definite. The footings of the Town Superintendents shall be reviewed in all cases, and corrected where erroneous; and if any material errors are discovered in any of the reports, they should be sent back for correction or explanation. TO TOWN SUPERINTENDENTS. Albion, Orleans co.; Charles A. Tanner, New- CERTIFICATES OF QUALIFICATION In the preparation of the annual report for WHERE a candidate has been examined by a the present year, the Department will expect the County Superintendent, and a certificate refus most scrupulous attention to fulness and accu-ed, no certificate granted by a Town Superin. racy. Wherever the reports of trustees are in- tendent of the same county or section of county, accurate or require amendment, explanation or within three months thereafter, will be recogniz. correction, they will be immediately referred ed as valid; and whenever a candidate presents back for this purpose, in order that the statis- himself for examination to a Town Superintendtics of the various districts should be as perfect ent, the latter will inform such candidate of this as possible. regulation of the Department, and ascertain from him or her whether any such prior examination and rejection has been had. The several Town Superintendents are hereby required on or before the first day of September next, to make out and transmit to the County Buperintendent, a table containing the titles of the several books in the various libraries of the several districts, the school-house of which is in their town, and the number of each work or series in the several libraries of such town. The following will serve as a form : No. of Districts in which reported. Harpers's School Library, 1st series,.. 10 8 2d Massachusetts School Library, 4 6 15 and so on, with the var us works included in the catalogue. The several County Superintendents will condense these reports, in such a manner as to present the aggregate number of each series or work in the respective towns of the county or section of county under their supervision, and forward the same to this Department with their annual report, on or before the first day of October next. Where a candidate has, within three months, been examined and rejected by a Town Superin. tendent of the town in which he proposes to teach, the County Superintendent will apply the same rule, in reference to a re-examination, as above specified; and such re-examination will only be had in connection with the Town Superintendent, and no certificate be granted but with his assent. Where a district is situated partly in two or more towns, the Superintendent of the town in which the school-house stands, only, is required to visit and inspect the school; and where the school-house of such district is situated on the boundary line between two towns, the Coun. ty Superintendent will designate the Superindent who shall visit and inspect the schools, and examine and license the teacher. Vacancies in any of the offices of joint districts not supplied within one month by the districts, must however be filled by the appointment at a joint meeting of the Superintendents of the several towns from parts of which such joint district is composed. S. YOUNG, Supt. Com. Schools.. THE COMMON SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE give place to the following correspondence In reporting the number of volumes in the District Libraries, the Town Superintendents will be careful to include the districts only, the school-in reference to the recent movement in a portion houses of which are situated in their towns, in of Orange county, adverse to the existing sysortler to prevent more than one enumeration of the same library, in joint districts. STATE CERTIFICATES of QUALIFICATION as Teachers of Common Schools, have been granted to the following persons, since the publication of our April number: Dr. John Petts, Nichols, Tioga co.; Charles R. Coburn, Owego, Tioga co. ; Israel Wilkinson, New-Berlin, Chenango co.; Diodama Andruss, Preston, Chenango co.; Harvey J. Wood, Geneseo, Livingston co.; Warner V. Cook, Caldwell, Warren co.; Fabius Miles, Watertown, Jefferson co. ; Mary Ann E. Hammond, Westport, Essex co.; Mary J. Wylie, Willsborough, Essex co.; B. K. Seaman, Schroon, Essex co.; Amos Doxsee, Islip, Suffolk co. ; Thomas W. Field, Syracuse, Onondaga co. ; Sarah B. Hill, Ogden, Monroe co. ; Samuel F. Wright, Wheatland, Monroe co.; D. D. F. Brown. Wheatland, Monroe co.; William WilJard, Catskill, Greene co.; Elizabeth Ann Paine, tem of common schools: If Rutger's Place, June 12th, 1844. MY DEAR SIR-Yours of the 6th inst., on' the subject of the common school reform movement in this county, came duly to hand, for which you have my acknowledgments. you have over rated me in some particulars you have not misjudged as to my willingness to answer your various enquiries frankly, cheerfully, and to the best of my abilities. I will premise by stating, that I am not aware of any hostili. ty to the State or Deputy State Superintendent of schools; and if any of the "resolutions" adopted at any of the public meetings will admit or warrant such construction, I think they intend to aim at the system rather than those who are entrusted with its administration. As you have referred to the connection of my name with some of the public proceedings, I will observe that I had no knowledge of the first movements and meetings on the subject, although they originated in a neighboring town, and I attend-garded as arbitrary in compéling trustees, or dised the county meeting in April, purely as the trict clerks, as the case is, to pay the postage friend of education, to be a hearer and observer and take a journal, (the District School Jourand not an actor, and was very unexpectedly nal,) from the post-office, contrary to their own designated as the presiding officer, the chairman will and better judgment It is paid for, or rather of the meeting, in which capacity you must published at the expense of the school fund, have seen my name. The discussion at this meet- which very many think is wrong; and when they ing was very able and spirited, but as I conceive are hostile to the paper they are unwilling to quite foreign to the subject of common school take it from the post-office, and will not read it, reform, for which purpose the meeting I under- from exasperated feelings, if nothing else. The stood to have been convoked. The reformers act of the last legislature establishing a Norwere branded with infidelity, and their move. mal School at Albany, at the public exments characterised as incendiary and dishonest, pense is very unpopular with the masses, be. although able divines of different denominations lieving as many do, that teachers, after being were arrayed on both sides. The subject of educated at the public expense, will not follow common schools as I have already intimated was the business of teaching without ample wages, soon apparently lost, swallowed up in theology which they the employers have not the means and the admissibility of the Bible as a common to pay, especially when they receive only a few school book, against which there appears to be cents of the public money. These are some of some well founded objections. The discussion the more prominent objections urged against the was only brought to a close by the approach of system, and which a powerful effort will be night, and another county meeting has been no- made to have corrected. In conclusion, for my ticed for the 22d inst., which from present ap- limits for writing admonish me I must draw pearance will be very large. The opposition to to a close, I consider the movement on the sub. the school system I believe is of long standing,ject in this section, the result of an honest conis rapidly growing, and was fanned into a blaze in the neighboring town of which I have spoken, by the discussion at the education associations, got up by the late active county superintendent. The objections to the common school system as I understand them, are, that it is unequal, unjust, unnecessarily expensive, unreasonably complicated, arbitrary and withal tending to sectarianism. It is unequal and unjust, because it gives to colleges and academies in proportion to their pupils, dollars, where it gives to common schools, for whose benefit the school fund was created, only cents. It is unnecessarily expensive in many particulars. It is honestly believed that by far too many officers are engaged in administering the system. It is a fact, I believe, that schooling costs just as much now as it did before any fund was set apart for educational purposes. The office of county superintendent is considered by nineteentwentieths of the people, if not ninety-nine hundredths as worse than useless, imposing a tax of from $500 to $1,000 on the county, without any adequate or corresponding advantage. It is said, and I think with truth, that a county supervisor is as necessary to manage the respective town supervisors, as a county superintendent is to rule, manage and govern the efficient town superintendents. It is alleged by many that inasmuch as colleges and academies are for the most part accessible to the rich, those who are able of their own means to obtain an educa. tion, the munificience of the state-the public money-should be applied entirely to common schools; the public effort should be to elevate common schools, and assist the indigent to an education. The district library is considered by the great majority of the people, so far as I have heard an expression, as of trivial importance, a dead weight in a district. It is a constant expression, that "not half a dozen books have been taken from the library during the year." It seems to be a prevailing opinion, that the amount expended for the purchase of district libraries could be much better applied by the trustees. The common school law is re viction that the system is radically defective, and that the public moneys have been, according to Mr. Hulburd's report, unwarrantably appropriated. As to my individual views on the common school system, and the subject of education generally, I have presented them in detail to a committee in another town, in reply to an invi tation to address a meeting on the subject of the school system, and which I understand is to be published, whieh, if done, I will forward you a copy. I am dear siroivery respt. yours, S. S. RANDALL, Esq M. H. CASH. DEPARTMENT OF COMMON SCHOOLS, Albany, June 18, 1844. HON. MERRITT H. CASH: DEAR SIR-I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of yours of the 12th inst., containing, in answer to my inquiries, an exposition of the principal grounds of objection on the part of a large and respectable portion of the inhabitants of your county, to the existing common school system of this state. I am happy to learn that those objections are confined to the system, and do not extend to its general administration, and that the proper distinction is kept in view between the errors, the misapprehensions, and the imperfections of the various officers charged with the local or general supervision of that system, and the system itself. The former are, al most of necessity, incidental to every institution of human origin; and all experience has shown that however judicious and well devised may be the theoretical details of any system of government or of social or civil polity of any grade, its practical administration will partake of the errors, the frailties and the imperfections of those to whose hands it is confided. The intelligent inhabitants of Orange county will, I am sure, concede to the venerable and distinguished indi vidual now in charge of the Department of Public Instruction, not only the ability but the dis. position faithfully to discharge the high duties incumbent upon him in this most important field • of labor: the wisdom to perceive and the hon esty to expose any serious infringement of the annually appropriated to the colleges and acaderights and interests of the great body of the mies, is or is not unnecessarily large, is undoubtpeople, resulting from the legitimate operations edly a question worthy of the most careful conof the system confided to his care, and the credit sideration, on the part as well of the legislaof having originated and carried out numerous ture as the people: whether, should it ultimately and important reforms in the details of that sys-be found expedient to diminish that amount, & tem by which hundreds of useless officers have corresponding increase of the fund now approbeen dispensed with, and a vast amount of bur-priated to the support of the common schools densome and unprofitable expense annually saved would be desirable, admits, to say the least, of to the people of the several counties and towns. very serious doubt. So long ago as 1834, when Those who consider him capable of conniving, the amount annually distributed among the sevedirectly or indirectly, with "tyranny and despo- ral school districts, was considerably less than tism" in any of its forms, either in the adminis-one-half of the present sum, Gen. Dix, then tration of the common school system, or other- Superintendent, observed in his annual report to wise, wholly misapprehend his character, and the legislature, that "experience in other states evince an entire ignorance of the whole tenor of has proved what has been abundantly confirmed his long and eminently useful public career. Un- by our own, that too large a sum of public moder his auspices, and during his administration ney distributed among the common schools has of the department, the number of officers con- no salutary effect. Beyond a certain point, the nected with the local administration of the com- voluntary contributions of the inhabitants demon schools has been reduced from upwards of cline in amount, with almost uniform regularity, 4,000 to 842; the aggregate annual expense of as the contributions from a public fund increase." the system has been diminished by about "Should the general fund at any future day," he $50,000; the public money has been secured continues," be recruited so as to admit of an against extensive losses growing out of the neg. augmentation of the capital or revenue of the lect, the irresponsibility, and in many instances common school fund, or both, the policy of inthe fraud of those to whose custody it has here- creasing the sum annually distributed to the tofore been consigned; and the most energetic common schools beyond an amount which shall, and efficient measures have been adopted to se. when taken in connection with the number of cure a faithful and judicious administration of children annually taught in them, exceed the the entire system, through the agency of the va present rate of apportionment, would be in the rious county and town superintendents, and trus-highest degree questionable." The number of tees and other officers of the several districts. children then taught in the several district schools So far, therefore, as he is concerned, economy of the state was 512,475, and the annual apporin expenditure, strict responsibility, and an essen- tionment from the common school fund was tial simplification of the system have certainly $100,000. The former has increased to 657,782: been attained. while the latter, instead of a proportional amount, which would be $128,354, has been augmented to $220,000, applicable solely to the payment of teachers. In his annual report for the year 1836, the same judicious and discriminating officer makes use of the following language: "It is, from the nature of the subject, impossible to fix the exact limit below which a reduction of the sum distributed (including the amount raised by taxation in the several towns,) would cease to operate as an inducement to the inhabi tants to assume the residue of the expenses of maintaining the schools, or beyond which its increase would render their burdens so light as to create inattention to the concerns of the districts. It may, however, be safely assumed that 1. The system is charged with inequality and at any point between forty and fifty cents per injustice, "because it gives to colleges and acad. scholar, it is not probable that either of these emies in proportion to their pupils, dollars, evils would be felt; and that its augmentation while it gives to common schools, for whose above the maximum, on the one hand, or its rebenefit the school fund was created, only cents." duction on the other below the minimum above This objection is presumed to be based upon named, ought to be avoided, if practicable." The a misapprehension of the facts of the case. The amount now apportioned to each scholar (inclu common school fund and the literature fund are ding the sum raised by taxation, as above) is separate and distinct funds. The former is, by a eighty-four cents; and it is believed that the augspecific provision of the Constitution, inviolably mentation beyond the maximum indicated by appropriated to the support of common schools, Gen. Dix, has been unattended either by any and can, under no pretence, be diverted from corresponding improvement in the schools them that object; while the latter is derived from a selves, or any proportional increase of the inte different source, is placed at the disposal of the rest felt in their prosperity and advancement. Regents of the University and of the legislature, But be this as it may, the legislature only is and forms no part of the common school system. competent to adjust the ratio of apportionment That system, therefore, is clearly not chargeable between the common school and the literature with the inequality and injustice of the compara-funds: and neither the common school system, nor tive appropriations to the different institutions its administrators, can be held responsible for any of learning. Whether the amount of the fund supposed inequality or injustice in this respect. It is alleged, however, by the opponents of the system in your county, that it is unequal, unjust, unnecessarily expensive, unreasonably complicated, arbitrary, and withal tending to sectarianism." Will you permit me so far to trespass upon your patience and kind indulgence as to examine, somewhat in detail, these various objections, with the view of attempting to show what I deem their fallacy? And although I may not succeed in inducing those of your fellow-citizens who have assumed an attitude of hostility to the system, to abandon their position, I may possibly contribute to place the subject in a dif. ferent point of view from that in which they have been accustomed to survey it. 2. The system is alleged to be "unnecessarily expensive." "By far too many officers are believed to be engaged in its administration." "The office of county superintendent is considered by nineteen-twentieths, if not ninety-nine hundredths of the people, as worse than useless -imposing a tax of from $500 to $1,000 on the county, without any adequate or corresponding advantage." ་་ With regard to the expensiveness of the system of common schools, it may be well to observe in passing, that an increase of the amount to be distributed by the state, would in all probability require a corresponding increase in the amount to be raised by taxation upon the several towns: and if. as the objection now taken assumes, the system is already unnecessarily expensive," it is not perceived how the positions assumed under the first head, can be reconciled with those now to be considered-unless indeed the abolition of a single office-that of county su perintendent should be regarded as restoring the pecuniary balance to its equilibrium. Neither the trustees nor any of the subordinate officers of school districts, with the single exception of the collector, receive any compensation for their laborious and responsible services. No one will pretend that teachers are overpaid. A single town officer, charged with the performance of, the duties heretofore divided among six, and required in addition, to give ample security for the safe keeping and legal disbursement of the public money confided to his charge, certainly holds no sinecure, at $1.25 for each day's actual service. The unnecessary expense" of the system must therefore be attributable exclusively to the salary of the county superintendent, which is fixed by law at $2 per day, for each day necessarily spent in the discharge of his duty, not exceeding in the aggregate $500 per annum, one half of which only is payable by the county, and the residue, not as seems to be assumed by the objectors, from funds which would otherwise go to augment the annual apportionment for the benefit of the common schools-but "out of the annual surplus arising from the income of the moneys deposited by the United States," after defraying all the charges on the fund, of every name and nature. The objection then hinges entirely on the utility and necessity of the office of county superintendent. Is that office, as alleged by the objectors, useless, or worse than useless?" Does its continuance as a portion of our common school system, impose a tax upon the people without any adequate or corresponding advantage?" And are either "nineteen-twentieths" or "ninety-nine hundredths of the people" of this opinion? and it was finally incorporated as a portion of the system by a nearly unanimous vote in both branches of the legislature of 1841. During the session of 1842, numerous petitions and remonstrances for and against the abolition of the of fice were presented to the legislature; but the assembly committee on colleges, academies and common schools, of which Mr. Hulburd was chairman, in an able and masterly report, came to the unanimous conclusion, after a full and deliberate investigation, that the system in this respect should remain unchanged-" believing it to be not only the most economical and efficient, but the most important provision in our complex and extensive organization of public instruction, and anticipating from its continuance the rapid and thorough reformation of the schools." In this conclusion the committee were sustained by a nearly unanimous vote of the house. A similar result attended a similar movement at the last session; and so far as the popularity of the system, its importance and utility as a means of advancement of popular education, may legitimately be inferred from repeated and strong expressions in both branches of the legislature, from the result of popular conventions in nearly every section of the state, from the general tone of the press of all parties, and from the individual opinions of the most distinguished and eminent friends of education, with scarcely a solitary exception, the assertion, that "nineteen-twentieths or ninety-nine hundredths of the people, are adverse to its con tinuance" can only be applicable to a very limited portion of the state. It will, I apprehend, be found to be invaria bly true, that in every county of the state where the duties of this office have been confided to competent hands, and have been faithfully and judiciously performed, with a due regard to the interests of education, and in substantial conformity to the spirit of the law and the instruc tions of the Department, a vast majority of the people regard this portion of the system as its most distinguishing excellence, and that they could on no account be induced to consent to its abandonment. There may be, undoubtedly, instances where from the manifest incompetence of the county superintendent; from his assumption of powers not conferred by law, and of authority not appertaining to the office; from his arrogance of demeanor, combined with culpable and inexcusable ignorance of his appropriate duties and functions; and from his neglect to carry out the express requirements of law and the just expec tations of the public, the office itself and the system of which it forms a prominent part, may As early as the year 1826, the plan of a more have been rendered widely obnoxious. But efficient and thorough supervision of the com- these instances, if they exist, are melancholy ex mon schools, through the agency of county offi.amples of an abuse and perversion of functions cers, was recommended to the legislature, by beneficial in their nature-and for which no rethe Hon. John C. Spencer, then chairman of the flecting man would desire to hold the system itliterature committee of the senate. Ten years self responsible; they are isolated instances, subsequently, the proposition was renewed by standing cut in bold relief, and presenting a the Hon. Jabez D. Hammond of Otsego, in a marked contrast to the general operation of that series of well written papers, which were ex-system; they admit of a prompt and effectual tensively published and circulated throughout remedy, by the application of the power of rethe state. The visitors of common schools ap-moval vested in the local and state tribunals; pointed by Mr. Spencer, in 1838 and 1839, while he held the office of Superintendent, very generally adopted and strongly urged the proposition, and they are necessarily temporary in duration, although doubtless productive of influences which may long survive and impede the best 134 can impart to their most successful originators. exertions of those who seek to restore the sys. tem to its proper orbit. In the judgment of many of the soundest, wisest and best men which our community affords, the continuance of the oflice of county superintendent is intimately connected with the vital interests of elementary education and public instruction. Shall these great interests be sacrificed or endangered, because here and there incompetent and weak men have intruded into positions which they were incapable of filling with either honor to themselves or utility to the public? In by far the largest proportion of our fifty-nine counties, the office of You say that "it is a constant expression that county superintendent, has during the past three years, been ably, efficiently and creditably filled not half a dozen books have been taken from the by individuals of commanding talents, extensive library during the year." Permit me, in conand varied acquirements, and the highest moral cluding what I have to say under this head, reworth-and under their supervision the schools spectfully to ask, whether under such circumhave advanced to an extent far surpassing the stances, the means for forming an accurate most sanguine anticipations of the friends of edu-opinion of the value and utility of these libracation-fully realizing and more than realizing the highest expectations of the public mind in this respect. Shall we forego all these advantages-overlook or depreciate these brilliant results-and retrograde in our efforts to extend the invaluable blessings of universal education, because similar encouraging and gratifying results have failed to ensue where the abilities, the dis. position and the means necessary to secure their accomplishment, have been wanting, and where the agents to whom we have incautiously confided these high interests have proved unfaithful and unworthy of the trust? But I will not press this argument farther. Its application to the point under consideration, will not fail to suggest itself, to every candid and discriminating mind. 3. I proceed to the remaining topics of complaint referred to in your letter: and shall endeavor to condense what I have to say upon them within the briefest practicable limits. I cannot deem it necessary to defend the institution of district libraries, or to point out the myriad sources of knowledge, of useful information, and of moral culture which the beneficent policy of the state has thus rendered accessible to every inhabitant of our extended territory, and to every child of sufficient age to partake of their benefits. It cannot be that an individual exists in this day and age, who would roll back this noble-this fertilizing-this ample and refreshing stream of knowledge and wisdom, and virtue and power-who would cut off at its source this perennial supply of the life giving waters of mental and moral enlightenment, destined, as I trust, to gladden, invigorate and strengthen the rich soil of humanity in all its variegated aspects and conditions. I know, and I am happy to know, that there are thousands who would purify and cleanse these waters from every taint-who would sedulously guard their channels against the infusion of any ingredient that might possibly contaminate the pure minds of youth-poison their principles, or pervert their energies. But I cannot bring myself to believe, that any portion of our fellow-citizens are prepared to abandon the farther prosecution | of an undertaking, which reflects more lasting honor upon the heads which conceived and the energies which executed it, than the grandest physical improvements by which the age in which we live has been or may be distinguished, ries, may reasonably be supposed to exist? and whether upon such testimony it can be expected that the verdict of an enlightened public opinion, long since rendered with unexampled unanimity in favor of these noble institutions, should be reversed or impeached? 4. With regard to the District School Journal, I have only to observe, that the fund from which the state subscription to that periodical is defrayed, is not one which but for that subscription would augment the annual appropriation to the several school districts, but from the same sur. plus income of the United States deposite fund, after answering all the appropriations authorized by law-from which a moiety of the salary of the county superintendent is paid. Neither of these objects interferes in any manner whatever with the common school fund. Undoubtedly it is in the power of the legislature to appropriate both, or indeed, any other fund of the state to that object: but as yet they have not seen fit to do so. The Journal is published monthly-is exclusively devoted to education-contains all the laws from time to time enacted in relation to common schools, together with the instructions, expositions and decisions of the Department under those laws-together with from twenty to thirty closely printed pages of two columns each, of original and selected matter, bearing upon the great interests of education in all its branches-and is forwarded gratuitously to the clerk of every school district, and to each town and county superintendent in the state, chargeable only with common newspaper postage, which can in no case exceed one cent per month, and even this trifling charge may at any time be What there should be in all this apportioned among the taxable inhabitants of the district. upon which to found the charge of "arbitrary" oppression, or to excite "exasperated feelings." I confess surpasses my comprehension. 5. The experiment of a Normal School for the instruction and preparation of common school teachers, remains yet to be tested by its practical results. The able investigation which the chairman of the committee on colleges, &c., Mr. Hulburd, gave to the whole subject in his late report, together with the fact that the law authorizing the establishment of such an insti tution, received the unanimous sanction of both branches of the legislature, renders it entirely superfluous for me to enter upon a defence of |