Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-01-27


for expanding it, SO as to- Rake
it more thorough and eomprel I've.
The recommendations of the Superint INT,
whose long expcrieuae AaaR .eal,acaAon -
own and other States, entities them to your at
tentive consideration, will be before you in his
report. would suggest, in view of the vast
extent of our State, the Importance of the
work, and its increasing demands on the time of
the State Superintendent, whether it would
not be advisable to provide for the
selection of one assistant superintend-
ent in each congressional district, whose
duties would be indicated by their
official designation, and who should be re-
CURED to hold teachers institutes in the sew
eral counties within their districts. believe
this would provide for better and more efec-
tual supervision of our schools, both general and
local than We have yet known, and be means
of advancing the standard of both officers and
teachers of the schools. Much time and ex-
pense, / think, might be economical if our
schools could enjoy the benefit of actual, fire.
quent, personal supervision by county and
State superintendent. These superintendent
should be practical educators. chosen because of
especial qualifications for these responsible po-
sitions Your experience and knowledge of
these matters, however, will enable you, with
other means of information, to decide and act
on all these subjects to the satisfaction of the
people.
would call the attention Of the General As
sembly to the salary of the Superintendent of
Public instruction. appointed the present in
cumbent one year ago, to fill the vacancy oe-
casioned by the death of the lamented Wells,
without his solicitation and against his protest,
because ] believed him possessed of degree
of enthusiasm and love for common schools
rarely excelled. He accepted his position with
salary of 81 500, resigning one worth more
than double this amount.
NORMAL SCHOOLS
The proper education of the youth Of our
STATE is duty paramount to every other. To
a Ills we must have well qualified teachers.
graduate from the normal school having
educated with special reference to the
'es of study and methods in the public
sca.uis, WILL OF necessity, other things being
equal, take the precedence over one educated
without this previous preparation.
AT the present time, so far as can learn, the
demand for well qualified teachers is far greater
than the supply and the rapid increase of the
population Of the State multiples this def
cheney. The Normal Department of the State
University, which is the only professional
school in the State for educating teachers.
specially, is altogether Insufficient to meet This
growing demand. In justice to our best in.
terests we ought at once to widen our normal.
school facilities.
In most of the leading States, normal schools
to the number of two or more in each have
been established and receivee annual appropri-
ations from their legislatures The beneficial
influence OF such schools is no longer cues
toned; and we may with profit follow their
example. feel confident that the hope
Of our common schools lies largely
in this special preparation of teachers, and
l would therefore urge upon the General As
sembly, 10 do something in this direction. 1t
has occurred to me, that, if my recommends
tions hereinafter made relative to vacating the
SOLDIERS Orphans Homes" at Glcnwood and
Cedar Rapids meet your appreciation, those
new buildings could be fitted up for the pur-
pose of normal instruc ton.
STATE UNIVERSITY.
During the last session of the General As
sembly, the long vacant presidency Of the
University was filed by the appointment OF
James Black ID. d., of Washington College,
Pennsylvania. a ripe scholar, and a gentleman
of acknowledged ability. The wisdom of the
selection has been justified by the history OF
the University since he become connected
with it.
Two departments, devoted especially to in
struction in the learned professions, have been
established within the last two years. The
Iowa Law School, private institution, stu.
ated at Des Mones, was in September, 1868,
removed TO Iowa City, and, being merged in
the University, became its law department
the gentlemen who mad previously conducted
the law school with eminent success being
chosen professors OF the new department.
In the same month, the Board OF Trustees
established the medical department, but it was
not until the June following that any of the
chairs were supplied, and it is only within a
few weeks that the last remaining vacancy In
the faculty was filled. 1t is intended TO open
this department in the fall Of 1870.
The preparatory department, so long an
offense to many friends of the University, has
been discontinued, and it's more advanced class
merged in the collegiate department, the course
OF study therein being extended TO five years
There has also been Encouragement OF the
course of studies, an increase in the list OF
optional ones, and larger provision made for
the study of our own language and its litcra-
ture
of this institution has been most cheering to
its friends. II is a laudable ambition which
aspires to the hope that in this fair common
wealth shall be reared an institution, which,
enriched by culture, strong in the sympathies
and afrectionatc prize of the people, and wisely
auo judiciousIy managed, shall one day rank
all the most famous seats Of learning.
he endowment fund of the University is
1 3962S. This il exclusive Of unsold land,
/. is valued at $22, O492S. The income Of
the University, during the two years ending
June 30, 1869, was $50, 1926, inclusive Of
a. 2s7 So received from the State treasury, and
the expenditures $4,37222. Many improve
ments have been made in the buildings and
couipments, and considerable accessions to the
library q law library established, and additions
made to the geological, botanical, and other
collections to the scientific apparatus; for
details Of which yon are respectfully referred
To the report of the Board of Trustees.