Year: 1867




Hon. Henry Barnard, the chief of
the new National Department of Edu-
cation, delivered an address at Boston
few days ago explanatory of the work
of his department. The power given
to it is very small. The law does not
recognize any intention on the part OF
the Government to create a system of
national education nothing of the
kind was contemplated. So far as the
Commissioner is called upon to admin
lister the law his aim will be to carry
out literally its provisions, to collect
and disseminate information, so as to
show the condition and progress of
education in the States and Territories,
so as to aid the people Of the United
States in establishing school systems.
To show what he had already begun to
do in the way of work he mentioned
that he had received applications for
information from gentlemen in the
Constitutional Conventions now be-
ing held in New York, Michigan and
Maryland. He had received an ap
plication from Texas for information,
so that they may act in the light of the
experience of the old States, so as to
enable them to establish their Uni
versity on the right ground. lie had
received fIom the State of Georgia a
request to frame code of instruction
| for that State. He had received a
letter from West Virginia asking for
the best plan for school houses for
rural districts. lie had received an
| invitation from Tennessee to be pres
ent at a Convention at Knoxville,
which is intended to take up the sub
ject of education for the State. lie
had received a request from Nevada
for documents by which they can
organize normal school for that
State, 50 that they may know what is
done on that subject in the Atlantic
States. And he mentioned other letters
asking advice or information upon
other points connected with the great
national interest of education. No
enc, after reading Prof. Barnard's
statement will doubt the necessity for
his Department, or will deny that the
President made an admirable sclec-
ton in appointing an administrator OF
its affairs.-N Y. Tribune.


EDUCATION OF FREEDMEN.-The
| Commissioner of the Freedmen s
| Bureau has received report from
John NJ. LangstOn, Esq, general
! inspector of schools under the super
vision of the bureau, giving the con-
dition and circumstances connected
with the education of freedmen in the
State of Mississippi. :,
| The report notices a very thorough
earnestness on the part of the white
people of Mississippi to see the freed
men properly educated. and schools
are being organized and established IN
almost every part of the State. In
some places the whites have given to
the freedmen land on which to build
school houses, while in many other
nlaces, as at Corinth, Canton, Jack :
son, and Artesia, they have aided the
freedmen by contributions OF money
| for purchasing sites on which to bnlid
school houses.


The inspector says in his report
| that he talked with no leading, infiuen-
tial white man in Mississippi what
ever may have been his views WIN
regard to the late rebellion and the
abolition Of slavery, who did not eX-
press the opinion, apparently with
fnlI oarnestness, that the abolition Oh
slavery is a fixed fact, and that the
freedmen ought to be educated some some
Of them expressed the OPINION tla'
the freedmen arc to be in the future
as in the past, the laborers oil the
South, and If they would procure the
development of its highest industrial
resources. their education must be
| thoroughly cared for. Ercho"sf'