COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION. new States under an act of Congress distributing the proceeds of public lands among the several States of the Union, approved September 4, A. D. 1841, shall be inviolably appropriated to the support of common schools." Notwithstanding this provision, the legislature of 1866 appropriated the whole 500,000 acres to four railway companies. The superintendent, Mr. McVicar, instituted a suit in the form of an injunction, with the object of obtaining a decision from the supreme court as to whether the lands, under the constitution, belong to the State, for the support of the common schools, or to the railway companies. The court has declined to give any decision on the main point involved, on the ground of alleged informalities in the presentation of the case. The responsibility, therefore, of taking any further action in the case, rests, as intimated by the court, upon the people through their legislature. The school lands lost to the State by the final disposition of Indian reserves and trust lands without any reservation for the support of common schools, in one district amounted to 159,269 44 acres, not including the 50,000 acres lost by treaty alienating the Cherokee neutral lands. "The Osage treaty of May 1868, by which it was proposed to alienate about 8,000,000 acres of Kansas soil, or nearly one-sixth of the whole area of the State, and dispose of this vast tract to one man at less than twenty cents an acre, without reserving a foot for the support of public schools, was the immediate occasion of calling public attention, both in this and other States, to the fearful length to which the policy was being pushed in wresting the public domain from the settler and creating a gigantic landed monopoly on Kansas soil, regardless of the rights of the people and the interests of the public schools." By an act of Congress passed April 10, 1869, certain lands have been secured to the State for the support of public schools, comprising a total of 220,665 acres, which land it is estimated will realize to the school fund over a million of dollars. SUMMARY OF STATISTICS. The number of persons in the State between the ages of five and twenty-one years is: Increase for year. STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. 1,213 $37 07 28 98 292,719 94 $88,844 40 79,343 76 117, 153 65 34,025 87 70, 451 07 19, 259 93 428,983 98 565, 311 17 .1,031,892 00 17, 118 00 289, 450 00 86,562 28 136,095 59 218,829 25 5,816 35 The State normal school at Emporia is in a flourishing condition. Nine graduated from the institution last July. The present senior class numbers 15; middle class, 86; junior class, 42. The preparatory and model departments have 47 in attendance. The total number in attendance during the year was 199. The number of female students is 102; males, 96. Hitherto the course of study has only included the common school branches, with advanced instruction in mathematics, English literature, and natural science; but the educational growth of the State, creating a demand for high school teachers, has made the need of classical instruction imperative. Still the great object is not to furnish liberal, culture to a few, nor to supply towns and cities with effective teachers, but to reach, so far as possible, all the public schools of the State, and espe cially to infuse life and energy into our district schools, in which, after all, the great majority of the youth of the State is being educated. In addition to the normal school at Emporia, which is doing excellent work, the State already needs another normal school in Northern Kansas. The present normal school endowment, consisting of 37,760 acres of land, will support only one normal school. It is recommended that a board of normal school regents should be created, who might, through the aid of the congressional delegation from the State, succeed in obtaining a grant, for the purpose of forming a normal school endowment, of public lands in lieu of the 200,000 acres of the choicest school lands which have been lost to the State by the disposition of Indian reservations to companies and speculators. Failing to secure such a grant, the superintendent expresses the opinion that it would be entirely legitimate to appropriate a part of the common-school income to the purpose, since "More advantage would probably accrue to the people, in the end, if half the income of the common-school fund should be devoted to the special preparation of teachers, than if the whole income should be expended on the salaries of incompetent instructors." STATE UNIVERSITY. The State University, situated in Lawrence, Kansas, upon the summit of Mount Oried, was founded in 1864. The educational work commenced in 1866. The constitution of the State expressly stipulates that "provision shall be made by law for the establishment, at some eligible and central point, of a State University, for the promotion of literature and the arts and sciences, including a normal and agricultural department." A bequest to the institution of $10,000, from Hon. Amos Lawrence, for whom the city was named, decided its location at that point. The institution, during its four years of existence, has progressed steadily, and is growing toward its aim, that of a first-class university, as rapidly as its limited endowment will permit. Owing to a rivalry of sectional interests, each locality in the State being anxious to secure a State institution, an agricultural college was established separate from the university, the congressional grant for agricultural colleges having been made subsequent to the adoption of the State constitution. The superintendent of public instruction very strongly recommends the consolidation of the two institutions, the two endowments united being scarcely adequate to maintain a first-class institution. The university is designed upon the most liberal plan, the two sexes enjoy equal advantages in it, and there is no proscription on account of color or race. The number enrolled since February, 1869, is 143; comprising 76 females, and 67 males. Four are in the classical course, 12 in the scientific course, and the others in the preparatory department. Eight instructors were connected with the institution during the year, including the president and chancellor, John Fraser, who is professor of mental and moral philosophy, and belles lettres; a professor of ancient languages and literature, of natural sciences and mathematics; of French and literature, of German and drawing, and other instructors in human anatomy and physiology, and hygiene, in chemistry, and in vocal music. The library has been increased by the addition of over 2,000 volumes. The chemical department has been for the first time organized. A fino astronomical transit, an astronomical clock, standard balances, weights and measures have been added to the apparatus of the institution; and an observatory wing, 39 feet long, by 20 feet wide, and 14 feet high, has been erected for the use of students in practical astronomy. The property of the institution is estimated as follows: Site; ten acres, at $1,000 per acre, and forty acres, at $300 per acre. Buildings.. Library Apparatus. Cabinet.. Permanent endowment, (Amos Lawrence fund).... Total.... $22,000 00 25,000 00 9,500 00 11,878 71 450 00 10,000 00 78,828 71 STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. One hundred and seventy-three students have been enrolled in the agricultural college during the year; 97 gentlemen, and 76 ladies. Of these 32 are in the classical department. Twenty-two counties are represented, and seven different States. Thus far, the time of the average attendance of students has been less than two years. The act of Congress granting the endowment of the institution allows, and the organic act of the State legislature directs, a full college course of study, therefore some attention is given to the languages, while the special effort of the institution is toward agriculture and kindred studies. As ladies are admitted to equal privileges with gentlemen, it is thought important that of the eight members of the faculty, at least two should be ladies. One lady is professor of the German language and English literature, and the other of instrumental music. The total endowment of the college is $556,300, the income of which, at 7 per cent,, $38,941, will be the final endowment. ASYLUM FOR THE BLIND. The Asylum for the Blind, located at Wyandotte, was incorporated in 1855. The faculty consists of H. H. Sawyer, superintendent, and three others, who are ladies. The total number of pupils is 15; value of property, $22,000; current expenses, $9,200. Receipts from manufacture of brooms, $400. Received State aid, $9,200. Tuition free. DENOMINATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. There are in the State eight institutions under the control of religious demominations. Baker University, at Baldwin City; incorporated in 1857; Rev. J. C. Simpson, president; is under the auspices of the Methodist Church. It has a faculty of five, of whom one is a lady. The number of students in attendance, 181, The lands, buildings, library, and cabinet are valued at $81,000. Washburn College, at Topeka, founded in 1865, Rev. H. Q. Butterfield, senior professor, is under the care of the Congregational churches. Members of the faculty are three, with three assistants and a librarian. Total number of students, 57. Amount of property, $63,000. The Hartford Collegiate Institute, at Hartford, organized in 1860, under the care of the Methodist Church. Principal, A. D. Chambers. Has an attendance of 78 pupils. Property valued at $8,000. The Wetmore Institute, located at Irving, Marshal County, organized 1863, is under the care of the Presbyterian Church. The principal is Mr. Charles E. Tibbets. The number of students is 65. Property worth $10,800. The Geneva Presbyterian Academy is located at Geneva, Allen County; was organized in 1866. Principal, Rev. S. M. Irwin, M. A. Number of pupils, 50. Property of the institution, $6,640. The Episcopal Female Seminary, located at Topeka, was organized in 1860, and reorganized in 1835. Principal, Rev. J. N. Lee. Number of students, 90. Value of property, $35,000. TEACHING AS A PROFESSION. Rev. Peter McVicar, State superintendent, says in regard to teaching as a profession : "Every measure which tends to elevate teaching as a profession should be encouraged by the State. To judiciously constitute a State board of examiners with power to grant applicants evincing a high degree of proficiency certificates valid for five or ten years, and for life, has been attended with valuable results in other States. It is but just, also, to those engaged in the work of instructing the youth of the State, that the laws and usages of society should recognize the profession of teaching as on a level in this respect, at least, with other professions. The physician receives a diploma for life. The lawyer is examined and admitted to practice throughout the State. It would be an insult to a competent lawyer or physician to subject him to an examination every year or two in the same county or State. The fact that he has a life diploma does not insure employment in all cases, but it does avoid the chagrin and disappointment of being constantly dependent, in some degree, for his standing in the profession, upon the judgment, and sometimes the ill will, of a board of examiners who may not always be competent for the work assigned them. The lawyer does not rely upon his life diploma for success, but it enables him to avoid much annoyance. The same is true of a teacher. The reasons for establishing life diplomas in any profession hold good in the profession of teaching." |
