Year: 1876

The prosperous condition of our


public schools affords abundant oc.


casion for just pride. The exhibit


made in the report of the SuDerin-


tendent of Public instruction is a


gratifying illsutrat;on of the liberali.


ty and public spirit Of our citizens


and an earnest pledge Of what may


be expected of them when any great


or bene6cent object enlist their SYM


pathy and support. Ten years ago


the Commonwealth bad one thous-


and seven hundred and forty-three


graded schools within her limits; to-


day there are Eve thousand six hun


dred and twenty-five. During the


last decade the value of her school


property has appreciated from five


hundred and sixty-four thousand


eigty-eight dollars and eight cents to


two millions one hundred and fifty-


nine thousaud four hundred and if


teen dollars and eighty-three cents.


In 1865 the State expended upon


their public schools three millions six


hundred and thirteen thousand two


hundred aud thirty-eight dollars and


ffty-hve cents. la 1875 the outlay


for the same purpose was nine mill


ions three hun ired and sixty-three


thousand nine hundred and twenty
seven dollars and seventeen eeu,s.


Thirteen thousand eight hundred and
sixty-three teachers attended, during
the last year, the Teachers Ins,i-
tutes held throughout the Common


wealth In 1865 there were only
two thousand seven hundred and
sixiy-ive in attendance upon their
sessions. These figures are eloquent
os the generosity of our citizens and
their ardent desire to facilitate the
attainment and promote the progress
of education. 1t is interesting to
observe, likewise, that those employ
ed in the instruction of our youth
this liberality Of our peo
pie and are zealou-ly striving to
make our school system so compre-
hensive aud thorough that there will
be fitting and just return for the
incurred 1t is an ac-
cepted maxim that the educstion
of its youth is the most
important subject that can engage
The attention of a community. There
is no capital more productive, nor
any more solid or safer basis for the
welfare Of State that the incubation
Of sound principles ard habits of in
dustry among its children. 1t is as
trite as il is true saying that idle
ness and vice are great burdens to
society and that virtue and industry
contribute to its welfare and dignity.
Our title to respect and gratitude ofl
posterity will therefore largely de-
pend upon our efforts in behalf of
right education, and it is for US to
gravely consider whether we perform
our whole duty by providing each
year for the necessary expenses OF
the School Department and make no
endeavor to extend its usefulness aud |
benefits to new fields of instruction.
1t is not areproach upon our wisdom,
and when we think of the thousands |
Of neglected children 10 our midst
may it not also be said upon our hu-
to expend ten millions Of dol


ars annually upon public education
and end thousands of children who
will not or cannot avail themselves of |
its privileges. No people have con-
-ributed more to the advancement of
human comfort and the abridgement
Of labor by the application of me-
,hanical principles. or are more pro-


ific of inventions of useful kind
than Americans, and yet few coun-
tries give less attention 10 the devel-
Dpment of this genius and the study
Of these principles in their systems
of public instruction than our own.
With such capabilities and the op-
1ortunIties for the application of