The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-10-30
SCHOOLS OF OHIO.


flee - The Democratic Candidate, Hon
Leroy ID. Brown-A Common school Man
Should be at the Head of the Common
school system.
Tho Office of State Comm ssioncr Of
Common Schools is one in which not
only every parent but every tax payer
i'm tho State should feel deeply inter-
estcd. 1t is an Office from which is di-
rCcted, to great extent, the training
OF rising generation, who will be
called upon to exercise guiding hand
in The social, industrial and political af-
fairs of the State. 1t deals with tho
establishment of moral principles in the
minds Of our youth, and leads to tho in
culcation of correct ideas of patriotism
and the duties and responsibilities OF
American citizenship. In all ages the
school system of countries has been so
clearly identified with the condition of
society that it has been taken as the
thermometer, indicating by its vascilla-
tons the exact degree OF civilization and
condition OF he rnople.
The Importance and magnitude of
the work can be stated briefly in few
statistics. In 1885 the number of youth
OF school age in Ohio was |, ,095, 469, and
the number of teachers employed in in
structing this vast army of young Buck
eyes was IS, 1S1. The total amount of
money expended in their education dur
ing that year was $40, ,093, 93S. II. Thus
it is apparent that society, morally
bound to provide for the education of
its Youth, becomes also Interested from
a financial standpoint.
The duties of the commissioner in Or
ganizing. experimenting, directing and
maintaining the standard of schools
where it has fallen are well known. 1t
is an Office which, if properly filled, re-
quires n vast amount of practical in
formation, and it is to be regretted that
the occupant is subjected to the frequent
political revolutions in the State. There
is no Office in the State where tho appli-
cation of improved civil service rules
arc more urgently needed The cncum-
bent who has mastered the school sys-
TEN OF the State. and is directing it in an
able manner, should by all means be re-
tanned in Office for reasonable length
OF time. 10 change the official every
three years often places there q man
who. perhaps. holds conflicting ideas
and pet theories which he introduces re-
gardless of consequences, for he has but
a limited knowledge of the machine he
is handling,
Furthermore, the public school system
of Ohio has been developed under the
fostering care and protection of the
Democratic atty Until the constitu-
tional convent on of 1888. which was
Democratic, there had been no COM
missioner of common schools in Ohio
That convention created the Office and
in the election which followed the DEM
ocratc ticket was elected, and Hiram
Barnie of Cincinnati became commits
sioncr OF schools. To that sterling
Democrat the common schools of Ohio
owe much of their reputation for eff
ticioncy and worth. Possessing a vast
amount of practical Information on the
subject, working methodically and
be M great organizer he placed the
schools on a firm foundation. The COM
miss oners following him. including the
present incubcnt, Hon. Leroy ID. Brown.
men previously identified with the COM
mon school interests in the State. Not
until the present campaign has candi-
date been placed hcforc the people who
is a theorist and knows nothing what
ever about the common schools of the
State, being Grabbed. egotistical col
lcgo professor. A species of the genus
homo that has never been called upon
in the history of the State to ill this
important position. and the indicat ons
are one that never will be.
Hon. Leroy ID. Brown is man of the
people and a practical educator whose
life mas been devoted to work in the
common schools He was elected by
the Democratic party in 1883, and has
served three years. during which time
he has thoroughly mastered the system
and is peri rming his duties with credit
to himself and the State. Mr.. Brown
is from the ranks of the laboring classes,
having been reared on farm among
the hills of Noble County. He attend
ed the country schools until fifteen
years of age, when he responded to the
call of his country and became volun-
teer soldier. Although mere boy, he
served two years under the stars and
stripes, being at tho front in many n
battle and again standing shoulder to
shoulder with his older comrades in re-
sisting many charge. He served un-
der Crook, Sheridan and Grant, and
was wounded while with Sheridan in
the valley OF Virginia, and at the close
of the war he returned to the farm and
by teaching one year and attending col
lego the next, managed to complete the
literary course at the Ohio Wesleyan
University. Mr.. Brown is close OBJ
server and n hard student. In the very
midst of his professional work he
studied law and was admitted to the
bar. but feeling that he was called to
educational work gave up the law. He
was made superintendent of the public
schools at Hamilton, o.. where he
achieved great success in developing
the school system of that city. In 1852
he visited the principal countries of Eu-
rope for the purpose of studying their
school system, and returned with many
practical ideas.
While loyal to his party Mr.. Brown
holds that the Office is one which should
be free from the influence OF politics,
aid during his administration the office
has been liberated from the tolls of the
politician and brought under the do
main OF the school men OF the State.
He has effected many changes in the
mechanical workings of the department,
and has placed II on thorough business
fooling. Much work has also been ac-
complished In securing proper and
much-needed school legislation, so nee.
essary in overcoming the defects of ex-
istinO statlltas I'M thia subiect Much