The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-11-15
EDUCATIONAL.


REMEDY.
The following circular has been sent
10 each OF the members of the Legisla-
lure:
DEPARTMENT o. Public INsTRrcrrox.l
i lNDIAKAP0LIs, Nov. 8. 1872.
DEAR SIR: On behalf Of tho cduea.
tiona Interests of the State we ask OF
yon Jew minutes Of earnest attention.
While the material wealth Of our State
seems Unlimited, aud we are all proud
Iof lis prosperity, We are compelled to
lccnfess that, cducstionally, il is far IN
The back ground. According to the
United States School Commissioners
late report, we have within our borders
one hundred and twenty-thousand one
hundred and twen'y-fonr persons over
Ten years Of age who can not write their
own names. When We remember that
few who pass this age without learning
10 read and write ever learn. then add
to this vast number the hundreds who,
ashamed of their ignorance, have failed
To report themselves, and then add the
thousands who can barely read and
write In the most imperfect manner. and
We have mass of ignorance that is
fearful. According to Commissioner
Eaton's tables, compared with other
Northern Suites, Indiana is at the bot
tom of tho. list Michigan, Ohio aud
Illinois, States immediately joining
ours, all stand much better than We do.
Indiana has forty thousand more ma
tive illiterates than has the great State
Of New York with triple our popula-
ton. There is no good reason why this
state OF things should exist; and it does
exist simply for the reason that in the
past our legislators have made educa-
ton secondary matter. Our only rem
edy is better schools, and these can not
be had soon without some favorable
taxation. The schools in our cities and
larger towns are generally good, and
compare tavOrably with similar schools
in other States. The trouble is in our
country schools. Some Of these at pres
emit continue less than fifty days each
year. In them, as a rule, there is no uni
iormity OF textbooks, 10 systematic
grading, no examination, no regular
order Of promotions, no comparison of
work to stimulate either pupils or teach
Iers,no good teaching aud little improve
quires new set of books, aud frequent-I
ly spends half his first term in undvinaI
what his predecessor had done. These
things CAN only he remedied by inteiii-
gent supervision. There must be some
head 10 organize and direct. The duties
OF the School Examiner should be ex-
tended. This Office should he filled by
only we'll qualified persons " no should
be literally paid and required to give
their entire time to the country schools.
with an. efficient supervising head in
each county, we should soon have sys-
TEN aud efficiency, where now we have
disorder and misdirected energy and our
country schools would compare favor
ably with our city schools. " it'll close
anu judicious supervision the efficiency
vi our ungraded schools could he in
creased ITO per cent in a single year. IT
Is The universal feeling that this super
vision Is the one thing our schools most
need, and that it is the key 10 every
thing else. The length Of the school
term should be extended to at least ski
months each year. not by increasing the
general tax, but by requiring The ;rus-
Ices to levy local tax. This is what ;
The cities already do. AT present a partla
u our school fund is drawing 6 per I
'ent, part per cent. and part per 1
;eht. Since money is everywhere worth !
~ per cent, We see no good reason whvr
III the school fund should not draw al y
cast per cent. Were this the case ourlp
nnual receipts would be increas ed more b
han o1O,ODN. Other changes i'm our o
chOol law are desirable, but need not p
cre be specified. We think that our u
tate Normal School and our State Uni 81
eersity should be more literally pro- "
ided for. Tue building Of the former Il
yet unfinished, and the latter needs
dditional new buildings for its different u
apartments. The Normal School need,
xceedingly library, a cabinet and :,
ome philosophical and chemical appa- "
atus. No appropriations were made :
Dr. these institutions by the last Legis-
'ture, and the trustees of each have had
borrow money on their individual !.
aper to sustain them. Nothing will be ~
sked for that has not been carefully con- =
dercd and agreed upon by the leading "
EDUCATIONAL men Of the State. On the az
81 ultimo, at joint meeting --of the ~
tate Board of Education, the Trustees 0.
the State University and of the State ol
ormal School, the needed legislation :,
educational matters was freely dis ~
Used, the main points agreed upon, al
'mmittee appointed to put the matter al a.'
roperly before the educational COM {"
ittees. The unanimous sentiment of Is
e meeting was to ask for only those OIL
'ings that seemed absolutely essential
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