, 1876-07-13
ouR EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS.

An Interesting teature OF Tue ntSt uhy
proceedings Of the National Educational AS
yociatiou, now In session In baltimore, was
the portion OF tho opeoing address by tho
President of tho Association, WILLIAM E.
pnE1ps, Of Winona, Mimi, devoted to CON-
pnrative statement Of educational progress
during tho past hundred yenrs Of onr history.
A resume Of hts statement will be valuable
forrefcrcnce In 177G there werc but nine col.
leges In tho United States; now thoro arc AGO
colleges and universities, with 51 900 students
and 3,700 Professors and tcachors. Then
little OF nothing wus done for the education
Of woman now there arc 200 fanale 6an'-
inaries, with 20, 445 students and 2, 2S6 teactl'
ers, At that titno professional schools were
unknown; now there aro ~. professional
schools, with $3.50 students and @,4oo
teachers. Then there we've no normal
schools; now thoro arc 1oa, with 24,4o5
students aud 9Gs toachess. Then there
were no commercial colleges; now thore arc
127, with 25,89o students and 577 teachers.
Tho secondary and preparatory schools were
almost unknown thon; now thora are l, ,1"2,
with 10o, ,503 pupils and G, C,1c3 teachers. The
school population Of that day is unknown,
but at present it Is moro than IL, 900, 600.
md tho school enrolment now amounts to
5000, 900. Tho total income OF tho public
schools at present is $s2 ,00o,0 900; expcnd-
ituros, 975, 900; value Of property,
S1G5, GOO 600. The figures above givon are
very eloquent rs showing what has been &C.
complis!4od, but tho following extract from
tho report is quite as eloquent in showing
that much yet ROMANS to be dons. before
tho whole fcld Of education is fully occupied
and developed. Tho report says: H..
The number Of iltlteratea bY tho census Of 1870
above tho age Of 10 years wns. In round numbers,
&, 600, 600. OF these more than 2, 600. COO wcro
adults; upwnsd Of 2, GOO, 900 moro were from 15
to 81 years OF age, and 600, 600 we're between 10
nnl IL years old. OF the number between Ii and
Fl years, II is estimated that about oue.hnlf havo
passed tho opportunity for education. nnd since It
Iswell large proportion Of chill"
drcn in this country leave tho schools perhaps at a
average age of 10 or IL ycars, tue conclusion 10 IT.
rcsstLbIe that tons OF thousands Of those who arc
reported il1iterates between 10 and is years OF
ago will forever remain OF tho 03o, 0o0 illtt.
crate persona between Ii and Fl years Of ago who
| have passed their opportunities for instruction,
137, 600 arc in the Northern States, Ii, COO 10 the
Pacific ard 77s 600 in tic Southern.
The great majority OF lliiterato persons IN
tic South-ovcr throe-fourths-ompha
tho point so often mada by TnE CHICAGO
TRIBUNE Of the influence Of ignorance In
restraining tho material growth Of the South
and continuing the anarchy aud disorder tint
hayo prevailed in aome SECTIONS since the
close OF tho War. Going still further into
details, tho educational reports from the
South, summary OF Which was printed in
tho juno numbor of the Atlanto 4onMly,
showed that tho lowest standara Of education
prevailed in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi,
Toxins, md South Carolina. It odds to tht
force OF tho argument that these States have
been tho principal locality Of blood
shed, terrorism, and anarchy, and tha'
their industrial and general mate
rial growth has been excessivel,
s1nall, as compared with the other Southern
States, whore somo attention has been paid II
education. Thoreports from Georgia ahow he1
educational standard to DO the highest. He
moral, social, industrial, aud commercial
standards ore hkewise the highest. Til
Southern social philosophers may find foos
for thought in these educational statistics.