The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-04-29
roumAr. scuooE.s AGAIN.

THE NORMAL SCHOOLS AGAIN.
The Zumbrota Independent ssys: III
we did not know the ANr1-MoNofoll 70
be edited by an ingenious patriot ana
atatesman. we should be apt to infer,
from the manner Of its warfare upon the |
Normal Schools, that it was engaged in |
the effort to break down the common
schools of the country, playing upon the
IGNORANCE and prejudice of class OF peo-
ple to accomplish that ignoble end.
TIE other day, in the British Parlia-
ment, DR.. Kenealcy demanded An inves-
tigation of the conduct of the Chief JUS
tice who tried the Tichbourne claimant,
and charged that the said Chief Justice
had been guilty Of partiality and corrup-
ton. whereupon Sir Henry James, q
Junk headed member. arose and said that
those charges were ''an effort to breok
doym the system, Of trial byjury!!
Thus every petty wrong, as soon rs at
tackled, entrenches itself behind the pet
ticeats of some great truth. What had
the corruption of the Chief Justice to 90
with the thousand-year old system OF
jury trial! And what has opposition to
the Normal Schools to do with the COM
mon schools of the State!
A thief caught stealing the precious
vessels and ornaments of church might
lust as we'll declare that his arrest was an
attempt to suppress the free exercise OF
religion.
The Normal Schools are no part OF the
commsn school system of this State. The
common school system consists OF the
commonkchools and the STATE University
The Normal Schools are an appendage, an
excresence, an outgrowth, not contem'
plated by or mentioned in the constitu'
ton. The schools are to teach the PEG
ple: the Normal Schools are to teach thu
teachers. Now it may be Of some i'm
portance to teach how to teach, but it j!
of thousand-fold more Importance tina
the people themselves be taught.
i It appears by the last report of tn
State Superintendent of Public Instruc
ton that there were, in 1874, in thi
State. 2lO,104 persons between the age
of five and twenty-one years. Of these
LIS. QO2 attended school during the year
So that it appears that 81 ,202 persons, be
tween five and twenty.one, did not atten'
J school ct all. Why!
Out Of 3,l14 school districts MAXIM
reports, no summer school soas held Il
4O7, Out of 3, ia school districts maxim
reports, no vi7,ter school scds held in "a
districts! There were no returns {
summer schools in Lake and Walden
counties; and no return Of winter school
in Grant, Lincoln and Wilkin countie.
, The average winter schooling was abor
5 3 IL months. The average schooling fc
the whole year was % months. 1hel
l were 407 districts that made no reports.
e Thus, it appears, that about one-eight
t or one.terth Of our whole people n
: without schools; and that 81, 202 children
. number equal to nearly eur total pre-
emit voting population, do not attend scho
: At all. And that for those who do atten
there is schooling for but about one.ha
the year.
i If now We turn to the Constitution {
our State, art. VIII, we read: -
: "The stability Of . Republican form
government depending mainly upon Il
intelligence of the people it shall b Il
: duty Of the Legislature to establish &c,
erol and uniform system Of P'sbI
schools.
e The Legislature shall make such pr
visions, by taxation or otherwise, as.wit
. the income arising from the school fun
n will secure . thorough and efficient ~
tenn ofpuhlic schools, in each tossnsh
q in the State.
:. Has this provision been complied wit
No. Oae eight of the districts are wit
: out schools, and 81, 2o2 children are gro
! ing up without education Ito the INN
u nent peril Of Republican institutions y
Y the disgrace Of our State.
Has the legislature refused to apr
e pirate money for educational ps
poses! Not at all; but its gene
Z osity has been cunningly divert
u to normal schools, instead Of pub
! schools. In ten years the State has Z
u pended, in the erection Of normal scho
! buildings, oper tsso hwsdrsd and tssenl
= foe thousand dolLars!!
IGf uore are the fiVureA: