Litchfield enquirer., 1871-05-25

terms heightened, so that our school year is now longer than that of any of the. New England States. and surpassed by only one in the Union. Salaries of teachers have advanced, the number of absen- tees greatly reduced, and teachers insti- tutes and educational meetings more large. ly attended than ia any former year. 1i The total amount expended for free schools the past year was $1 ,633, ,587 .76. We have l, ,644 public schools in the State taught by 2. .372 teachers. We have 128, AS children in the State between the ages of four and sixteen, an increase for the year of 3,041-of these 1i9, 914 attend school during some portion of the year, being an increase over any former year of 5,327. The able and exhaustive report of the board of education will be laid before you. The efficient and indefatigable secretary of the board has rendered the State much valuable service for which I think he has been inadequately compensated. I would suggest for your consideration whether there may not be some way devised to in crease both the capital and income of the school fund, either by allowing it to legal ly obtain seven per cent. on it's loans or by light tax in some direction. It's pres ent dividend of one dollar per scholar is worth in fact less than one half the former dividend of one dollar and half. The school tax bears more heavily on the sparsely settled and agricultural towns, while the cities and centres of wealth de- riveth most benefit from it. The ability, capacity and intelligence of the State like it's streams flow towards the valleys and centers of business, and these latter should S,A L are to gain their recruits.
 The law in regard to the schooling of minor children has worked happily and has been wisely administered by the agent of the board of education. It has received lecturers. While strikes and strife be- tween labor and capital injurious alike to all parties, abound in other States, perfect harmony exists between employer and em- ployed. An amendment to the law is sug. gested by the board of education in order to secure the actual attendance at school for at least three months. of all the child ren relieved from employment, the enact ment of which I recommend. In view of the wide demand for mechanical drawing, I think it should be included in the course of common school studies. w
 The Normal School is in Aourishing condition and is doing well, most impor- tant work. The whole number in attend ance the present year is 148. Whole num- Der connected with it since it's organiza- tion, 2,628. at an average cost to the State for the normal training of each of less than forty dollars. Our. annual appropriation to the school is but 7,5O0. It tneeds more. It is not wise for the State to be niggardly S., Sc n1, a1 Tk f., needs apparatus, of which it has less than many of the high schools of the State, and some of the common schools. think the appropriation for this year should be ten or twelve thousand. dollars, besides a spe. cific sum for apparatus. The report of the board of visitors of the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale Colleges will be foundfvery interesting and important, while it@wil show good progress in various directions 1t will call particular attention to the ad- vance which has been made within a year m department of instruction which has an important bearing upon the industries of the State. Connecticut can o1ly main- tain her high position among the States by developing the resources peculiar to her position. We have neither the fertile
 fields of the west and south, not the rich mines of the Middle States to depend upon for increase of wealth. We must look to our nearness to market, our ingenuity and skill, mechanical intelligence, utilization of machinery and economy of power for our growth. Our State should be filled with skilled workmen, ingenious artizans and improved machinery. Nothing can contribute 80 much to bring about this re- suit as fostering such school of the in- dustries as the Sheffield Scientific School is and can be made. With proper sup. port this school can do for Connecticut what the Technical School at Zurich has done for Switzerland. With our capital, enterprise, and varied industries we should command the markets of the world with our fabrics. The connection of the com monwealth and Yale College is of increas. ing importance The whole State will share in it's prosperity or suffer by its fail ure to maintain, the high rank which it holds among the great universities of the world. The corporation now consists of eleven gentlemen who fill vacancies in their own number and the governor, lieu tenant governor, and six senators of the State. While the interest and representa- tion of the State in this venerable college is very large, its official connection with it is, in fact, almost nominal, as it is rarely the case that any of the six senators attend meetings of the corporation. The great body of the graduates who have.a deep in- terest in the college, and being scattered throughout every State, can wield tbe strongest influence for it's welfare, have no direct voice in it's management. would therefore suggest, whether it would not be we'll for the State. the college, and the alumni at large, to surrender to the latter one-half of the State representation in it's board of corporation-the new members to be elected by the alumni to serve for four years, one to go out each year. do not know how this can be done, if at all, nor am aware whether it would be agreeable to any of the parties concerned, but if it can be accomplished, think the effect would be good. a.
 The railroad interest of the state is of increasing importance, and commend to your careful attention the report of the commissioners-and, particularly, that part of 1t which suggests further legislation. Some amendments to our laws regarding railroads are evidently needed. There are completed and in use in the state 667 miles of road, and 250 miles in process of con- struction, with astock capital in the aggre- gate of about thirty millions, and bonded debt of about fifteen millions The gross earnings of all these roads are about nine millions, while it costs about six and one- half millions to operate them, and reuuir.