Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-01-21


printing after the Let inst. and material reduc-
ion is anticipated. 1t is believed that this reduc
lloh Tor the ensuing year, under the terms of the
new contracts for printing and paper, Will amount
to at least s35,O00.
| THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The faithful administration Of the Department
/ OF Pubnc Instruction the past year furnishes
sufficient assurance of due progress in our com
mon schools. Important facts and suggestions
are embodied in the annual report Of the Super
| intendent. An impression prevails that a con-
siderable number OF our children Of school age
are destitute Of the benefits OF education Hap
pily THIS assumption Is not fully justified by any
| statement Of facts reliably ascertained. The
| school census OF each year shows the attendance
for the year only of all children between the ages
OF Tour and twenty, years | suggest to you such
an amendment tofhe existing law as to dispense
WITH all speculation as to the actual number of
| children growing up in ignorance by requiring at
each school census hereafter an enumeration of
| the number OF children of school age who have
| never attended school or otherwise acquired
knowledge OF the rudimentary studies taught in
! the public schools. Statistics thus cheaply OBJ
| tanned would prove valuable data for future con
| siAeration.
| THE STATE UNIVERSITY.
The trainers Of our Constitution wisely enacted
| that provision should be made by law for the
| establishment of II State university, ator near the
| seat OF the State Government, and for connect
| ing with the same, from time to time, such col
leges in the different parts of the State the in
terests OF education may require. And our Con
stitution furthermore provided that 1.-THE pro-
ceeds of all lands that have been may hereafter
the support OF university shall be and remain
| a permanent fund, = the interest OF which
shall be appropriated to the support of the State
1t Is a just source of regret that the trust thus
imposed upon the State by Congress and the
trainers of our State Government has not been
more generously and faithfully executed. The
original endowment was munifcent and sufficient
for the noble objects sought to be accomplished.
While the State has been growing great in popu-
ulaiion and material wealth, the rightful proper
ty of the university has been layshly and impru-
IDENTITY disposed of, its appropriate revenues de-
pletcd and our children measurably denied their
inherited right to the blessings of free education
in the highest departments of knowledge.
Fortunately for the best interests Of our people
no moral obligation of the State Is impaired by
any imprudence In the execution of the original
| trust. The duty imposed upon us ia clearly in
dependent of fortutous circumstances, and the
obligation OF the compact wisely permanent.
Notwithstanding the adverse circumstances to
which have referred the university is rapidly be-
coming benefcent power and the center OF en-
tightening influences. Its organization Is com
paratively perfect In plan, the administration
increasing. An additional building for
plans of which will be submitted to you by the
faculty and committee of the Board Of Regents
In charge. II Is believed that the completion the
posed is a vital necessity, and would so positive
ly enlarge the usefulness of the university as to
enable II hereafter to command in still higher
degree the commence ana patronage OF tne friends
of liberal education, thus enlargng that patron
age and proporticnately diminishing the partial
dependence OF the institution upon legislative be-
uevolence.
In connection with this subject l again be.
speak your earnest consideration OF the problem
whether our existing system OF public instruc-
ton cannot be SO harmonized and simplihed as
TO render public labor and expenditure in this
department OF progress more economical and
efficient. We have at present schools Of every
grade common to the several States. Bnt they
mil ttaA oVtdlt atVth tad = tn
the wants Of all sections OF the State, nor do
they possess that completeness OF organization,
mutual dependence OF relationship and
unity OF purpose 40 essential to the efficiency Of
Il State system OF education. MAniiestly, our
schools should be organized into n system of
successive grades, wherein certificate OF compile
tOn OF the course In the school OF one grade should
be passport of admission to the next higher, and
In all schools supported by the public money of
Wisconsin courses of instruction should have
| reference, In whole or In part, to courses Of in
| struction In public schools Of succeeding grade
within our own State.
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS.
Apparently the greatest need OF our State at
this time in the higher department of education
Is n better supply of schools of intermediate
grade, between the lowest and the highest, emi-
lar to the plan of some of the Eastern States; so
that not only in the larger cities, but also in
every county, II not in every town. there shall be
II series of free schools leading our youth through
successive gradations from the primary school up
to the university. For fuller discussion of this
important subject, rs also of the need of legis-
latve measures looking to greater uniformity
of text books, refer you to the able report OF
our State Superintendent.
1t has been suggested ny prominent friends Of
education that the erection OF central normal
school in connection with the university would
strongly tend to harmonixe all interests and to
give q measurable unity and efficiency to our edu
cational plan. The rcasonablencss OF this sug-
gestion Il obvious. Az its name implies, the
university is intended to supplement all classes
of instruction taught In the State by public au-
thor!ty, and the adoption OF this suggestion,
while II would not necessarily impose any addi-
tional burden upon the people, would NJ least in.
sure additional efficiency and unity to this special
department OF instruction.
IMPROVEMENT or NATIONAL WATER COURSES
| regret my inability to congratulate you upon
more liberal improvement OF our national water
courses during the past season. While have
no official knowledge OF precise results. II is u
matter of notoriety that the appropriations made
by Congress for this purpose the past year were
insignificant In proportion to the magnitude OF
the interest committed to its charge and de-
pendent upon it, bounty The Improvement
OF our lake ports has been continued TO II mod
crate extent, but not on scale commensurate
with the importance OF our commerce
or the. revenue derived from our people
by the Federal Government Work at the Fox
and Wisconsin Rivers was not actively resumed
until July. and the better portion of the season
was Deedlcsnly lost TO the prosecution of that
enterprise | am unofiicially Informed that de-
tached sections OF the Wisconsin River, for a
considerable portion of the distance from Port
aye City to Prairie du Chen, are deemed complete
for nayigable purposes that dredging out the
connecting canal between the Fox and the Wis
consin Rivers il being prosecuted under contract,
and that the efficient continuance of the work the
ensuing season requires a further and more lib
cral action by the present Congress.
Probably quarter of million Of our people
reside on the immediate shores OF deep waters,
nayigated by steam and sail. These waters are
grand highways which nature has kindly and
abundaniy bestowed upon our people. They
were destined by the Creator to bear
upon their bosoins precious burdens from
our farms and workshops In exchange for
rich products of foreign industry and skill.
over all this broad expanse of nayigable waters
the Federal Government holds complete and in
disputable sway. In the solution Of the grand
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