The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-05
nae INDIANA SCHOOL, SYSTEM.

A very large proportion of our people, per
haps not less than rs per cent, receive in the
common schools all the systematic instruction
they ever get. Comparatively few reach the
high school, fewer still the college. Every
man cannot have a high-school within walking
distance of his home Schools of this grade
have been of necessity confined to towns and
cities. Hence the Importance of making the
country schools as efficient as possible in a
system of popular education which the State
eral and uniform, and equally open
to all, and under form of government based
on the educated intelligence of all the people
For many years our public schools sadly failed
to fill their place in this system. While the
city schools, supervised by intelligent special
lists, and fostered by liberal local taxes, reached
very satisfactory condition, those in the
country were in state which may well be
called chaotic, being without form and void
Without direction Or supervision, without
union among the districts, without standards
VI SASOAAOASO VI AAlNtIAS VI C14AO1NluS
formity of methods or courses of in
struction, the children of each district
were the prey of any ignorant
school -keeper who could coax license from
an irresponsible examiner and contract from
an Indifferent trustee. Of course, there were
many good teachers and good schools, and
many of our best and strongest citizens Ie-
ceived thorough instruction and salutary dis
cipline in the country districts thirty years
ago; but we owed this rather to chance and
good fortune, not to the certain working of
well-administered system. But an improve
ment has been wrought in this important de-
partment so great that, while the school sys-
tenn of Indiana is often called the model State
system, our country school organization is
beginning to be recognized as its peculiarly
strong feature. The law requires to be taught
in the schools photography, reading, writing,
grammar and arithmetic--whieh may be
called the essentials of an English educa
tion-and United States history, geography,
and physiology, important information stud
les But heretofore it was possible, and often
happened that children would go to school
for years. and finally turn their backs ON the
school house forever without having been in
structed in half of these subjects. The teach
ers, being ignorant of physiology and weak in
history evaded teaching them; the pupils hated
grammar and thought geography of no use,
and would not study them. Now, in well
organized county, we find a carefully arranged
course of study in all the schools, cover
ing a period of six or eight years, and
embracing all the subjects named
above, and such additional ones as
local conditions admit. The course of study
is followed and enforced, so that after com
pleting it a pupil has fair elementary educa-
ton, and is fitted for pursuing higher studies,
if his inclination so leads him OF circum-
stances permit. In every school, also, there
is teacher who has passed the test of fairly
vigorous examination in the subjects to be
taught, so that some guarantee is given to the
people that their children will be instructed
by a competent person, to the State that its
revenues will not be thrown away for worth
less service. The agency in bringing about
these splendid results is the county superin-
tendency, an Office that is too little appreciat-
ed, but which, in the ten years of its exist
ence, has rendered very valuable service, and
is at last making real the idea of our first
State constitutional general system of edu-
cation, ascending in a regular graduation from
township schools to State university" This
excellent condition has not been reached in all
the counties, as some have not always been
fortunate in the men appointed to this i'm
portant Office but all are making encouraging
progress in this direction. At first the county
SUPPLEMENTARY met with much opposition,
and various efforts were made to repeal the
law. But no, it seems to be accepted as an
essential part of the school system of the
State as much so as the superintendent of the
city schools. The effort to constantly raise
the grade and strengthen the efficiency of the
county SUPPLEMENTARY will meet with the
hearty support of every intelligent friend of
popular education.
@.1----s-@.asss-H1-...@