National Republican., 1881-10-22
EDUCATIONAL.
REpoRT OF THE COMMISSIONER.
ne Public School Enrolment In the States and
Territories-The Peabody Fund-Religious
DcnOmlnstiOns-The school Policy
InaugurAted BY Gen. Grant.

We have in hand the last report of the
United States Commissioned. Of Education which
brings our school record down TO the year 1880.
The Office has nearly recovered from the drag Inn
pogedb by the delay Of appropriations iS75-I6-T,
and II not hampered in the future by congressional
apathy will be able to issue the annual reports as
rapidly II is possible to collect and shape in-
formation from the extremes Of our vast territory
Already the information Of later date than that
aiiainabc from any country except Great Britain.
II should bo remembered, however, that the only
schools reported I'm the blue book OF the latter
are the elementary aud training schools which re-
ceive the national grant, whereas the report OF the
Bureau comprises every class and grade Of instiu-
ton in the United States. Although the report is
thus comprehensive, the chief mass Of It's con-
tents concerns public schools and the schools en-.
dowed by the national land grant Itappears that
for 1879 tho total school population in the States
was IA, ,7s2760 and in eight Territories 1851. In
the States
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLMENT
was o,s2s,003, and in all the Territories, 96Os9;
X2,660 teachers were employed In the training Of
these youth, and the annual expenditure on their
account was for teachers salaries si,07s,321, and
for oil other requisites s2i,l13,2O1. The great diff
ference between the States In present facilities for
education affords matter for serious reflection.
The New England, Middle, aud Lake States have
the most thoroughly organized systems Of public
schools, jealously guarded and earnestly sup
ported at every point, yet open TO the freest In
spection. Criticism serves only to increase their
vigor and excellence, since every deficiency
charged against them Is made the subject OF care
tul study till remedy is discovered and applied
Thus, the normal schools OF New York State hav-
Ing fallen under the lash OF certain public censors
special committee was appointed by the ASSEM-
bly, Of New York In the session OF 1873 10 examine
into the condition OF those schools.
THEIR REPORT, SUBMITTED IN 1879,
heartily commends the purpose conduct and re-
suit OF the Institutions and expresses the opinion
that no legislation is required Immediately affect.
ing them beyond providing for them liberal
support. Again, in response to the reiterated
charge that public schools were stimulating the
intellectual at the expense of the industrial inter-
ests OF communities, number of States authorized
Efforts for the correction of the tendency Massa-
chusetts, which leads In this particular. has made
industrial drawing an obligatory branch sewing
has been introduced in the girls grammar schools
OF Boston and certain other cities Of the State and
the practicability Of introducing manual
training for boys into public schools
is being tested in Gloucester, Mass. The
cause Of education In the Southern States
presents, by contrast with more favored sections
gloomy picture In the belt OF States bordering on
the South Atlantic and the Gulf the enrolment in
The schools Is only AZ per cent Of the school popu
lation whereas In the Middle States 1t is upward
OF 20 per cent, and in the New England States
above SS per cent. Teachers salaries also range
lower, and the school term Is much shorter in tho
Southern belt The school income and annual
expenditure In several single States-namely, In
Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania. Ohio.
Indiana, Illinois. Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa
are greatly in excess Of the total of these es
mates for the nine States extending along the
shore from Maryland to Mexico. II we turn again
to private benefactons exclusive of the Peabody
fund the same contrasts appear. Indeed, were
the disbursements from the Peabody education
fund and contributions from tho
VARIOUS RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS
to cease the effects would be deplorable. As the
Commissioner Observes "these facts indicate the
imperative demand for more adequate public pro-
vision for education In this section" Inadequate,
however, as are the present provisions in the
Southern States. the cause Of free education has
made great advance in that section. Public SELL
timent now favoB the schools and the demand
for admission is far greater than can be met by
the accommodations. At the same time the neces-
sity of special preparation for the teachers yaca
ton Is recoguiEed-a phase of progress upon
which the late Dr. Barnas Sears dwelt with peeu-
liar satisfaction in his last annual report.
THUS THE SCHOOL Foley,
which was inaugurated by General Grant and re.
luctantly accepted by the Southern people, has
gradually commended itself to them as an indis-
pensable possession. The we'll known devotion Of
General Garfield 10 the cause was one secret Of the
hopes which the South eposed In him, and It is
fortunate for the whole country that his successor
Is not likely to prove leas jealous in fostering by
every means at tho command of the Executive the
conditions Of intelligence In the States where they
are SO greatly needed. The development OF the
public system In Washington deserves spe-
cal attention, not merely from her prestige rs the
Capital. but on account OF the influence which she
must naturally exercise upon Southern progress
Here are similar social conditions mixture Of
races, strong Catholic sentiment traditional pref
erence for private Schools aud predlsposition 10
political rather than industrial interests hence the
efficiency Of the school system in Washington gives
promise for the entire South.
IN A SUMMARY OF SCHOOL STATISTICS
for DO cities OF the Union Washington makes
very fair showing. The average annual salaries
for teachers of oil grades range high The average
daily attendance is 70 per cent OF the enroll
ment The srperintendenfs salary is above the
mean. Her normal school gives excellent train
ing for teachers Of primary grades. and few cities
have madc greater improvement In elementary
instruction.
ONE OF THE Mosr HOPEFUL INpIcATioNs
with reference TO education in the South Is the
inierest mAniieseed py the university OF Virginia,
Johns Hopkins University, and Vanderbilt Uni
versity In the education Of teachers. The latter
offers free tuition In its non-professonal schools 70
such prepared students rs will engage to teach for
as long time rs they receive this free instruction
Johns Hopkins has in.various ways impressed itself
upon the profession, notably through the teacher s
class ia zoology, but the measure OF It's power and
purposes in this direction is not yet full, Those
most familiar with Its operations believe that in
Dec ina. ia and s,.
struction In the South It will accomplish results
not Inferior TO its distinctly scientific work.
THE SOUTH.