Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-06-07

Mr.. Wanamaker added: "The total
supposed losses Of ordinary mail thru
out the United States amounted in
twelve months past to 51,745 pieces.
OF these, 10000, or 80 per cent. were
packages, the remaining 60 per cent
being letters. The total losses ascer-
tanned to be due to carelessness or
depreciation of postal employees num-
bered .23,9s6, of which 60 per cent
would, be 1891. Assuming the aver
ascertained loss of ordinary letters
chargeable to the postal service would
be 1886, of 77-10,000 of one per cent"
The Army Canteen.
Waterloo Reporter,-The army can
teen, about which a number of good
people have. been in. such a frenzy.
of excitement that they could not
prevent their zeal from running away
with their, judgment, does not seem
to be an institution which would JUS
tify all the harsh thighs that have
been said about IT, ahd about Presi-
dent Mckinley for not abolishing it,
in spite of his lack. Of legal authority
for so doing. A Washington writer
who has given the subject some con-
sheraton and investigation, which, by
the way, was evidently entirely over
looked in the criticisms and censures
alluded to above, has this to say about
the canteen:
Those who object to the sale OF
light liquors at the army canteens
should. procure a copy of the reguln-
tions, which can be had by writing
to the secretary Of war, and then at
tack the system with same sort of
knowledge. The regulations provide
that no officer or private soldier shall
be detailed to sell drinks, and that
nothing can be sold except beer,
light wines and soft drinks" The
sale of beer is limited to week days;
it must be consumed on the premises,
and the practice known as treating"
is not permitted. The sale of beer is
left to the discretion of the command
ing officer, whenever he is satisfied
that giving to the troops the oppo--
tunity OF obtaining such beverage
within the post limit will prevent
them from resortiag for strong in
toxicants to places without such linn
it's, and tends to promote temperance
anu OAoSlp1iAC 0AAO1S UhCaus 0di1l-
bling is forbidden, but the sale Of tea,
coffee, uon-alcoholic drinks, soup,
sandwiches, ETC., is permitted. Read
ing and recreation rooms, billiard and
pool tables are provided, and all forms
of games, with a supply of newspa-
pers, magazines and books, which are
paid for out of the profits of the ex-
change.
Which is the lesser of the two evils
no fair-minded person will be long in
determining. 1t seems strange that
the most pronounced liquor advocates
and the most uncompromising prohi.
bitionists should be laboring in .
common cause in the fight for the sup.
preston of the canteen. 1t can hardly
be imagined that both are animated
by the same desires, even il both are
struggling for the same object.
-:o:-
School History.
Gate City: As the school year draws
to close and the young men and
young women go out from our high
school to that greater school of exper-
fence, do they appreciate what heri-
tage has been passed down to them
from the wise founders of our public
school system? Do they realize how
much easier the struggle of life will
be for them, on account of the benefits
derived from this system of educa.
ton? How much easier it should be
for them, than it was for their fore.
fathers?
An education, to be had by them
meant the endurance of many hard.
ships Long nights of study after the
toll of the day, not by electricity, but
by candle light, or even the dim light
Of the log fire. It is to be hoped that
they appreciate their advantages.
1t was some time after their arrival
in America that the colonists took uI
the subject of the education Of their
children. Coming into wild and bar.
barous country, the great majority OF
them, with no other means of support
than the cultivation of the soil, they
had at first to give all their attention
to supporting their families and pro
tecting them from the cold and the
| savages. It was not until 1880 that the
Dutch West India company, thru its
state general, ordered that money be
raised for the support of a schoolmas
ter. Adam Roelandsen was chosen fol
the position, and to him belongs the
honor of being the first schoolmaster il
America. His salary was three hun
dred and sixty forms, or about one
hundred and fifty dollars per annum
and his duties We're the teaching Of
reading, writing and arithmetic.
| Earlier than the New Amsterdam
school was planned a free school in
Virginia. The English churches were
appealed to for aid and fifteen hun,