Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-02-09
Report Of supt. ofPublio Instruet,sn

per dTClCIc, W SNO WV"
mention of every matter of educa-
tioual interest discussed in the
volumnious and very able report OF
Hon. A. S. Kissell, late Superin-
itcndent of Public Instruction, just
issued from the press. But sy-
nopsis of the more important sub
jects treated, and suggestions made,
with the prominent items of stats
tics presented, may not be unprofit-
able. Commencing with the latter,
we gather from the report the fol-
lowing facts: 81. a ..
The total number Of persons in
the State between the ages of FIVE
and twenty-one years in 1871, was
46o,629, an increase of 29,495 from
1870. The number Of schools in
1871, were 1928; increase eo4.-
Number of pupils attending school
in 1871, s4l, 1913; increase over 1870,
2l,135. The average attendance OF
1871 was 2ll,56s. The number OF
teachers employed i'll 1871, males
5,4ss; females, 1857; total, 1000,
an increase of 1885 from 1870. The
average weekly pay Of male teach
ers in 1871 was 5000, that of fe-
male teachers, $6.95. The aggre-
gate amount paid teachers in 1871
was $1,000, ss3.54. The number OF
school houses in 1871 is 1884, and
the value Ss,O9l,775.97.
A considerable space in the re-
port is devoted to the argument for
the establishment Of n ormal Schools
for the education of teachers in
their profession. This:is urged at
once, on the score Of efficiency and
economy in the public expendi-
lures. Entertaining the conviction
that the State has no higher trust,
or more vital interest, than her pub
lie school system, and believing,
with DR.. Charming, that without
good teachers, school is but a
name" Mr.. Kissell argues with
great force and directness for pro-
fessional training of the teachers.
He cites the startling fact, that of
la,575 teachers employed in the
schools of Iowa in 1870, but 754 had
any special training for their re-
sponsible vocation, save possibly
the imperfect drill Of the annual
county Institutes. He points to
the manifest inadequacy of the Nor
NAL department of the State Uni
versity to supply the demand for
trained teachers, and on those and
similar facts Pounds the emphatic
declaration that Normal Schools are
the one educational need Of the
State. -.f
The plan proposed by Mr.. kissell
is the establishment of central
Normal School Of high grade, with
. number of primary or preparatory
branches at convenient localities in
the State, the central school answer
ing to the higher departments of our
graded school system, and designed
more expressly to furnish teachers
for these, while the organization
and course of study Of the tributary
Normal Schools would prepare
teachers for the mixed schools of
the rural districts, and lower de-
partments Of the graded schools.
The report favors the abandonment
of the sub-district system and the
substitution of that of townships,
presenting an array of eminent
names who advocate the latter, and
also setting forth in detail, the adj
vantages to be derived from the
change. ..--.
The subject of moral and relig-
ious instruction is discussed at con-
siderable length, particularly the
question of the use and study Of the
Bible in the schools. Mr.. Kissell
commends the wisdom and modera-
ton Of our statute which forbids
the exclusion Of the Bible from the
schools, and at the same time pro.
vides that the pupil shall not be
required to read it contrary to the
wishes Of his parents or guardian.
Summing up the whole argument
he sees no occasion to restrict the
teacher in his efforts to inculcate
religion and morality, save to re-
quire him to avoid the dogmatic
themes, upon which religious sects
disagree. e.. .e.. rs
The report bears ample testimony
to the happy influence exerted, and
positive good accomplished by
county Institutes, and suggests that
the subject of school Jurisprudence,
particularly the changes desirable
to be made in our school laws, be
made definite subject for discus
sion in them. The efficiency of this
work depends largely upon the
manner in which it is conducted,
and in this connection the report
takes strong ground in favor of
placing the Office of County Super
intendent on higher ground in re-
gard to pay and freedom from mere
ly political influence. 1t recon-
mends, to that end, that the County
Superintendent be paid fixed sala-