The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-07-26
EDUCATION IN AVA.
A Progress states Commou-So ohool au
CollcE ate Systcms.

The system OF education In Iowa,
which fas boon a matter Of earnest NJ
tcnt.on since the Territorial govern
mcnt was organized. may le considered
under two aspccts-the coumon-school
system aud the collegiate system. Tho
libcrality OF Congress in granting lands
for the purposes OF education IN all
Western States. whcro tie soil prima-
rily belonged 20 the Government can
not be too highly commended In adj
dition 20 grants like 900, 600 acres 10
aid In the establishing OF university,
Congress granted latc' 10 each State in
the Union a large amount for the cs-
tablishmcnt OF an agricultural college
and provision in tho act for the ad-
mission OF the State OF Iowa gave 10
her five per cont OF all sales by tho
United States OF the public lands with
in the State. 10 aid the university. But
there was the grandest gift OF all in the
provision In the same act that tho six
tecnth and thirty-siXth sections OF every
township OF the public land should be
appropriated for the purposes OF COM
mon schools, under tho supervision OF
the State in some respects perhaps
the State has not managed those vari-
Gus grants In the way 10 realize the
highest amount OF money aud the
greatest benefits for Tho cause OF oduca-
tion. But the State herself has sup
. piemcntod these gifts with contribu-
.ions OF her own, and with taxes levied
on the people OF each locality for the
support OF schools, so that these con-
tributions ani provisions have created
n system by which every child in tho
State Of Iowa, from the ago OF six TO
sixteen years, may pass six 70 eight
months Of each year OF his lifc in at
tendance on school without charge.
/ The rigid enforcement OF this system
has dotted tho whole surface OF tho
State with comfortable school-hou,cs.
And while, perhaps, teachers are not
paid very compensatory salaries. and
therefore are not always the most
capable for the business, yet rs sys-
tenn calculated 20 educate every human
being i'm the State up 10 a certain do
gree Of attainment, IL is difficult 10 sec
how IL could be much improved. Ono
Of the incidents Of this system is that
most Of the teachers aro females. to
whom the compensation Is quito a
blessing, who are generally boitor
adapted 90 the education and training
Of children in their early youth than
men, and who have, In the State OF
Iowa at least, done credit 10 the sex by
their skill, their diligence and good
conduct
The purpose OF this school system
was primarily TO educate the youth in
the e'ements OF an English education
reading. writing, arithmetic, orthog-
raphy, geography, grammar history
In some OF tho more ambitious towns
and cities there has been cngruitod
upon this. and paid for from tho same
source, what Is often called the high
school or grammar-school, In which
arc taught in addition 20 tho subjects
just mentioned, tho dead languages.
often Latin, sometimes Grcok, aud
German and French. These high
schools in the larger cities are TO some
extent the equivalents OF lower grades
Of colleges. and no doubt better educa-
ton IS frequently obtained in them
than can be had in poorly endowed
and struggling colleges, which perhaps
should never have been started. IL is,
however, becoming n question, and n
grave one. in tho State, whcthcrS these
high-schools are not q violation OF tho
spirit and purpose found In tho statutes,
which were intended 20 establish what
we understand by the word common
school system"
In regard 20 the other class of cduca-
tional institutious-cO cOllegcg and uni
versities Iowa has suffered in common
with nearly all the Western States, and
perhaps some Of the Eastern States. by
the efforts 20 create a college In every
town Of any size. and for every rcli-
gious denomination, as well ns the col
lego and university established by tho
State. There Is no more unfortunate
delusion than that which possesses
some men who desire 10 leave their
property at their death 90 charitable
and benevolent institutions than 20 de-
wise a sum for tho creation OF "a college,
the amount OF which will barely suffice
20 erect the first building necessary for
such institutions, leaving tho support
OF the professors. the establishment Of
scholarships, the purchase OF labora-
tories, globes and maps, necessary 20
the conducting OF any college, % chance
or 10 solicitation, or 90 any Of tho
means which may be supposed % sup.
ply these necessities Of college instruc-
ton.
In additloa 20 colleges thus projected,
almost every Christian denomination in
the State Of Iowa has attempted 90
establish DO OF is own. And the
Meihodists. the early pioneers Of civil
ization and 70 igiOu, possessing the
largest membership Of any Christian
church in the State. have thought IL
necessary 30 attompt the establishment
o. college for each Of its four confer
cnces The result Of this has been, In
the State of Iowa, that the efforts Of
tho friends 81 liberal education havo
been divided and para'yzcd Tho col
leges are unable % give salaries suiii-
cient 90 command tho services oi COM
Tetcnt professors; none of them have
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