The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-06-01
Communications
OUR COMMON SCHOOLS.
THE FIRST THING,

Mr. Edder-I intend to write ffty-twa Tet
ters on the subject of popular educatfon dur
enonr nie Snt ,bg year In these letters shall
IN regard to the defects, the firstand great T
which viii command and secmre o1aIjfied teacbs
eIs' rms IS the starting point-the irst thing
@Slohey! @ How shall it be obtained2 Certainly
not Dy taXatIon, for the people are already
heavliy taxed We need two or three millions
0t ot ,o collars per year more money than we have
az az present; There are ten thousand teachers in
the State, In rural districts who do not receive
enough money for teaching to keep themseIv es
least three hundred dollars more per year to
ahord decent living. Their salaries are about
tnlrty-nVe dollars per month for five and one
half months, or about 500 per year, whereas
they ought each one to get at least $500 per a :
money to come from
My first proposition is that the General Gov
ernment grant to the inhabitants in the thir-
teen original colonies, the amount of one dol
lar annually to each and every inha bita MT, from
the proceeds of the public lands, and in consid-
Grafton for the losses sustained by the Revolu-
tionary war, the war of lSl2, aud the Mexican
war, as well as for the money spent in the pur-
chase of Louisiana, Florida, &c.,-which money
must be spent IN the cause of education. This
would give to PENNSYLVANIA about three mill
lions of dollars annually.
Now, why should this be done7 Ist Because
the original inha bitants of these coIoniesfougbt
for or paid for these lands, I'd. Because these
lands are given to all the Western States for
educational purposes. Sd. Because the origin
al thirteen States need the money. These bro
POSITIONS are strong. Every body knows that
one hundred years ago there were NO Westarn
States-that fifty years ago there were bnt Few.
tnat they are in the main settled by foreivners
who took no part in our STRUGGLES for indeSSnnS
ence, yet who obtain ed ca tionai aid from theee
lands as soon as they arrive and settle Since
the year 1900, ten millions of forefTners arriWed
in this country, three-fourths of whom settled
In the western States. do not argue thai they
should not be educated, with the aid of the
public lands; only argue that the descend
ants of those who fought for freedom and who
spent their treasure for the purchase of terri
tory, nave at least an equal right TO a pro rata
share of these lands. 1t is well known that
every Western State receives large educational
n frn IN hos lQHa lc IW,IA a..
nue. arises from land grants for educational
purposes. 1t is also we'll known that the thir-
teen original States need aid that they are
struggling to maintain systems of public in
struction, which are inefficient for want of suf-
hcient means, and that the educational taxes
are enormous in each State. ! have not room
or time to discuss this question here. 1t is suf-
let rctiectlng minds elaborate the argument
1t in the struggle with the Indians and for free
aoIn ana lndependence, we did not justly and
honoraoly earn a title TO those lands, we ought
not 70 have them. If we did then we ought to
nave our snare III other and newer States OBJ
tain aid, then we should obtain aid and that
we need aid is a foregone conciusen.
Nhree millions year would make wonder
ful change in the Common School system. The
machinery OF the system is good, but it is inef-
! hcient. We have State Superinteudents, Coun-
" SuPerlntendents, Directors Institutes, &c.
What IS wanted is money AT present direc-
tors Tors cannot obtain enough OF teachers to open
scnooIs, not even worthless teachers. No one
VIII teach that can do better. With the salaries
tanned without difficulty. With aid from the
DOMAIN the salaries can be made so without any
Increase OF TAXATION rms Is The INST thing to
be done TO improve our system of education.
II this cannot be obtained, then my second
proposition is to obtain land grants 10 teachers,
say a quarter or section TO any teacher W no
shall have taught for ten years, a hGlf section
to any one who shall have taught twenty years,
ana tuli section to any one who shall ha We
taught forty years. This would induce teach
ers to remain in that profession at even a low
salary, in order to obtain a homestead in old
age. There are still one billion ana a quarter
acres OF Iand to give away, besides what has
! been squandered in various ways. What bet
ter thlng could be done with ii than give it to
foster and advance the cause of education?
ROB Roy.