Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-05-24

down to his eyes SO he could see the
red lines and official signatures
Then came his first tears. snow,
boys, I don't care to get well. It's
all wiped out, ain'tit7 was deter
mined to get we'll to wipe it out,
you know. But now, torn up as l
am, it is better to die" Aud the
next morning, with the order and
old Rosa's letter on his breast, Lit
tie Potter died. And still can we
hear the grizzly old surgeons words,
rs he came to the cot, 'sDead? Why,
God bless the boy"
The American System OF Public
Schools.
The following brief statement,
setting forth the character and
claims Of the American public
school system, was prepared at the
request Of the Japanese embassy
now in this country, and is to be
translated for circulation in Japan.
1t has been indorscd by the presi-
dents of eighteen colleges, includ-
ing Yale and Harvard, the super
intendents Of public instruction of
several States, several governors,
cx-governors and senator's and other
gentlemen interested in or officially
connected with American public
schools, and will be found interest
ing to readers at home, as a clear
and concise exposition of the Ameri-
can system of education:
L. Education universal. The
American people maintain in every
State system Of education which
begins with the infant or primary
school and goes on to the grammar
and high schools. These are called
public schools" and are supported
chiefly by voluntary taxation, but
partly by the income of funds deri-
we'd from the sale of government
lands, or from the gifts of indivi-
duals.
U.-Public schools have been
tried for two hundred and fifty
years. Their estimate of the value
Of education is based upon an ex-
periencc Of nearly two centuries and
half, from the earliest settlement
Of New England, when public
schools, high schools and colleges
were established in region which
was then almost a wilderness. The
general principles then recognized
are still approved in the older por-
tions ofthe country, and are adopted
in every new State and Territory
which enters the union.
1II.-The well-known advantages
of educaution. 1t is universally
conceded that good system Of
education fosters virtue, truth, sub
mission to authority, enterprise and
thrift, and thereby promotes nation
al prosperity and power; on the
other hand, that ignorance tends to
laziness, poverty, vice, crime, riot,
and consequently to national weak
ness.
IV.-Statc action indispensable.
Universal education cannot be Sc.
cured without aid from the public
authorities; or in other words the
State, for its own protection and
progress, should see that public
schools are established III which at
least the rudiments of an education
may be acquired by every boy and
girl.
V.-The schools are free, are
open to all, and give moral not Sec
tartan lessons. The schools thus
carried on by the public, for the
public, are (o) free from charges Of
tuition; (b) they are open to children
from all classes in society; (c) no
attempt is authorized to teach in
them the peculiar doctrines of any
religious body, though the bible is
generally read in the schools; and
(N the universal virtues, truth,
obedience, industry, reverence,
patriotism and usefulness, are con-
stantly inculcated.
VI.-Privatc schools allowed and
protected by law. While public
schools are established everywhere,
the government allows the largest
liberty to private schools. Individ-
uals, societies and churches are free
to open schools and receive freely
any who will come to them, and in
the exercise Of this right they are
assured Of the most sacred protec-
ton Of the laws.
VII.-Special schools for special
cases. Special schools for special
cases are often provided, particular
ly in the large towns; for. example,
evening schools for those who are
at work by days truant schools for
unruly and irregular children; nor
NAL schools for training local leach
ers; high schools for advanced in
structions; drawing schools, for
mechanics, and industrial schools
for teaching the elements of useful
trades.
VIIT.-Local responsibility under
State supervision. In school mat
ters, rs in other public business, the
responsibilities are distributed and
are brought as much as possible to
the people. The federal govern
ment, being Union Of many States
leaves to them the control Of public
instruction. The several States
mark out, each for itself, the gencr-
al principles to be followed and OK
ercisc - general supervision over
the workings of the system; subor-
dinatc districts or towns determine
and carry out the details Of the
system.
Universities and colleges
essential. Institutions Of the high
est class, such rs universities,
colleges. schools Of science, ETC.,
are in q few of the States maintain
ed at the public expense; in most
they are supported by endowmcnts
under the direction Of private COR
porations, which are exempted from
taxation. Consequently, where
tuition is charged the rate is always
low. They are regarded as essen
tial to the welfare of the land, and