Morning journal and courier., 1880-02-09
Our Schools.

Address by Rev. MT Meserve at the
 Davenport Ohurcla-The Cost of Edu-
 catfOn-A Plea for Female Teachers.
 Last evening at the Davenport church on Greene street, Rev. MT. Meserve delivered 6 discourse on stOur Schools" Before com- mencing his discourse the speaker announced that on next Sunday evening he would speak on s.The Relation Of Various Religious Bodies to Our Common Schools" In his opening re- marks he said he would not take text, but would speak directly on 'sschools and teach ers" From the discourse we give the follow ing abstract: From published reports it is estimated that the public schools of the State of New York will cost in 1880 $3, 500, 900.
 Three-quarters of this amount will be paid in salaries to teachers. Of course the domain
 of this State is large, but in proportion
 the amount paid Is not 50 large as in Massachusetts or Connecticut. It is also
 estimated that there will be forty thousand
 more children in New York than there is room
 for in the schools. In 1879 there was
 pended on the public schools in the United
 States. This subject is an important one
 and demands the attention of the clergy as formers of public opinion. There were a little more than fourteen million of school children in the United States in 1878. Of this
 number nine million were on the school rolls
 and five million were in daily attendance.
 From the last reports it is stated that about
 ninety five per cent. of the children in Con- necticut attended the public schools, which may be considered large estimate. In the
 Southern States the proportion of children attending public schools is very small. The question arises, what is to be done with men and women growing up in ignorance.
 The shaping of the great public body is more
 largely in the hands of teachers than any where else The teacher in the public schools
 represents the public, and is going to do as
 the public says. It is difficult to tell what
 public opinion is going to be, but the teacher
 must follow public opinion. The speaker aweIt upon the necessity of normal schools for the education of teachers, and said that teachers education. Teachers should be men and women of good moral character. Normal schools should be overlooked and supervised by the State, and both sexes should be educa- ted in them Women should also be admitted to our universities. I don't know why women should not know as much as men. In the University of London females are admitted to equal privileges with males and they get along just as well as both sexes do in the New Haven High School. believe that there are | women who can manage schools just as well as men, and am going to say right here that women who do mems work should receive l mems pay. The average pay to male teachers | in the United States is $1O8 per month, and | to female teachers $36 per month. The diff ference is astonishinely great If the woman | does the mans work why should she notreceive
 mans pay? Let all education in the pub | lie schools be free to rich aud poor alike,
 and let the expenses be paid by taxation.
 The speaker urged the necessity of teaching
 cookery and all the great trades in our | schools and universities. Another important suggestion was that five hours study in
 schools was too many for two-thirds of the children, who should not be obliged to at- | tend more than four hours. He also urged | that all study at home should be strictly ! forbidden, except in the higher classes
 The discourse was listened to with appa-
 rent interest by the large audience in at | tendance.