The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-10-01
PENNSYLVANIA and New England.

For many years past there has been yield
ed to New England supremacy in educa-
tional and other matters, for which there is
no possible justification. In our geogra-
phies we are gravely informed that New
England has long been distinguished for the
intelligence, Industry and enterprise of her
citizens; and in our School Histories, three
times as much space is devoted to the Pill
grim Fathers, witchcraft, and her general
colonial history of her sister colonies. With
a persistency we cannot help admiring her
claims for superior intelligence and progress
have been so much pressed, that one igno-
rant Of the facts Of the case might well sup
pose that the rest of the States might consid-
er it high honor to revolve around New
England as an educational centre.
But facts and figures, it is said do not lie,
and statistics examined and compared, dem
onssrate conclusively the hollowness Of her
pretensious claims. To assert that in Mas
sachusctts, the "Banner State" with Boston,
the Hub, the modern Athens, there exists
more pauperism in proportion to its popula-
ton than any other State in the Union,
more insufficient prisons, and more unsuita-
BILE lunatic asylums, might excite surprise,
but statistics prove that such is really the
case. But in this article we desire to speak
purely of her educational claims, and in
doing so, we shall take the benefit of some
very interesting statistics furnished us in a
recent report of the United States Commits
sioner of Education. Our authority, it will
be Observed is unusually good. 1t is, as it
were, the month of New England herself, for
he is man full fedged and thoroughly i'm
bued with her peculiar ideas.
Now, wherever there is demand for high
er culture, wherever there is desire for per-
fection in education, colleges will flourish
and higher institutions of learning prevail.
Such institutions are the natural out-crop-
pings and fruits of progress, and yet Penn
sylvania claims thirty-four colleges, and all
New England but eighteen. But universal
education is not the fruit of a collegiate
course. The poor never enjoy the advant-
ages of such training and are dependant for
the little knowledge they acquire upon the
the ordinary low grade of schools. The abil-
ity to read and write among classes is the
best test of an educated people. What are
the statictics on this point? New England
has population Of 3,4S7, ,444, Pennsylvania,
3,5l5,993. Yet New England has $1,000
who cannot read nor write and Pennsylva-
MIA has but 5000. Nor has New England
made any progress in this respect. In 1910
New England had $4,000 who could not
read nor write. and Pennsylvania 36, ,000,yet
New England, with less population, has in
creased the number six times while Penn
sylvania merely doubles. Maine, the land
of lumber and ice, increases from three
thousand to nine thousand.
Female education also demonstrates the
interest and advancement of people in edu-
cational matters Civilization, progress and
refinement 90 hand-in-hand with female cul
ture. But, what say the statistics on this
point? Take Massachusetts, for example.
She sent multitude of ''sch ool marms" to
educate the suffering freedmen of the South.
She has population of 1 ,457 1852, yet the
excess of uneducated women over the educa-
ted women is 10000, while in Pennsylvania,
with nearly three times its population, the
excess is but 1900. In view of these statis-
tics we can afford to say, 80, New England,
keep thy school marms and educational mis-
sionaries at home first pull out the beam
which is in thine own eye, then shalt thou
see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy
sisters eve e."-NatioHaI Educator.