Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-09-19
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Growth Of The System During
the Past Decade
The commissAonsr Attributes This to
the Southern States.

WAsHISGroS, Sept. Is.
H. N. r. Dawson, commissioner Of edu-
cation has fled with the Secretary of the
Interior ANIMAL report for the year ending
June 80, 1859. in the course of which he
says that from the analysis of the statistics of
public schools for the decade frIm 1851
to 1885, 30 il appears that the growth Of the
system. considering the whole country, has
oufstripped during that period the growth of
population. the excess Of the increase Of en-
roliment over the increase in population, six
to fourteen years Of age being l-6 per cent
This again, the commissioner says, is due
entirely to the progress Of public schools in
the two southern sections and more espe-
ciaiIy in the south central division. Here
the increase Of sEUollment shows an excess
over the Increase of population probably
never before parslieled In q country so long
settled. The sentiment in favor of free
schools, supported by public funds. he says,
Is becoming each year more universally
prevalent. The public school systems of the
southern states has been undergoing an un-
precedented development, under laws
adopted in each case to local circumstances,
and are now practically all established on q
permanent basis. Colored children are ap-
portioned an equal share of thoschool funds,
unless in the State Of Delaware, and there
the schools are kept open As long and under
as well paid teachers as those of white
children. Funds for the support of these
schools are furnished mainly by white in
Compulsory education, the commissioner
says, forms no feature of the Southern school
system. The arbitrary proceedings. he adds. |
which the compulsory attendance laws sug- |
gest, its inquisitorial methods, interference |
Df State in parental control of children |
effect upon parents of sending their children |
10 school under compulsion in impairment |
Of that seif-respect which lies at the basis of |
character and good citizenship, would seen
20 render the compulsory attendance law an
nstrume ntality to be resorted to only to sup
press great and crying evil. In the course
If his remarks upon the public schools in our
principal cities the commissioner says: In
10 department of city school work is im-
,rovement more manifest than in primary
chools, and for the reason perhaps, that in
hem there was the greatest room for i'm
,rovement.
The commissioner regrets his inab lity to
eport general adoption Of physical train
ng in the public schools, and saws though
thousands of dollars have been invested in
pparatus to be used IN the development of
he mind, no provision worthy Of serious
consideration has as yet been made for the
trengthenng Of the body. upon whose sound
ondition effective mental effort greatly de-
ends. In concluding his report, the COM
missioner says: lin ending my official con-
lection with this office, it is q source of
reat pleasure and satisfaction to know that
be friends of education in the United States
ave taken no step backward during the last
ecade, but that the cause of gene raj edu
alton is stronger than at any previous time
II our history and still growing in public
stimation.'