Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-08-05
Education q. the United states,

The third annual report (for IsI2) of General
Eaton, commissioner of education, Just issued,
consists OF about o. thousand pages of inter-
eeting and instructive educational matter and
contains several maps, copied from the census
OF 1870, INTENDED to show in q striking manner
the advantages Of education. Several other
tables are taken from the census one Of which
shows that OF the total male adults in 1870
S,s43 ,O0l-there were 1,6l9,IE male adult
flliterates; and that of the adult female popula-
ton COP ,999-2. O96 049 we're Of the illiterate
class. This gives the percentage of male illit-
crate adults to the total number of adults .fTI5
per cent, and of illiterate females, .2305. In
reference to this showing the commissioner says:
''N DO can speak bOastingly of American in
ttllfgt nee, with a knowledge of the fact that
over II per cent. of the adult males of the coun-
try, who are essentially all voters, lliterate
and that nearly One-fOurth of the adult females
8ovsI = per cent. are IN the same condition
But the amount of intelligence in the country
as tested by the capacity to read and write is
not limited to these adults. The census does
not give these under 10, who can not write
cannot read; but we may make an estimate on
the basis that the same percentage holds good
as in the case of those over 10, and we find that
out OF the 3e ,55s,S'1 of the population of the
United States of all ages, r. 1876 799, or 3if7 per
cent OF the total population, must be excluded
from any estimate which would ascertain the
writing, TO exchange information with others
for the guidance of their conduct"
From table showing the public school ex-
Penditure in the several states per capita, we
learn that Massachusetts, expends the largest
amount, twenty dollars and q We cents, and that
Nevada comes next with nineteen dollars,
eighty nine cents, three mills. Colorado terri
tory and the District of Columbia follow, the
former paying fifteen dollars, sixty cents, three
mills, and the latter fifteen dollars, fifteen
cents, five mills per capita. The amounts paid
in the other states range from sixty-five cents,
four mills, North Carolina,) to twelve dollars,
thirteen cents, .threS mills, California;
The progress of education in the different
states during the year 1872, may be summed up
briefly as follows: In the New England, middle
and Western states, with q few exceptions, the
advance was steady and marked. In Delaware
there was increased agitation upon the subject
of education; but this state had not effected
any change in legislation, and had no state su-
pervision, nor any legal provision for the edu-
cation of colored children. Delaware and Ken
lucky are the only states that had no provision
for the education of this class of children The
progress in Virginia was great in the majority
OF counties. In North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Georgia, aud Tennessee, the inaetion in
country districts is deplorable. In the towns
and eenters Of population some important pro-
gress was made; that in Atlanta, Georgia, and
knoxville, Tennessee, and jacksonville, Flori-
da, being especially noteworthy. Tennessee re-
stored the state system, and the means Of state
and county supervision, and some measure of
state aid to county effort. In Kentucky the in
crease in educational interest was very great
Mississippi made g; cd progress, and the ad-
vance in Louisiana was considerable. Arkan-
sas and Alabama fell behind, and in Florida
but little progress was made. The prospect
was favorable in Texas at the time the report
was written, but since that time the free school
system, ii will be remembered, has been abol,
ished by the late legislature.
There were s11 academies in the United
States, with an aggregate attendance of 90 ,929,
and 2Ss institutions reporting to the bureau
that class themselves as colleges, Of which 30
reported only preparatory students, and 2r7 re-
ported collegiate students. The 21T colleges
reported 10. 260 students in the collegiate course
OF whom 1, i19 were females. The number of
institutions for the superior education of fe-
males was l.5, with 1,6IT instructors of whom
$40 were male and jos female, and q total of
l. ,2ss students.
The commissioner very properly calls atten-
ton ito the lack Of proper veterinary instruc-
ton In the United States, and says the epidemic
which lately visited the horses, which represent
elOo,Ooooo0 or $500 900 900 of our property,
awakened the public mind to the necessity of q
class Of well-educated veterinary surgeons. The
United States is far behind Europe In this re-
speet, and the commissioner urges the estab-
ishmeDt bs tie government of good veterinary
schools in conneeuSn with existing institu-
tons.