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

bred pounds were contributed toward
the erection of some churches and
some schools for the education of the
children of those barbarians."
Things moved along smoothly, and
prospects were good for the formation
of an excellent free school system,
when the Indian war of 1922 broke out
Lives Were lost, property destroyed,
and progress retarded, so that educa-
ton, if not forgotten, was out of the
question. In 1885 the people of Bos-
ton opened up two public schools for
| the teaching of children. At these
schools the Indian children were adj
mitted on an equal basis with the
whites.
| From these small beginnings the,
number of schools were continually in-=
creased as the population demanded it
until, even as early as the revolutions
airy period, they were quite creditable
for new country. These schools were
supported by different means in differ
ent communities. In New York it was
left to the local population, in Pennsyl-
vania, to charity, to parental interest
in Virginia, and by taxation of the
| whole people in Massachusetts. In To-
calities where it was attempted to sup
port them by charity, the schools were
almost failures, as the weather. class
thought it degrading to send their chill
class looked upon it as public avowal
of their condition. In fact the distinc-
ton between the rich and the poor was
SO great as to make the plan not sue
cess. Likewise the plan of charging
school fees was. to certain extent,
failure, as, in communities where 1t was
attempted, it had the effect of exclud-
ing the poorer classes.
| The colonies being made up in each
| locality, of different classes of people,
and coming into this country under
different circumstances, the systems
We're very different, some being under
the control of the church, others under
private control, according to the local
ity. Massachusetts, probably adopted
the best plan, by making it compul-
sorry for every township of fifty fami-
| lies to open school. To this law is
probably due the finer public school
system of Massachusetts, today. Since
that time every possible means have
been taken to promote the school In
terests of that state.
The earlier teachers were very poor
ly fitted for their positions. The pay
was usually so small that none except
those in need, or those who could not
find other work, could be employed.
Girls were not admitted to these
schools, as it was considered that a
girls home education was the best
thing for her, and that she would be
very much out of place at school. 1t
was not until 1887 that school was
opened for girls and it soon became so
popular that girls were allowed to att
tend with the boys.
After the country came out OF the
revolution, free nation, we had no
more than became settled, when the
war of 1912 came on, and it was not
until quarter of century after its
close that the separate states began
Iorganizing free public schools under
state control. These state schools were
supported by local, state and national
taxes, legislative appropriations, land
grants, land rents, fees and private do
nations. They were, as they are now,
under the control either of board of
education or superintendent of public
instruction.
The advancement Of primary educa-
ton has been SO great during the past
twenty years that at the presenet time
our public school system is eclipsed by
that of no other country in the world.
Wool In lama County.
Traer Star-Clipper: Wool is bring
ing nineteen cents per pound in Traer
at present-double the price of few
years ago. There are more sheep in
Tama county now than for years
past. and the wool harvest ia A source