Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-16

possd remedy cannot I'll to commend itself .
worthy OF your serious consideration.
T1EARU1ER's 1IPoAT. L Is .as=, =
Tho smple details contained in tho report Of tn
state treasurer afford clear view OF the oopo!lol
Of state funds under their several classleoataone
the total results whereof are condemned into Tn
statement following: 81 , .,e ,~z~, "a
BsiSnce in treasury he.l. ~
left: .::..:.. 80 ,s'.s'1 IS - :
Total receipts during fiscal
Total disbursements for
the year. ............. A'ooS'ao' "
Leaving ba'ance In treas 90, ~. ..:tL !!
ury Dec. l, 1S73......... 5 4S,A9S p
The treasurer states that In consequence o.
prompt tax collections he was enabled to redeem
loan which had been negotiated In March proceed
ing, leaving but 32O COG interest bearing warrants
outstanding 1t the close OF the year. ~ - ,
The superintendent Of public instruction has rem
dercd excellent service to the cause OF general eu
cation by givink such shape to his laAt report al
makes 1t substantially an educational history OF the
state. It Ia . RESUME III which will be found con-
clse statements Of the congressional land grants
the various formative and amendatory Gets OF state
legislation, and the practical trials and triumpAs
cut Of which has been evolved our present educA !.
tional system. Intermlngled with the recital OF
facts pertinent observations touching the causes
and effects Of the successive changes, evinclng dis
cernment ut once Of present needs and Of the
aud necessities Of the widening future It. Is with
gers with which educational interests wore re-
peatedly beset that their present Arm footing and
assured future are . cause Of special ratification
The good effects Of tho law appOrtloning current
funds upon enrolment rather tnan upon numer.
ical basis, continue to be shown invazlous ways
Teachers institutes amounting to thirty. one
weeks have been held in eighteen different counties
with IN aggregate attendance Of 1858 teachers OF
our public schools. 1t is noticeable that some
twenty county superintendents spoke in their re.
ports Of the beneficial results Of these Institutes
and instructors Of the normal schools TO teach IN
them, in connection with other experienced insti.
tute instructors. The superintendent's report
contains tun account Of this important work,
progress in public school teaching.
Under the so.salled Merrill textbook law Of
amended last winter, about one.third Of the dis.
trlcts lad ordered books of the contractor to the
18th Of November last. The demand for them III.
creasas districts come to replace WORKOUT books
in prior use. The introduction of the new books
fort districts in one hundred they have been
more or less introduced. They give general sstis.
faction and there is reason to believe they will
come into general Use within the time prescribed
by Jaw. Their average cost per district has thus
far been $27.6l.
The act for the encouragement of higher educa.
ton, enacted by the last legislature, 10 favorsbly
/ noticed by the superintendent, who GIVE cogent
reasons for its support, as we'll as for needed
amendments, which are commended to your stten-
| ton. Charles s. Bryant, Esq, wos appointed to
complete the high school board, and was also
select ed as it's secretary. He entered zealously
| upon bin duties, for the faithful performance OF
which he is fitted by long experience and rare de-
votion to educational! interests. ln the superln-
tendent's report tables given showing that pu-
pls have undergone examination in sixteen
| schools applying for the benefits of the act, aud
that applications from twenty additional schools
await examination. The operation Of the law bids
1NStlfY
friends, in filing the gap which has preye ted the
come cling grades and efficient unity so long de-
sired in our educational system.
The effects of the improved courses of study,
and OF the more tn rough work in cur normal
schools continue to be seen in ths more practical
results achieved The report OF the state normal
school board represents that All increasing proper
ton OF the graduates Of these schools is being
nually sought for to I'LL positions in the highest
grade Of teaching; and it IS claimed that while
none of our sister states exhibit more economical
state are they more advanced
earnestly request your attention to the repre-
sentatlon OF the board the necessity for
Nothlng has been expended upon this building for
repairs since its erection ten years ago, and if this
neglect endangers the whole structure, as is re-
condition Of the roof, it would to be but the
dictates OF wise precaut:on to take that prompt
tion which will avoid the large expenditures soon
to bs demanded to rescue our valuable property
from needless destruction Your attention is asked
also to the wants of the schools at MankatO and
st. Cloud, as set forth by ths board.
deem it unnece:sary at present to add anything
to the statements heretofore made relative to the
condition OF the state university. The able foot
ing the institution has now attained, and the an-
nually enlarsing sphere Of its usefulness, Civ;
promise that with the broad groundwork afforded
by our richly endowed common schools, the edu
cational facilities of young state will keep pace
with the proud march of her material development
STATE PRISON.
The report of the state prison inspectors shows
an increased average number in confinement dur
and the earnings s23,4s2 SIS, being let cost fo
maintenance of $21,4S2. Sc, $1OO.36 per convict
which is decrease from The cost Of the preceding
year, and exhibits continuance Of the economical
management hich has heretofore characterized
the Institution.
The Improvements for which an approprj3t iol
was made by the last legislature have been com
pleted, and there are now accommodations for 29
convlcts IN excess Of 10 over the number in actus
! confinement at the close Of the year. The curren
expenses for the next two years are estimated a
sos COO; in addition to which sum exceeding $45.
OVO 10 required for various purposes specified
While no reasonable expenditure requisite to tn
bsst management of the existing prison should b
withheld, feel q renewed conviction that step
looking to the erection Of another prison shout,
not be longer DELAYED and therefore earnestly re
new my recommendation, o. last year upon tbi
subject The reasons then ure ed fog thisaction re
main in unimpeired force. For due attention
SOAAoAASAosOAo
such Importance, much time is required TO
preliminary work in testing the rela'ive merit
Of prison improvements, i'll the selection o
tions, while the process of construction Is neces
| sarily work of time. If 1t be not commenced
at tnls session two years must elapse before an!
action can be taken, which cannot but believ'
Will prove an unwise delay, as the full capacit,
Of the present prison will probably then havi
| been nearly or quite reached, Another consid
Grafton worthy Of mention is the opportunit!
which another prison will afford for the create
separation of the more hardened crinia al
from new often ders, which has been followed b,
! salutary results in other states. The advantage
OF the site before recommended for the new
structure, near the grenite quarries at Saul
Rapids, In close proximity to abundant timbe
supplies, are obvious. The situation is at one
central safe and convenient, afording an oppor
the heavy work OF preparing and moving build
ing materials, without bringing 1t into com ped
tioa with honest labor. which is justly felt to be
grievance. The employment Of convict labo
greatly reduced the cost OF the Illinois stat
prison at Chester and the Iowa prison at Ana
mosa; and 1t has moreover been found that Ger
tain classes of convicts can be advantageousl,
ducts where the site affords land and opportunity
for the purpose.
STATE NsT1TUTIoNs.
The condition Of the several eleemosynsry snt
other int tltutions supported Dy the state
thoroughly set forth by their respective snnual re
ports, which 1nord ample cASS1hed statistics ant
statements OF their trsL sactions, wants and pros
poets. -
The state reform school makes its twelfth snnus
report from which It appears that it has received
384 boys since irs commencement In 1865 of which
las were inmates the part year. The increase o
facilities for teaching the useful arts are ATTENDED
with ealu.ary results, large portion Of the dis
charged inmates being not only reformed in con
duct, but fortified against temptation by mechani
cal instruction which speedily enables them +
md honest employment. So tar a. known 1T leas
96 Fer cent. Of al who go out Of the institution NJ
saved from criminal lives. The corrective an.
durable influences, and the admirable fDancis
management Of the institution entite it to the cor
dial support Of the state, and renew my forme
recommendation that t BE placed on footing sim
liar to that Of the other institutions ned and con
trolled by the state.
The sixteenth annual report OF the institution 10
the deaf, dumb and blind shows that the tot 4
| attendance during the year Was 129, of whom 10
were in the department for deaf mutes, and Fl !,
that for the blind. The new pupils admitted ii
both departments during the year numbered 18
The general health has been excellent and NJ
death occurred during the year. The RI port show
that the school Is divided into six intellectual ant
i've industrial classes, and the beneficial results
moro varied and practical ms ruction afford addi
tional proof that "to unite thinking brain with
skful hand is the way to elevate labor" There ii
! continued evidence that class Of unfortunatel
who peculiarly touch, the synpathies :of the