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Jersey County Schools, 1869

Jersey County Democrat, June 26, 1869

EDUCATIONAL

     That the young people be educated is certainly a matter of the highest consequence to all. There is no city in the state that stands more in need of this admonition, or any, we venture to say, that is better disposed to adapt the means to the end, than the city of Jerseyville. Instead of having school houses of competent means, where persons of suitable taste for learning may receive a first class education, we are almost without any at all, if we may except a few small district departments which cannot be called reputable in an educational point of view. There are indications that there is a spirit in Jerseyville that will spare no efforts to secure for education here the choicest educational talent, and all that is necessary to retain and secure it in our midst is the existence of competent school houses among us.
     Then we say why not our citizens make a move in this direction. At the last session of the Legislature a bill was passed forming the directors of District no. 3, town 8, range 11 into a body corporate, and authorizing them to issue bonds to the amount of fifteen thousand dollars to be appropriated to the erection of a new school house, but as yet we have heard of no move being made by them in that direction.
     The two great questions in education are, what is to be taught, and how are we to teach it? From the age of six to fourteen is the period of the elementary schools. This is the time during which children, besides having their moral education carried on effectually, are to be introduced to those branches of instruction which are necessary to the business of life – a process which includes within itself the exercise and development of the intellectual faculties, and the formation of habits of intellectual application and taste. But it is only in well classified schools, and with the assistance of first class teachers. that this can be pursued on a comprehensive plan, and with a deeper investigation of principles than is now conducted in our district schools., A majority of our youth are allowed to exist without the least tincture of a higher class education, but it is not because they are not supposed to require any knowledge beyond that which immediately fit them for the common duties by which they earn their bread, but simply because we have not the right kind of schools in our midst, and those whose tastes are for this kind of education have to leave Jerseyville and go off where they can acquire it. We hope something will be done to remedy this lack of education in this city.

Jersey County Democrat, September 4, 1869

The Radical Superintendents of Schools are recommending a new series of books called the “UNION” series. The title of the books alone show them to be hypocritical concerns. First these Radicals recommended the National which is a Yankee swindle, and now they desire to change to a bigger swindle – the “Union” series. The country is overrun with worthless school books now, and every time a change is made it is a change for the worse.


From Marty Crull.

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