Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-06-07
PEOPLES PULPIT.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
OUR COMMON SCHOOLS.
lBy A. W. Buchanan.)

isi lBy "A. w. Buchanan.)
In the last session of the legisla-
ture this subject was brought forward
in very forcible manner. During the
entire session the different state ed
vocational institutions had lobbyists
present. The president of the College
of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts was
an active lobbyist during the session.
In the early part of the session bills
were introduced and passed, giving the
Agricultural College and State Univer-
sity one-tenth of a mill tax. for five
years for building purposes. This will
produce an annual revenue for each in
stitution of $4,000. The understands
ing was at that time among the mem
bers of the legislature, that nothing
further would be asked in the way Of
appropriations for buildings. Later in
the session the effect of the persistent
lobbying was felt and bills were intro
duced and passed, giving to the Iowa
State University $4,000 for buildings,
and the college at Ames $4,000 for
the Mechanical hall, $4,000 for barn,
and $4,000 for the Presidents resi-
dence in addition to the regular APP
preparations. 1 have no fault to find
with the usual appropriations for ed
ucational institutions, but it seems to
me to be the desire of few to build
up our higher educational institutions
at the expense of our common schools.
The common school is one of the, foun-
datlon stones upon which the repub-
lican form of government was built,
and large number of our most prom
inent men in the last hundred years
received their education in nublic
schools. 1t is true, some of them have
had academic and collegiate courses as
well but at their own expense, was
very much impressed by a story told
to q few boys one day last winter by
Governor Shaw. The governor said a
company of four gentlemen were trav-
ellng together, one was the presi-
dent OF the United States, two were
cabinet officers, and one was the gov
ernor OF the best state in the union
Three of them had received their edu-
cation when they were small boys at
the public school. The president of
the United States, the governor of
the best state in the union and one
cabinet officer, had in early morning
gone to bring the cows for milking and
warmed their feet where the COWS
had laid at rest during the night, and
after doing other work necessary on
q farm attended school. This is very
strong evidence in favor of our public
schools as they We're conducted 25 or
40 years ago. 1t is true, the above
gentlemen did get a higher education
from other sources afterwards, but
1T was due to their own energy after
the foundation was laid in the public
school. The whole idea now seems to
build up our higher institutions of
learning. Are we making a mis-
take?
During the recent session of the Leg
islature quite number of school bills
were introduced, but none that were
of real benefit to the common school,
altho educators and legislators real
lied something should be done for
the common schools. One proposition
was to combine each township into a
school district, building a school house
in the center of the township for the
purpose of having graded school,
and using part of the taxes to trans
port the children from their homes to
the school. The measure had some
very able advocates.
My sole object in calling attention
to the public school question is that it
may be looked into and talked about.
This state, which at one time stood
at the head of the list of states for
the least number of illiterates, now
stands third, and quite a number of
educators say this is due to the fail
ure of interest in the common school.
One thing is certain, there is a silent
but radical change being made in our
common school system and hope
the matter will be fully discussed by
the people and press before the next
meeting of the legislature.