The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-08-11
Education In Pennsylvania.

With the impudencc and greedy char
acteristics of the race, yankee land
claims the sole credit of establishing
and driving forward the cause OF popu-
lar education. So far as Pennsylvania
is concerned this claim has not the least
foundation. Education was pressed by
every government this State ever had
that of Penn, the Colonial revolution
ary authority and the State. Our con-
stitutions have always contained
clause making popular education oblig-
atory. The Governors OF German
blood, SNYDER, SCuULTzE and WOLF,
were most persistent in urging the es
tablishment of public or common
schools. Through the official and per-
sonal influence of the latter the first
common school law In this State was
adopted. 1t was first materially I'M
proved under the administration of
Gov. RITNER, another of the German
stock. Hon. JESSE MILLER, State Su-
perintendent under Gov. SKUNK, (the
next succeeding Governor of German
descent) If we mistake not, was the first
State official to urge the adoption Of the
County Superintendency. The greatest
stride of all In Improvement was made
under the administration of Gov. BIG
LER, another Governor of German de-
scent. Then the County SuperiDten-
dency was established, tho teachers oc-
cupation became recognized profes-
sion, the school term was extended, the
law was rendered thoroughly efficient,
the foundation for Normal Schools was
laid, and such general Improvement
and advancement was made as was
never effected before or since.
1t has become the fashion lately for
school orators to insinuate and even
aver that the progress of 1851 was pat
termed after or suggested by New Eng
land examples. Instead of this being
true, we happen to know and can tes'
tify that all New England examples
and ideas were carefully excluded and
avoided, and our Western, Canadian
and European systems alone were re-
garded-but practically and substan-
TALLY our own experience, the charac.
ter and wants of our people, and the
other conditions then existing in our
midst, controlled the whole subject and
established the progress of that day.
The editor of the Columbian has new
er been very particular about thunder
ofthat sort, and therefore has never
vindicated the authors of the act of 1854
when Others appropriated the credit
due to them, but some times this joke
is carried rather far. Recently an ora
tor lin Northampton county, we be-
lieve) declared with flourish oftrump-
cts, and in his presence, we inferred,
that to Prof. j. p. WICKERsHAM be.
longed more credit than to any other
man, living or dead, for the successful
and progress of Common
Schools in this State. Now, the Pro
fessor is gentleman to whom we ac-
cord high honor; successful teacher,
one of the most efficient of County Su-
under whom and by
whom the first State Normal School in
this Commonwealth was established,
and who has made a creditable State |
superintendent, efficiently executing
the laws and plans heretofore establish
ed by others. That much is his due.
We are not objecting to any amount OF
honor being piled upon his head, even
though it should pierce the heavens,
but we do object to the ignoring of men
who have deserved we'll of their coun-
try and to the honors belonging to them
being piled upon the heads of others to
whom they do not belong.
We believe that we have the most ef-
licient public school system in Pennsyl-
vania that exists in America, and to
our Governors of German blood belongs
the credit of establishing it.