San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-04-18

| common TpLncr OF uli' lHlS lucH, ~
long in being recognized, is the par
amount, vital idea OF Christianity,
whose Author, graded in a manSer,
and earning his daily bread as a car.
penter, in entering upon his ministry
chose for his apostles men OF like
humble antecedonts, and declared
that his chosen work was among tho
poor. How much longer before the
professed followers OF Jesus will be-
como his actual disciples and CO.
workers in the advancement OF his
teachings in faith and practice ?
Coming to America, the Puritans
of New England naturally brought
with them this great fundamental
idea of Christianity. They not only
built churches but school houses be-
fore they had established permanent
homes for themselves. The free
public school was Of New England
origin. A Massachusetts, law OF
1643 required that every township OF
fifty families should have school for
nil the children, the teachers to be paid
by the parents or by general provi-
sion. In Hartford, Conn, in 1912 a
school was instituted and funds for
it provided from the public treasury ;
and in the following year vote was
passed that "the town shall pny for
the schooling of the poor for all de-
ficiencies." New Hampshire and
Vermont, in like manner, provided
for schools in every hamlet that could
furnish employment to teacher.
Even amidst the almost constant
conflicts with the Indians and French
in which the colonists were involved,
common schools were steadily main.
tanned. In 1910 one-fourth of the
annual revenue of the colony Of Con
necticut was spent for the support
Of common schools.
But it was not till the year 1776
that the world witnessed tho full
flower and fruit of the teachings Of
the New Testament in the Declare.
ton of Independence and the Foder-
al md State Constitutions and the
actual early administration of our
American institutions. AS the sure
result orr public school system was
widely extended and greatly i'm
proved. We append a summary of
it's progress, which we copy from
tho American addition to Cham
bors' Cyclopedia, to which also, we
are indebted for the historical facts
above given.
In 1895, the state of Connecticut
devoted the money obtained by the
sale of her western reserve lands,
amounting Mt the time to $l,200,O0O,
to the support of her common schools.
Massachusetts made similar use of
IL part of her lands in Maine. With
in tho last 90 years the system of
Common Schools has peon extended
through the northern and north
western states, and the course Of in
struction has been greatly enlarged.
As each state has control of its own
schools, there is great variety III the
details Of their management. The
following leading principles are the
same in all: l. A system of graded
schools embracing primary, grammar,
and high schools. 2. State superin-
tendonts who determine by examin-
ations the qualifications of the teach
ers and watch over the efficiency of
the instruction given. 3. Uniformity
of textbooks. 4. Public examina-
tions. ). School libraries and illus
trative apparatus. 6. Improved con
struction and furnishing of school
houses. Z. Access to the school for
all children of suitable age. S. Nor
nal schools for the training of teach
ers. Some OF the states have funds
to aid them in supporting their
schools. In the western states these
funds are generally large, arising
from the sale Of lands granted 10y the
general government, and, in some
also by the state. Such
grants by tie United States FOR
school purposes amount to 6S,O00.-
coo ~ acres. yalrel az more than
SG0cDAGCo n many Of the states
tlo Attendance Of children. within
specified ages. an f.r al least = pal;
~ the yclr. Is compelled " 'nw. Be
fore the civil VIZ ttgrc was no gen
e-al arl vel grldrtl SvSteu Il Con
mon SeI1o,s on thC southern states
Bat Dol tlUr new stlte constitutions .
they Lave made provision for them.
and age rHv Pressing forward the
~lrk- r. 1857 @ u-i-lr1l b1re1s ol
-iurafirn wss established bv ecn-
-rsss f#r tie PM. 20 collecting
-iaii-i-cs All --ia--U- ----I-lt-.-
70 tLl glr.r -- TIE SO 80 o. $50 o.,
..oHIe rf 81. Tl-.f ~trtlz lte