would consist 70 the salary Of a principal for
should be sufficient to comm nd the best tai.
cot and experience which our country affords
This 70 one OF the steps Of progress which
ought to be taken At ouce.
I may be Pardoned also for saying, that u
We would secure and retain men Of proper
qualifications, to take charge OF = well graded
grammar school In each OF the four Districts
the salaries OF the principals ought TO be 10.
| creased. The salaries Of the other grades OF
our schools are on the whole better than those
otnny other city 10 our oountry.
There are many other topics or Interest both
to teachers and to our ow.citizens upon
which l could speak and which should be dis
privilege OF saying something In my reports,
Institute, where J. hope Often to meet the
teachers and friends OF the schools during the
year.
The details OF my next years work I do not
propose now e give, though expect to have
them matured before the beginning Of my next
school year.
In.y say here, r. q general way, that I e..
efforts to the special Interests fi Of education @ ny
have mover had any love for political life, and
what little experience l have had In that di-
gladly avoided, as i now gladly divorce my.
self from II.
Ishsll ever cherish the views have adopt
fessed Christian mani but in the discharge Of
ny duties as Superintend ndent ofPublic Schools
! intend, in the GrH place, to know no party,
party, as well as OF another. Tu the second
place, do not Intend to know any sect or de-.
homisstion, for I believe the public schools
should be so conducted as not to interfere
with the religious belief or practice OF any be.
lieyer OF Divine revelation. Church pollty
nna AMI 1hS ohSTsh dSotIne belong to churches and
ties and religious seotariAnism, 1 shall com
slider II my duty to discourage them and dis.
approve them In the Administration OF every
Again: do not intend to have any pet dis.
triets, nor any pet schools, nor any ,tteaehers,
efgies 70 sH, aud my special effofts to Il hose @
who need the most help. / de not expect to
vlsit that school oftenest which has the best
teacher and the best behaved scholars; and
further, do not expect to have any pet studies,
but shall seek to secure, as nearly as posi-.
BILE, equal development In all the studies re-
quired In the schools.
l shall expect to call the teachers together
from time to time for such lectures and drills
as may seem necessary; and perhaps l need
not ssy that shall expect every teacher to
tako an active part, and hold himself or her
self ready to try to do whatever may be re-
guiredi and In return you may be assured that
shall siways be ready to render you any as.
slstAnce In my power.
In conclusion, / will say that every sign Of
our times Indicates a glorious future for the
cause OF public education Ia this city. Our
city government Ia awake to II; our citizens
are awake to III and | may say that Congress
Is not inattentivc to our wants. II I may so
| speak, we have the best kind OF material with
which to build up model system OF public
schools to which we may Introduce visitors
from different parts OF our own country, and
tho friends OF education from other countries.
We have made good beginning and let US
| all, As teachers and citizens, give our hands,
| our hearts, and our best energies to the work
The superintendent in a dscusslve man.
ner spoke Of a number of studies In which
Improvement could be made, noticing the