rendering his office, to prepare and submit to the Legislature, with explanatory remarks, two bills, one "To Consolidate and Amend. the Several Acts relative to Common Schools," and the other entitled, "An Act to provide or the Establishment of Institutions for the Preparation of Common School Teachers." The first was a bill of sixty-eight sections, based mainly upon the law of 1836, but arranged in logical order by subjects, and expressed in clear and concise language. All the provisions of existing acts relating to common schools were covered by this bill, and it included a number of additions and amendments. The most noteworthy of the new sections were those which provided for the establishment of secondary or graded schools in country districts, and for the teaching of branches in the primary schools as follows: "Reading, Writing and Arithmetic thoroughly, and the rudiments of Grammar, Geography, History, Drawing and Vocal Music." The second bill consisted of only three sections, and simply provided for the appointment of a commissioner for one year to investigate the want of well-trained professional teachers, and the best means of supplying them, such commissioner to present a report to the Legislature accompanied by a bill.

Neither of these bills appears to have been acted upon in the Legislature, but they were published, and served to educate public sentiment and to direct future legislation.

FROM 1838 TO 1852.

CHAPTER XVIII.

SAILING IN QUIET WATERS.

GOVERNORS: PORTER, SHUNK, JOHNSTON. SUPERINTENDENTS: SHUNK, PARSONS, M'CLURE, MILLER, HAINES, RUSSELL.

THE

HE day of agitation and debate has passed. A well-organized public school system is a fixed fact in Pennsylvania. The army that fought the fight for free schools and stood guard over their infancy has disbanded, and quiet reigns on fields where a short time ago foemen were wont to engage in furious battle.

one.

From 1839 to 1852, three Governors sat in the Executive Chair: .David R. Porter, Francis R. Shunk, and William F. Johnston. All of them in their annual messages expressed an interest in public education, but neither gave the question of schools much prominence, or assumed the advocacy of any particular measure for their improvement. What they had to say never extended beyond two or three short paragraphs, and was frequently limited to a single Porter thought the principal defect in the system was the want of competent teachers and the need of better school books; and in his second message recommended the Legislature to consider "whether a regard for the public interest does not require the separation of the duties of the Superintendent of Common Schools from those of the Secretary of the Commonwealth." Shunk had been Superintendent of Common Schools under Porter, but as Governor he did not make a single recommendation concerning education. In one of his messages he stated that he had visited the public schools in Philadelphia, and was much pleased with their management. Johnston, in 1849, expressed his "unfeigned pleasure" that the common school system had at length been adopted throughout the whole State. He would increase its funds and provide better teachers, and thought "the establishment of Normal Schools in the different counties worthy of the consideration of the Legislature."

The Superintendents of Common Schools from 1838 to 1852 were Francis R. Shunk, Anson V. Parsons, Charles McClure, Jesse Miller, Townsend Haines, and Alexander L. Russell. All of these

gentlemen were distinguished lawyers and politicians. Their interest in education or their knowledge of school administration were not taken into account in their appointment. The law by which they were made to discharge the duties of Superintendent of Common Schools did not require them to go out into the field to visit schools, to instruct teachers, to enlighten public sentiment, or to lead the educational forces of the State in the fight against ignorance, and they undertook little work of this kind. In the office, at Harrisburg, they answered inquiries, gave advice, made decisions on points of law, issued warrants for the State appropriation, received reports from the districts, and made annual reports to the Legislature; but beyond the discharge of these and other like duties incident to the place, the system was simply let alone to accomplish what it could by its own unaided strength. The decisions made during this period on questions of school law, and of school law in relation to the general civil code, are mostly broad and well-considered, doing much then and since to establish the public schools on a firm basis. Perhaps it was best that the foundations of the system should be thus strongly and soundly laid, even at the expense of that professional ability and enthusiasm which were to come to the front at a later day.

Francis R. Shunk was appointed Secretary of the Commonwealth and Superintendent of Common Schools by Governor Porter. He was born in Montgomery county in 1788. His grandfather was one of the thousands of Germans who, unable to live at peace in their native land, sought early in the eighteenth century a resting place in Pennsylvania. His parents were in moderate circumstances, but he found means, mostly between hours of labor, to acquire sufficient knowledge to enable him to teach at the age of fifteen a country school. He continued to teach in the winter and work on a farm in the summer for about ten years, when he was appointed a clerk in the Surveyor General's office at Harrisburg. There he studied law, served as clerk of the House of Representatives and clerk of the Board of Canal Commissioners and, in 1839, became Superintendent of Common Schools. His administration was eminently conservative, firm in holding fast that which had proven good, but averse to all doubtful experiments or novelties in legislation.

Superintendent Shunk made four annual reports. The first is brief, and contains little beyond a statement of the statistics of the system for the preceding year. It opens with the judicious remark that the

Superintendent having lately entered upon the duties of the office, is not prepared to submit commentaries upon or alterations or improvements of the system. To do this with effect, experience and practical observation are required."

The second report is a document of more than the usual length and of marked ability. By way of introduction, it speaks of the attention given of late to popular education in European countries and in sister States, and presents an admirable summary of the school legislation of Pennsylvania since 1834.

Then follow the

details of the operation of the system for the past year. This formal part of his report disposed of, the Superintendent proceeds to point out the obstacles which at that time retarded the progress of the system, and to suggest means for their removal. The most prominent obstacle named is the want of a sufficient number of well-qualified teachers. The Superintendent considers twenty dollars a month for male teachers, and twelve dollars a month for female teachers, about the salaries then paid, entirely inadequate to command the services of the kind of teachers that ought to be employed in the schools. With the view of enlightening public opinion on the subject and thus securing more and better qualified teachers, he states that he had addressed a circular to each board of school directors in the State, recommending them to hold public meetings and endeavor to induce the people to consider the wants of the system and make an effort to supply them.

Something of the schoolmaster as well as of the statesman appears in the following paragraphs:

It is also hoped that some competent individual, abounding in practical knowledge upon the subject, will prepare and publish a manual for the teachers of our primary schools, in which the best means, which experience in this and other countries furnishes, for imparting instruction in the branches taught in these schools, will be systematized. If all that is known upon this interesting subject were thus embodied by a master hand, the work would be of incalculable value. There are many men who possess the adequate knowledge for teachers who are defective in the art of communicating it. These would be greatly benefited by the wisdom and experience of the best teachers of the age.

Connected with the art of teaching scholars is that of governing a school; this, like that of governing communities, is a science, the principles of which, if properly arranged by the light of experience and philosophy, would add an inestimable item to the knowledge of our teachers. The barbarous system of governing the mind by the infliction of stripes upon the body, would, like the penal code of other times, soon be ameliorated by a correct illustration of this science; and the schoolroom, under a proper system of government,

adapted to this enlightened age, would be the delight, instead of being, as it now too often is, the terror of our children.

Normal Schools or Teachers' Seminaries are earnestly recommended as the best means of supplying the primary schools with a sufficient number of well-qualified teachers. On this subject it is urged:

That the work be commenced by dividing the State into a convenient number of Normal School districts, not more than five, and authorizing the appointment of three school commissioners in each of the districts, with power to collect information upon the subject of organizing, governing and conducting Teachers' Seminaries, the branches to be taught, the mode of instruction, the expenses, &c. That they meet on a certain day, and, in conjunction with the Superintendent of Common Schools, examine and deliberate upon all the information obtained, and adopt a plan for the establishment of Normal Schools in the several districts, at such time and in such manner as may be directed by law. It would be prudent to make provision for erecting one of these institutions at an early period, in the central district, for the purpose of testing the utility and practicability of the plan.

As a valuable means of diffusing knowledge, the report advocates the establishment of common school libraries after the manner of New York and Massachusetts. It says:

Among the most prominent advances to be made, is the establishment of common school libraries in every school district. This cheap, simple and efficient method of placing within the reach of the whole people a body of valuable knowledge, is one of the comprehensive purposes of modern society. A common school library should embrace works upon every department of science and literature, and should be particularly illustrative of the history of our own country, of its institutions, and of the manners and customs of the people.

Shunk's third and fourth reports contain no new recommendations of moment. A paragraph in the third, however, exposes a neglect no less detrimental to the interests of public schools now than then:

The inhabitants of a school district are associated together and bound by the tenderest ties to secure to all their children those advantages of education which every parent is so solicitous to provide for his own children. The election of directors and the powers conferred upon them, do not lessen the responsibility of the citizen, and should not diminish that anxious, superintending, personal care which springs from the love of offspring and the desire to promote their happiness and welfare. If this care abounded more in the several districts, the duties of directors would be made pleasant, and their power to do good by advancing the cause of education would be greatly mul tiplied.

The fourth closes with a strong argument in behalf of public education. A single sentence may be quoted: