Legislature. From a condition of anarchy and confusion and complete disorganization, within a period of less than eight years arose a beautiful and stately fabric, based upon the most impregnable foundations, sustained by an enlightened public sentiment, fortified by the best and most enduring affections of the people, and cherished as the safeguard of the State-the true palladium of its greatness and prosperity." The Free School question had a bearing upon nearly every educational measure in the State. In 1795 an act appropriating $50,000 annually for five years was passed, "for the purpose of encouraging and maintaining schools." On the 2d of April, 1805, the Legislature passed an act providing that the net proceeds of 500,000 acres of the vacant and unappropriated lands of the people of this State, which should be first thereafter sold by the Surveyor-General, should be appropriated as a permanent fund for the support of common schools, the avails to be safely invested until the interest should amount to $50,000, when an annual distribution of that amount should be made to the several school districts. 'This act, says Randall, laid the foundation of the present fund for the support of common schools. 66 In 1812 a bill was passed, comprising the main features of the common school system, as it was up to 1838, providing for the division of the State into school districts, the distribution of the interest of the school fund according to the number of children from five to fifteen years of age, and the levying of a tax for school purposes by each town annually. By act of Congress in 1836 the surplus revenues of the United States were deposited among the several States; accordingly the Legislature of 1838 added $160,000 from the revenue of this fund to the amount to be apportioned among the several school districts of the State. Thus far the system had proved defective, chiefly because of the mode of taxation, causing many of the poorer and less populous districts to sustain a school merely long enough to secure the next apportionment of public moneys. In March, 1849, the Legislature passed the Act establishing free schools throughout the State." By this act the tax was levied and collected by counties, being severally equal to the sums apportioned by the State. This law happened to go into effect when no provision in the various counties had been made to meet the tax; the result was so unfortunate that petitions for its repeal were forwarded from all parts of the State. A bill introduced by Mr. Mann, of Oneida, referring the matter to the decision of the people, was passed, and in the fall of 1850 a majority vote was obtained in favor of its repeal. The friends of the measure, however, were not to be put down, and in 1851, after a protracted discussion, "An act to establish free schools throughout the State" was passed, and signed by the Governor. This was a victory more worthy of record than the proudest triumph of conquest by force of arms, for this struggle demanded "The courage of the master mind, That saves the sinking state." Knowledge of law and government, There have been other questions in the solution of which the New York State Teachers' Association became an important factor by its discussions and recommendations. One of these is school supervision. By the Act of 1795, not less than three nor more than seven persons were to be elected at each town meeting, to "be commissioners of schools, and have the superintendence thereof." In 1812 the office "known and distinguished as the superintendent of common schools" was created. The appointments to this office rested in a Council of Appointment, and in 1821 the State Legislature were so indignant that Gideon Hawley was not reappointed that they abolished the office, and required the Secretary of State to perform all the duties of supervising the schools. In 1839, at the suggestion of the Hon. John C. Spencer, the Superintendent of Schools (ie. Secretary of State) was authorized to appoint a Board of Visitors for all common schools. The reports of these visitors were unanimous in favor of county supervision. It appearing subsequently "that at least one half of all the schools in the State" were not visited at all, in 1841 an act was passed authorizing the Board of Supervisors in each county to appoint a deputy superintendent for such county, and also requiring two inspectors of schools to be elected for each town. Petitions being sent to the Legislature asking for the repeal of this act, on the ground of expense, in 1843 the offices of commissioner and inspector of schools were abolished. One town superintendent was to assume the duties of both, i.e. grant licenses and visit schools, and boards of supervisors could in their discretion appoint two county superintendents in counties of more than one hundred and fifty school districts. In 1854 the State supervisory power was separated from the office of Secretary of State, and the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction created. In 1856 the present school commissioner system was made to supersede that of town superintendents. Two questions relating to supervision have been, among teachers, prominent topics of discussion--one whether some scheme of town supervision subject to a county authority would not be an improvement, and the other whether the Regents of the University would not make a better supervisory body for the State, the duties of State Superintendent of Schools to be performed by the secretary of the Regents. 66 The qualifications of teachers has been a question that has been much debated. In the report of the commissioners appointed under the Act of 1811, to report a system for the organization and establishment of common schools, much stress was placed upon this all-important requisite. The Legislature will perceive,' in the system contained in the bills submitted to their consideration, that the commissioners are deeply impressed with the importance of admitting, under the contemplated plan, such teachers only as are duly qualified." As a means to the improvement of teachers' qualifications, a legislative enactment of 1834 provided that the surplus income of the literature fund beyond the sum of $12,000 should be distributed to such academies as the Regents might select, for the exclusive purpose of educating common-school teachers. In May, 1844, a bill passed providing for the establishment and support of a normal school, to be located at Albany. Teachers' institutes, to improve the qualification of teachers, were begun in 1843, J. S. Denman, Superintendent of Tompkins County, being largely instrumental in their establishment. The first institute was opened at Ithaca, April 4th, 1843, Salem Town, David Powell, and James Thompson being instructors and lecturers. The " Act for the establishment of Teachers' Institutes" was passed in 1847, and it was not long before they had become a recognized institution in the educational work of the State. The following list includes those who have served in the State of New York as instructors or conductors of institutes as a profession : FREDERICK S. JEWELL. HENRY R. SANFORD. 1 See Randall, p. 105; also Report by Jas. H. Hoose on Supervision, 1879. The last four are now regularly employed in institute work. eral of the number will be found in the appendix. Sketches of sev On the 12th of April, 1848, the Legislature passed the "Act for the permanent establishment of the Albany Normal School." The need of more normal schools was soon felt, and an act was passed in 1866 for the establishment of four 'normal and training schools for the education and discipline of teachers for the common schools of this State." Dr. Malcomb MacVicar, afterward principal of the Potsdam Normal School, and Edward A. Sheldon, subsequently principal of the Oswego Normal School, were chiefly instrumental in bringing this about. Normal schools were established at Brockport, Cortland, Fredonia, and Potsdam, and under the general provisions of the same act three others were added-those at Buffalo, Geneseo, and Oswego. The following is a list of normal school principals in the State of New York. Sketches of these gentlemen, not elsewhere given, will be found in appendix: DAVID P. PAGE. GEORGE R. PERKINS. SAMUEL B. WOOLWORTH. DR. JOSEPH ALDEN. EDWARD P. WATERBURY. 66 GEN. T. J. MORGAN. JOHN W. ARMSTRONG. F. B. PALMER. J. H. HOOSE. HENRY B. BUCKHAM. H. R. SANFORD. Akin to the subject of qualifications is that of teachers' certificates and licenses. Granted to applicants at first (1795) by town commissioners," then (1839) by Boards of Visitors, next (1841) by deputy superintendents," and finally (1856) by school commissioners, there have been presented from time to time schemes for improving the methods by which these documents shall be received. The The custom of granting certificates on recommendation, formerly indulged in by State superintendents, was finally supplanted by State examinations. system of Regents' examinations having been established in 1866, proposals at various times have been made to make these examinations a preliminary requisite to a teacher's certificate. A question of fundamental importance has arisen in connection with the law of 1853, providing for the establishment of Union Free Schools, which permits the inhabitants of any school district or districts to provide for free instruction and defray the expense by tax. By this provision a union of academical and primary departments is permitted, and a higher grade of instruction secured than could otherwise be obtained, except in academies and private schools. privilege has been a fruitful source of discussion, opponents of the measure claiming that the State should not be required to pay for instruction of a higher grade than required for citizenship, and defenders of the system claiming that every branch tends to that end. This As books are so largely the basis of educational work, the subjects of school libraries and text-books could not fail to be productive of discussion. We shall find various questions in the State Association arising with reference to these two topics, as we also shall with regard to the attendance of pupils, matters of religion and matters of health—all of which are worthy the serious attention of the friends of education and progress, though to the casual observer they ap pear as dry as summer's dust, CHAPTER II. ORGANIZATION AND FIRST DECADE OF THE First Meeting at Syracuse, 1845-Chester Dewey-Second Meeting at Utica, 1846-Joseph McKeen-Third Meeting at Rochester, 1847-Samuel B. Woolworth-Fourth Meeting at Auburn, 1848-Charles R. Coburn-The Cholera Season-Fifth Meeting at New York City, 1850-John W. Bulkley-Sixth Meeting at Buffalo, 1851-N. P. Stanton-Seventh Meeting at Elmira, 1852-Charles Davies-Eighth Meeting at Rochester, 1853-Victor M. Rice-Ninth Meeting at Oswego, 1854-Reuben D. Jones-Review of the Work. THE Association was organized at a period when important political events were transpiring at home and abroad. It was the memorable year when Texas was annexed to the United States and war ensued with Mexico in consequence; when the British Government had purchased the Danish possessions in India preliminary to assuming more complete control of that country; when Sir John Franklin, with the Erebus and Terror, sailed on his Arctic voyage, never to return. And who shall say, when measured by some absolute standard of value, when the comparative influence for good upon culture and progress is taken into account, that the organization of this society of teachers would not be entitled to rank with the foremost events of the time? At a meeting of the Albany County Teachers' Association, held March 29th, 1845, T. W. Valentine made a motion favoring the organization of a Teachers' State Convention. This resolution was eloquently advocated by Hon. Salem Town, and a committee, consisting of J. W. Bulkley, T. W. Valentine, E. P. Freeman, J. L. Chapman, and A. E. Patch, was appointed to correspond with teachers and make arrangements. Pursuant to public notice, a State convention of teachers assembled at the Congregational Church of Syracuse, on Wednesday, July 30th, 1845, at 10 o'clock A.M.1 The convention was organized by the appointment of Mr. William Ross, of Seneca (widely known from that day to the present as a well-meaning, bluntspoken, and usually level-headed champion of the common school-a real oldfashioned schoolmaster), as President pro tem, and Mr. X. Haywood, of Rens. selaer, Secretary pro tem. The Rev. Mr. Platt, of Syracuse, opened the proceedings with prayer. Messrs. Marble, of Albany; Cooper, of Westchester; A. F. Ha'l, of Monroe; Hutchins, of Tioga; Scram, of Onondaga, were appointed a committee on nomination of officers. 1 For a complete report of this Convention, see Teachers' Advocate, vol. i., No. 1. |