The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-06-05
Ghe Grlbnuc.
UNIVERSAL. EDUCA1Ioy


ize. aud the annual appropriation
sustain
NATIONAL BUREAU OF EDUCATION.
A general desire has long been nan
tested ny educators for the estabi<hmet
of an Office under the contro of the Gci
era! Government, which would stimulat
the educational interests of tie nation
Washington, when President, advised
provision for this Object; but nnthin
beyond ) ale organization was aceoni
plished until the Republican party cam
into power Then. or soon after. tn
sehject received attention. and was agi
tsssed very generally throughout III
Free States. Not much. however, wa
done until after General Grant closed
the war, and relieved the public mind
from the burden of that ali-engrossine
Interest
A preliminary movement, a memo
rial was presented to the Thirtv-nirrh
Congress by a NATIONAL cnn7entio, Of
school su2erintendents The petition
was largely sustained by the popular will
throughout the Free States 10 response
to the petition Congress, on the ID OF
March, 1867, gave effect TO a hill eStah-
fishing Department # EdGcatian."
by this enactment. the President was
authorized. 'by and with the advice nf
the Senate, TO appoint Con missioner
OF Education, who shall be at liberty
to appoint three clerks to assist him
The bill also directed that the duties of
the Commissioner should be as fellows
FIRST T" collect snch statistic, and
facts as shall show the condition and
progress Of education in the several
States and Territories.
Second To diff,l>e such information
respecting the ,reanization and manage
ment OF school. and sch ,al systems. as
shall aid the people of the United States
in the establishment and maintenance
OF efficient school systems, and otherwise.
promote the cause Of education through
out the country
Besides these general affects, the act
OF rganization directed that the Com.
missioner should give IN Is first annual
report, a statement of the several grants
of land made by Congress to promote
education the manner in which these |
trusts have been managed he amount
OF funds arising therefrom, and the an
nual proceeds of the same, 50 far as the |
facts could be determined.
Soon after authority was thus given. |
Henry Barnard. LII d., was appointed |
and entered with great /
Zeal and diligence upon his arduuus la
boris. His first report was Transmitted |
20 the Senate on the 30th of May, 1868.
Ii formed an octave volume of over eight
hundred and fifty pages, and contained,
among other themes of interest articles
On the Educational Land Policy of the
United States" Constitutional ProviS-
ons in Regard to Education - School
legislation ''The American Doctrine
# Taxation for Public Schools ;" Elm
alton 10 Europe - Normal Schools"
&c.
In July, 1869, the Department of
education was abolished, ami an OF
ice o! Education was substituted, and
attached to the Department of the Iure-
ior. The eh,of of thi fl eu DC
tyled. as formerly, Commit sioner of
Education" The duties of the office"
vere the same as those of the Depart
nent,' but the Commissioner was to e
lnder the direction. and his acts subject
o the supervision, of the Secretary of
he Interior II
In March. 1870, the present incum-
,ent. General John Eaton, jr +, was APP
pointed Commissioner. Since that date,
annual reports have been made to Con-
,ress for 1870. 1871, and 1872 These
eports embody a careful and extended
statement of the condition nf edues ton
hroug hout the entire country. and the
leeds of the nation in this respect. They
how an amount of research and labor
,redltable alike 20 the Intelligence. per-
everence, and industry of the Commits
ioner.
The labors of the Office of L ucation
nave been greatly hammered by obstacles
yIng in its way. Such was the cnn1i-
ion of educational statistics at the III
,eption of this TOO lnnp-neglected work.
hat it may safely be asserted that there
was not one of the prominent nations of
Europe which did not possess more coni-
plete statistics than we had in our pos
session and more exact information in
regard 10 its educational condition and
wants. There had been workers, it is
true, in the individual States, bat no
one had gathered up the general results
or generalized The formidable array Of /
facts that had accumulated. aud from |
which important deductions could be |
made. as guides for intelligent action IN |
the future. The facts and figures which |
educators, statesmen, and Legislators d,
sired to obtain where nowhere to be found |
in available shape.
To meet these demands the Office was |
formed; and, with this aim, it entered |
on its lahors.
An immense work was first to be done
in bringing all the educational institu-
tions of the country. rs well as the promi-
nent educators and State officials, into
direct communication with the office
Fer this purpose. Commissioner Eaton
visited every State and Territory in the
Union, aud consulted with the proper
officials. Forms of inquiry We're devised
and sent out By thousands; and between
three and four thousand extended in-
quiries were embodied in the statistical
tables alone of single report. State,
city. and town school reports. school
journals and periodicals, eatalogues-ir
short. everything bearing upon or illus
trating the condition Of education were
gathered aud cnllared. A system of ex