The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-01-01
THE STATE SCHOOLS.
Ninth Biennial Report Of the Huperin-
tendent Of Public instruction.
A voluminous and Exhaustivs Document
Synopsis Of Portions Not Already
Owen.


Owen.
The ninth biennial report of the superin-
tendent of public instruction was approved
by the governor yesterday. 1t is by far the
most voluminous as well as the most COM
prehensive report yet issued from the Office.
The superintendent says he has endeavor-
ed to present the facts concerning the
growth and condition of our schools in such
a way as to be readily understood. The sta
tistics have been analysed and interpreted
and the information they contain presented
in a series of tables and comparative state
ments. The subjects treated of in the first
part of the report are as follows:
i. Growth of schools.
z. Enumeration.
3. School attendance.
4. Duration of schools.
o. Teachers.
8. school property.
Z. School funds.
3. School Revenues
8. School legislation.
10. School expenses.
IL. State board OF education.
IL. Work of the department..
The most of the space in the report has
for their written reports" Forty-six sub
jects were selected by the state superintend-
ent, each of which was assigned to two su-
perintendents. and reports have been sent
in on all of them. These written reports
are followed by few historical sketches of
city school systems. All the important sta
tistical tables and aggregate results have
been published in the Sentinel from time to
time during the compilation of the report.
Many of them are of interest only to teach
ers and others engaged In educational work.
THE REPORT PROPER.
The second part of the report comprises
the remarks, suggestions ana recommends
tons of the superintendent On the subject
of school legislation he says:
have not heretofore recommended much
change in the schoollaws. Frequent changes
in tne school laws produce mischief. Too
many changes have already been made. The
were TO construct another law 1 would
change the Indiana law in several
particulars. But to make many of these
changes now would, in my opinion, result in
harm rather than good. II there Is any law
to respect. it is their school law. Frequent
changes in our law beget HPt only a restless
that is prejudicial TO It's successful execution
Most evils IN our schools complained
true that our schools do not produce as good
results as they ought TO produce. But they
made under the present law rapid improve
rapid Inn Improvement in the future. No part OF
the public service casts so much as our public
school system. In no part is there SO much
opportunity for the wa>tage OF time, energy
and money; in no part much need OF
| systematic and thorough supervisory control.
MAGNITUDE OF THE INTERESTS.
The superintendent then goes on to state
that the school fund consists of SO OO0, 900.
and that the value of permanent school
property is $12. 600 600, and dwells upon the
care and responsibility involved in their
management. In speaking of the growth of
| the schools he says that in 1852 we had no
| school system. In 1860 Indiana was
the sixth state in point of population,
and the twentieth in point of
educational facilities, while now her system
| Is generally acknowledged to be a superior
| one, her progress in recent years unsur-
passed, and she now stands abreast of her
sister states in educational advantages.
NOT TOO MUCH KxPESsE.
The superintendent answers the question
whether we do not pay too much for our
teachers and for our school houses in the
negative. He gives ST. 80 as the average
per diem of the teachers, four months as the
average term, $144 as the average annual
salary. The teacher is not certain of other
employment for the remainder of the year,
and ia subjected to many extra expenses.
| The pay may be too much for poor teachers,
but is not enough for the best.
The school does not increase as fast as the
| children. The taxabIes are decreasing
| in value, and thus the state
revenue is diminished, which will require
| increased local taxation o keep up the
schools. The superintendent places the cost
OF the average school house at $3.50, and does
not think, except perhaps in special cases.
the buildings have been too expensive. The
state is now fully equipped with school
| houses, so that the expense hereafter for
school houses will not be large.
The expenditure for special school revenue
has diminished since 1875. The expense of
school houses In 1874 was 1915, SIS while in
| 1873 it was $424, 304.
MISCELLANEOUS.
| The expenditure per capita for the last
| three years have been as follows: 1876, $3.50;
1877, 81 "a; 1878, $2.27. The superintendent
reviews the proceedings OF the state board of
| education, and the work of the department
| He refers to the large amount of Official cor
respondence of the department. In 1873
/ there were 26 200 Communications sent out
of the office, while in 1877 (the legislative
| year, there were 80. 200. In closing, the SUI
perintendent repeats the suggestions made
| in his last report.
Caught In the Act.
A festive doctor from Knightstown. who
comes here every two or three months to
waste his accommodations in riotous living,
dropped into Weilachers saloon on North
Pennsylvania street, yesterday afternoon.
He hungered for game of pool, and q well
known crack player, who presents o
somewhat unsophisticated appearance,