Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-09-23
General Garfield on the Subject OF
Education.

III loOO, OeUerai 0arnelu mentions
the millions of dollars raised annually
in Ohio for the support OF common
schools, the thousands of school hous.
es there erected, and the hundreds of
thousands of children educated at
the public expense aud says in con
nectiop, "This, in my Judgment, is
the gauge by which to measure the
progress and glory OF State"
At this time, be noticed the large
number of our illiterate population,
who are composed chiefly of free
white persons over twenty one years
of age, and the slaves OF the South
admitted to citizenship. He exclaims,
"Such is the immense force which
we must now confront by the genius
of our institutions and the light of
our civilization. How shall it be done?
An American citizen can give but
one answer. We must pour upon
them all the light of our public
schools. We must make them intel
ligent, industrious, patriotic citizens,
or they will drag US and our children
down TO their level. Does not this
question rise to the full height of ma
tional importance, and demand the
best efforts of craftsmanship to ad-
just it ?"
He gave some pertinent extracts
from the speeches of our former lead
ers, and then closes with the para.
graph, "It is remarkable that so many
good things have been said, and so
few things done by our National
statesmen in favor of education. If
we Inquire what has been done by
the governments of other countries
to support and advance public edu-
cation, we are compelled to confess
with shame that every government
in christendom has given a more in.
telligent and effective support to
schools than our own"
The National Bureau OF Educa ion,
at Washington was established large.
Iy by the efforts of General Garfield.
This is his most distinguished SER
vice for the cause of public schools.
The national Journal of Education
speaks of him as "the boss carpeu.
ter" of this Bureau. Hon. Philetus
Sawyer, a member of Congress from
this State, when the subject was I'm.
der discussion in that body, testifies
that General Garfeld's magnificent
speech delivered on the occasion, and
his personal influence with the mem
bers of both Houses, secured the pas
sage of the measure.
This is the most important scheme
ever adopted to systematic and ma
tionalize the work of popular educa-
ton in this country. The prominent
teachers associations, State and Nor.
nal, had petitioned several years for
its formation. Abroad, there is no
public enterprise Of the kind, which
is more useful and more highly re.
spected. The French Commission of
Education to this country in 1876
speak of it as "the beautiful and sim.
pie organization" which does "more
for the progress ard Improvement Of
scholastic institutions than the de.
crees of an administrative authority
which the most extensive powers
could produce" They represent
that the purposes of the Bureau are
the publication of the annual reports,
which contain the statistics and alb.
stracts of school reports of the whole
Union, and offer comparative re.
sumes of official documents of the
several States and also of the cir
culars of information which are in
tended to give accounts of the con.
dition of education in all parts of the
world, and to lay before educators
valuable statistics and essays of
great Importance.
In 1866, General Garfield intro
dueed into the House of Representa-
tives bill to establish a National
Bureau of Education. At his request,
it was referred to select Commit
tee of seven members, of which he
was made chairman. Within two
months the committee reported back
the bill with amendments, which
elected considerable discussion, and
was defeated. 1t was opposed strong
ly by the Democratic members, among
whom are Hon. Samuel J. Randall,
now speaker of the House. In fact,
they strenuously resisted the measure
in ali stages of its progress through
branches of Congress. Afterward,
General Garfield secured the recon.
sideration of the vote by which the
bill was lost; and in spite of the
lukewarmness of the members of his
own party, and the antagonism of the
opposing party, he then carried the
scheme by a vote of nearly two to
one in the House. In the following
year, the Senate concurred in this
action, by very large majority.
In his speech in the support of the
bill, General Garfield presented more
convincing reasons why such a bu-
reau should be created. He repre-
sented that it was impossible to OBJ.
tain from any source, complete and
reliable statistics showing the educa.
tional condition of the whole country.
The Nation had no means OF know
ing the amount Of the vast sums of
money annually expended by tie
States for schools. The general govern.
nent is powerless to ascertain what
use has been made of the millions of
square miles of land which it has do
mated for the support of schools He
argued that the reports of this Blu.
reau would hold up to the verdict of
public opinion the delinquencies of
those States which have no system
OF common schools, and "compel them
for shame to educate their children. :"
The absolute need of public support
to maintain schools of the different
grades, was forcibly stated by him,
and the opinions of the great author.
tiles on this subject were cited. In
closing this speech, he said 81 ap.
peal to those who care more for the
future safety and glory of this nation
than for mere temporary advantage,
to aid 10 giving to education the
public recognition and active support
OF the Federal government"
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