Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-01-19
TEACHERS COLUMN
8. q. PIERCE, editor.


We are pleased to notice the promi-
nencc given, in the Governors message;
to the educational interests Of the State.
1t has been customary to mention, in
these documents, the condition Of the
State University and our great charitable
institutions, but the wants Of the CON-
mon school, the peoples college. have sell
dom received other mention than .
formal reference to .the accompanying
report Of the State Superintendent. In
the document before us, however, much
space is given to the discussion Of the
wants of the common schools, and ''the
claims of the schools in our rural dis
tricts and the lower departments Of our
graded systems, to larger share Of the
fostering supervision Of. the State" arc
clearly and forcibly presented. After
referring to the constant increase Of the
number attending the public schools as
evidence "that our beneficent system Of
common schools is constantly charging
the sphere of its usefulness and gradually
bringing within the scope of its inestima-
bic privileges all the youth Of the State"
the Governor cordially indorses Supt.
Kisselrs recommendations in favor Of the
abolition of the sub district system, and
the establishment of a system Of graded
normal schools throughout the State,
supporting both measures by forcihle ar.
guments.
While earnestly wishing the success OF
the measures recommended by the Gov
ernor, we hardly dare hope tor favorable
action during the present session Of the
Legislature. The State that has patient
ly borne, for years, with the laundering
inefficiency of this cumberous district
system, and has been quite satisfied, the
meanwhile, to educate her teachers by
the experimental process, paying them
full wages while they were learning how
to teach, will take no hasty steps to rem
edy the evils, but will act, If at all, with
dignified elaboration. There is no pc.
litical capital to be made out Of school
legislation, and q radical change, like the
abolition ofthe sub district system, though
ultimately beneficial, might, at first, be
unpopular.
| We know that educators and politi.
clans, looking upon these questions from
different standpoints, frequently arrive
at different conclusions as TO the impor'
lance of the interests involved and the
cxpcdicncy of proposed changes. We
know, too, that for legislation, we must
wait the politicians time; must learn to
labor and to ,cait But in this matter Of
normal schools, has not patience had hel
perfect work? For years, the friends Of
education throughout the State have pc
titioned the Legislature to make provision
for the professional training of the ten
thousand teachers employed in our
schools; to give us zone or more Normal
Schools something. anything in the way
of Normal facilities, but still We wait
While waiting for our sagacious polit,-
clans to settle the question-not as to
the educational necessity. for that cannot
be an open question with any intelligent
man, but as to the expedieney Of the
matter, we have seen our sister States
steadily extending and perfecting their
normal systems, and have seen, too, the
wisdom Of their more liberal policy dem.
onstrated in the improved condition Of
their schools And must We still wait!
still continue TO entrust the education OF
the 400, 900 children Of the State largely
to mere boys and girls with minimum
qualifications, with no special prepare
ton for the work, with no just concep.
ton of the duties they assume; ignorant
even Of the theory of teaching! Must we
continue to witness the sad spectacle of
ignorance engaged in the stupendous
fraud of perpetuating itself at the public
expense?
SCHOOL REPoRT.-Tcachers will re-
member that in our Roll of Honor we