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

OF state funds under their several clAsslhc"tions
the total results whereof nre condensed luto tue
statement following:
Bal Ance in treasury Dec. !.
1877. 49,. .........$ ls'27l IS
Total receipts during fiscal
Year .............e...... LATEST ),
---- -tl,6l0,9o9 Il
Total disbursements tor
the year.............. 1856, 4O9 0;
Leaving baancs in treas
ury Dec. /, 1878. ........ 5 iS,A99 y
The treasurer states that in consequences OF
prompt tax collections he was enabled TO redeem
August last $3o.Ouo Of tho temporary seed grain
loan ~hich had been negotiated III March pr. ceu
ing, leaving but $4,000 interest bearing warrants
outstanding at the close vi tho year.
The superintendent OF public instruction has rem
uercd excellent service to the cause OF general etu
cStlon by S!vlns such shape to his last report rs
makes it substantially an educational history OF the
state. 1t is resume Ill which will BE found Con-
else statements of tho congressional land grants,
the various formative aud ancnlato DRY acts VI state
Legislation, and the practical trials and triumpAs
cut Of which has been evolved cur present edlci.
, tonal system. lntermuglcu with the recital of
facts pertinent observations touching the causes
and effects oi the successive changes, evlncnE dis
cernmeEt ut OF present needs ana Of the scope
and necessities OF the widening future 1t Is with
the remembrance OF the early difficulties and uau-
gers with which our educational interests were re-
peatedly beset that their present firm fooling and
assured future are cause of special ratification.
The good effects of the law apportlouiug current
turis upon enrolment rather t!an upon numer-
iral basis, continue to be shown in various ways.
Teachers institutes amounting 10 thirty. ono
weeks have been held in shteeL differ mt counties
with All aggregate attendance OF 1853 tcacht OF
our lubllc schools. 1t is noticeable that some
/ twenty county supcrintendents spoke in their re-
ports OF the benc fetal results OF these Institutes,
and commend the plan of employ ing the principals
and Instructors OF the normal schools to teach IN
them, in connection with other experieuc ell insi
tute Instructors. The superintendent report
contains full account OF this important work,
which will be read with interest by the friends Of
progress in public school teaching.
Under the so.eal!ed Merrill textbook law as
amended LAST winter, about one-thiru uf he dis
lad ordered books Of the contractor to the
l sth OF November hast. Tho demand Tor them u-
crelSeS AS districts come to replace WORKOUT looks
in prior use. | be introduction OF the Few books
is thus gradual, snd it IS estimated that IN about
torty-tour districts in one huuur, Il they have b. en-
more or less Introduced. They give general satis-
faction and there reason to believe they will
come into general Use within the time prescr bed
hy sw. Th.ir average cost per district has taus
far been $27.6l.
The act for the encourage nlent Of higher educa.
ton, enacted by the last legislature, is fAvoraby
noticed Ivy the superintendent, who give cogent
reasons tor its support, Well for needed
amendments which are commended to your atten
ton. Charles :. Bryant, ESD, wos appoAted to
complete the high school poard, and also
selected as its secretary. he entered zeAlousy
I upon his duties, tor the faithful performance
which he is fitted by lonS experience and rare de-
IUtion ~ etlu 'atioEA! INTERESTS. la the superin
tenuents report 1.bes are given showing thas nu-
pits have undergone EXAMINATION i'll sixteen
schools appl, ing for The b, merits vi the at. and
that applications f1rm twenty additional schools
await xamllatun. The operation # the Jaw bids
fair to justify the most Sa1lGulEe nCN-S .! its
friends, in Il i ny nr gap which has pr, tod the
conntc'lnG grades AID efficient unity - long DE-
sired in our educ I'll, lal system.
The effects OF the improved courses CT study,
. au! CT the more tn rough work in cur normal
schools continue to b. Seen III the more practical
results a>h. we'd. III. report ~ the state normal
school board represents that an increasing proper
a. Ne GRADUATES These SchOO : - b. y m.
nualy SOUGHT for 10 Ill positions III the highest
grade II teaching; ana it Is claimed that while
none OF our sister states exhibit more economleai
or efficient manage meAt CT these schools, in
state are they more advanced
l earnestly request y>ur attention to the repre-
sentation Of the board eepec'ug the necessity for
certain re- airs in the school bu llipg at NnOua
Noting has been expended upon this building for
repairs since its erection years ago, and if this
neglect endaugers the whole structure, is re-
ported, IN ODseQue nee Of the decayed and leaky
condition CT the root, it would seem TO be but the
dictates Of wise precaut:nn to take that prompt &C
ton which Will avoi, the large expenditures soon
to b. demanded to rescue valuable property
from needless destruction. Your attention is asked
also to the wants OF the schools at ManEato and
st: Cloud, as set forth by tn board.
l deem it unnecessa,y at present to add al thing
to the statements heretoi ore made relative to tine
condition OF the state university. Il he able foot
ing the Institution las nc% attained, and the an
nually charging sphere Of its usefulness, give
promise that with the bro I'd groundwork afforded
by our richly endowed common schools, the edU-
catcnal ficiE:ies OF our young state Will keep pace
with the proud march Of her material development.
STATE PRISON.
The report Of the state prison Inspectors shows
N increased a"art-e nunler III connn nlent dur
m TIE year X c!rreut .3:' 10 WE r S4f,,3> a.
and the earnings sH.4,2 -, rlllg CIT for
maintenance Of S!1,4s2 Is, or Sluu.36 per Convict
which is decrease from The cost Of the preceding
year, ana exhibits q continuance Of the economical
management hlch has heretofore characterized
the Institution.
The Improvements for which an apEropri ton
was made by the last Legislature have been COM
pleted, and there are now accommodations tor 296
convlcts, an excess Of - the number in actual
confinement at the close Of the year. The current
expenses tor the next two years are estimated at
Slu5COU: IN addition to which exceeding $45-
OUU is required for various purposes spt cited.
While no reasonab bic expenditure requisite to the
b:st management OF the existing prison should be
Withheld, feel q rtn%Weu conviction that step,
looking to the erection Of anutntr prison should
not be longer DELAYED, and th.rf, earnestly re-
new N; r commendation o. last year upon this
subject Tn. then UT I'd for :his action re-.
main IN unlmpaired force Fur due attention
to all the considerations ,nvoiv"t in u matt of
such Importance, much Inc is required for
preliminary work in tssing the relAive merits
OF prison improvements, il the selection of
site, me adoption CT plans, and other prepara-
tons, while the process OF construction is neces.
sarlly work of time. If it be not commenced
at this session two years must elapse before any
action can be taken, which | cannot but believe
Will prove al unWi>e delay, as the full ca pacity
Of the present prison will probably then have
been nearly or quite reached Another consid-
GRAFTON worthy Of mention is the opportunity
which another prison will afford for the greater
separation Of the more hardened crimi ais
from new often ders. which has been followed by
sanitary results in other states. The advantages
OF the site before recommended Tor the new
structure, near the granite quarries at Sank
Rapids, in close proximity to abundant timber
supplies, are obvious. The situation is at once
central, safe and convenient, affording an oppor-
UNITY tor the employment Of convict labor in
the heavy work OF preparing and moving build
ing materials, without bringing it into competi-
io1 with honest labor, which is justly felt to be
grievance. The employment of convict labor
greatly reduced the cost OF the Illinois state
prison at Chester and the Iowa prison at Ana
mosa; and it has moreover been found that GER
tain classes of convicts can be advantageousy
employed in raising vegetables and other pro-
ducts where the site affords land aud opportunity
for the purpose.
STATE INSTITUTIONS.
The condition OF the several eleemosynsry and
other in. t1tutons supported by the state is
thoroughly set forth by their respective annual re-
ports, which afford ample assided statistics and
statements Of their sactions, wants and pros
poets.
The state reform school nakes its twelfth annual
report, from which it appears that it has received
1884 boys since lis commencement in 1868, of which
143 were inmates the part year. The increase OF
facilities for teaching the useful arts attended
with salu,ary results, large portion Of the dis
charged inmates being not only reformed in con-
cal instruction which speedily enables them to
find honest employment So tar as known at Il asst
IS Per cent. Of all who go out of the institution are
saved from criminal lives. The corrective and
durable influences, and the admirable financial
management of the institution entit'e it to the
dial support of the state, and renew my former
recommendation that be placed on footing sim
liar to that Of the other institutions ned and
troled by the state.
The sixteenth annual report OF the institution for
the deaf, dumb and blind shows that the TOT al
attendance during the year as l2a of whom lOs
were in the department for deaf mutes, and II in
that for the blind. The new pupils admitted in
both departments during the year numbered Is.
The general health has been excellent, and no
death occurred during the year. The II port shows
that the school is divided into six intellectual and
five industrial classes, and the beneficial results Of
more varied and practical ms ruction afford addi-
tional proof that " to unite thinking brain with
skilful hand is the way to elevate labor" There is
continued evidence that class of unfortuua,es
who peculiarly touch the sympathies of the
humane receive conpetent and faithful care under
the present management of the institution.
The rapidly increasing necessities for the proper
care of the insane will again claim your prompt at.
tention. he twelfth annual report of the hospital
shows that 66O patients were under treatment at
the close of the year, being increase of eighty
one. OF the whole number of inmates, one hun
6ro6r IL, N hn,1