The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1881-06-23

| ence which assembled at the Normal
Wednesday 10 hear his admirable address
on Public Education In Kansas" Dir.
Thatcher was introduced by President
Welch, and proceeded to the discussion
of his theme, the following being sort
Of general outline Of the speakers treat
ment of his interesting subject:
"Our subject is an exceedingly broad
| one The discussion of such a question
would be an occasion of profit think
we could not spend an evening more
prOfltably than in discussing the reia-
| ton of education to society. 1 have
therefore selected for my theme, Public
Education in Kansas; what il does, and
what it ought To do have chosen this
subject because our people are not 50
well acquainted with the scheme of edu-
cation as il would be well for them to be.
| What does the state assume 10 dor
What is the scheme it proposes for the
education Of our people? The coDstitu-
| tion assumes for the state q complete sys-
| tenn of education-from bottom TO top.
IL not only assumes 70 provide for pri-
mary schools, but all classes, from the
1 slab-sided school house To the State Uni
lYersity.
1 "Our state was the first, since the foun-
dation of the government, To establish
itself on the idea of liberty. Closely
related to the spirit of liberty, was our
educational system"
The speaker read the clause in the
first constitution Of the state providing
for 8 school system, as given in Wilder's
Annals of Kansas.
This constitution was framed in
| the year 1865. It was the consti-
tuition Of the pioneers of the old free
| guard. We find there q rough outline
| Of our school system as il exists to-day.
| The next constitution has been named
by our people the Bogus" constitution.
They don't claim IT, as it was not framed
by our people, but by the Missourians.
This constitution provided for one school
| in each township. We think this would
hardly be sufficient to-day. There was
| no provision made for the higher insti-
tutions of learning. Our next constitu-
ton is known Ia the history of our state
as the Leavenworth constitution. This
| instrument provided for schools suffi-
| cient to furnish an education to all her
people. 1t also provided tor a school
| fund and its manner Of distribution.
| AS the state advances it should provide
higher institutions of learning. 1t was
| substantially the same system we have
| today. Although this constitution was
adopted by the people, it never went
i into effect.
sour present constitution was adopted
in 1859, and provides for a system of
educational, moral and scientific cul-
Iure. 1t makes provision for q school
fund etc. Here We have a complete
scheme of education. The difference be-
tween the school system Of Kansas, and
1 L. o. fs k,nN m
education of her inhabitants under the
control of the state.
"If our people better understood the
requirements of our constitution they
would not have made such wild freaks
| in legislation. They would not have re-
fused to appropriate the necessary funds
10 defray the expenses of our state inSti-
tutions. We hold an advanced position
| in this Union, aud must be faithful to
our schools if we ever hope to reach the
| front.
"What does our state do? We have
realized the scheme upon which VIC
School, the University, the Agricultural
College, besides over 5000 school dis
tricts. Between 10000 and $1,000 chill
dren receive instruction in them. We
spent last year nearly 100000 for
school purposes, and the school proper
ty of the state is worth over $6,000,OOO
Education is the supreme public inter-
est of Kansas. 1t takes more officers to
attend to educational matters than all
others combined. More money is ex-
pended for education by the state than
for anything else. To provide for our
schools Is the great positive duty of the
state.
awe put our criminals in the peniten-
tiary because they are in the way of good
society. This is, SO to speak, mega
alive work. In building school houses,
We invest our money where it does the
most good.
aWRat ought the public schools of Kan
sas TO do? We have outlined our sys-
tenn, and while we should not complain
| yet It can be improved. We lack COM
plete organization and control. The
/ system ought to be unified, solidified.
We should have the same course of
study in the same grades in all our
schools. Our children of the same
grades should study the same subjects
! in the same text books. This would be
/ a perfect system, and would prevent con-
fusion, when change from one district
or county to another is made. Our sys-
4 tenn should be placed under the control
of one board of education. Instead of
considering our state superintendent 3
have the best Office and
pay, next TO the governor. He should
have u wider field-more power. This
Office has never been regarded as it
should be. We should have a public
sentiment in this state that will place it
where it belongs-at the very head of
the state offices. County superintcnd-
cnts should be better respected and paid.
Any broken down politician. superannu-
ated preacher or played out school teach
er is considered good enough for q coun-
ty superintendent. He is placed on the
tail end of the ticket as kind of neces-
sary appendage. We should have the
best men in the state TO superintend our
education. If We pay sufficient
amount for efficient service we can
have them. There is no pecu-
mary encouragement for tai
ented young men TO engage in
the profession Of an educator. We go
along in a ship-shcd kind of a way
prospecting in business, and forget our
real success as q great state. ! tell you
knowledge is Power" It puts power
in the brain and muscle. 1t is power at
the pillow, at the work bench, behind the
| counter, at the desk. 1t is power in the
| school room. There never was q saying
more true, pithy and dignified. The
/ ignorant man, who has no education
must compete with brute labor. Put
brain with your muscle and the benefits
of your labor increase and are more
| valuable. The more brain it requires
the more valuable are your services.
Man must compete with that with
4 which he is on level. Why is q first
class teacher in demande Why, when
you get into the higher positions do you
command higher payf Because a cul-
| tnred brain makes the demand and Gre
/ ates higher wages. Brain, through ma
] chinery, does what muscle had to do in
olden times. We could not perform the
labor of to-day without machinery-the
product of the brain.
| "Young man, the art of success is do
ing q thing better than anybody else
That which makes the world progress is
education. We must stimulate the
state by educating its citizens. The
pends upon the education of our citizens.
She never needed this education more
than now.
at is said an honest man is the no
blest work of God. Honesty
is moral qualification, which should be
1 possessed by all, but honesty alone Cen
not operate steam engine, or teach q
school, or build house. II takes edu-
cation to do this.
''SOme say we govern too much but the
more cooperative we can make our sys-
ten, the more complete will be the govern
ment. Our mail system is an example.
Every time we push out IN any great
enterprise we need more education
We need intelligent voters in this coun-
try. Some men by wild theories would
throw obstacles in the way of delicate
machinery and throw il all ajar. We
need education to understand the ma
chinery Of of our government. Man in
education he rises until he sees
man IS he is. No man can know too
much. The young man leaves home to