Those young men who in our Southern institutions are coming on to be Congregational divines, ought to have access to the theological literature of the fathers. The common text-book used by their instructors is Pond’s Theology, issued by our Congregational Publishing Society. They ought to have in their libraries, as reference books, the works of Robinson, and Edwards, and Hopkins, and Bellamy, and Park on the Atonement. Now, these books are on the shelves of the C. P. Society, and can be had cheap. The Society has not in hand the means to make the appropriation, but are there not some of the stanch friends of the old Congregational Board and its stanch theology, who will be glad to put those works within the reach of these young theologians of the South? That would be a handsome thing to do, and grand results may follow in solidifying the views of those coming preachers. There are five of these institutions which are teaching theology, and as many libraries that await such an accession of the wisdom of the fathers.—Pilgrim, in Congregationalist.
GENERAL NOTES.
The Peabody Educational Fund.
The Board of Trustees of the Peabody Educational Fund—George Peabody’s gift of $2,100,000 in aid of education in the South—held its annual meeting October 2d, in New York City. The Treasurer reported receipts of $80,000, and disbursements of $77,000. The principal statements of Dr. Sears’s annual report were the following:
The year just brought to a close has been one of unusual pecuniary embarrassment to all the schools of the South. While every branch of the department of education has been affected by it, that relating to the employment of teachers has suffered most. Notwithstanding these discouraging circumstances, the schools in most of the States, instead of deteriorating, have advanced in almost every respect. The attendance was never so great; the interest of the people never so general. An approximation, near or remote, in the great mass of teachers, to the standard of those professionally educated, has been effected, sometimes by county organizations, under State supervision; sometimes by bringing together teachers from all the counties of a Congressional district; and, in one instance, by assembling the teachers of a whole State to receive instruction for a period of six weeks. This is a new feature in the school operations of the Southern States, and is now more rapidly revolutionizing modes of instruction than any other measure that has been tried. No part of the funds at our disposal has produced greater or better results than that contributed to this object. The scholarships established last year have had an excellent effect. Those given to the New Orleans Normal School, in amounts of $150 each, were used for the benefit of pupils from the country parishes. They were ten in number. Those of the Nashville Normal College, of $200 each, were for pupils from beyond the limits of Tennessee.
The number of white children in Virginia, December 1, 1877, between five and twenty-one years of age, was 280,149; that of colored children, 202,640, making in all, 482,789. Of these, 139,931 white children and 65,043 colored were enrolled in the public schools, amounting to 204,974, or somewhat less than one-half. The average daily attendance was only 117,843. The current expenses for the public schools and school officers were $949,721; and for permanent improvements in real estate, houses and furniture, $100,625. Although the current expenses were reduced $36,000, the school work was increased, and the number of pupils was 5,000 greater than the year before. It is well known that the State is largely in debt; and the courts have decided that the school fund may be used for the benefit of the creditors.
In North Carolina the provisions for education are altogether inadequate. There is a great lack of funds, and also of proper organs to execute the law. So long as a meagre State tax is the sole reliance for the support of schools, they will inevitably languish. Double the amount of money now raised would be a scanty supply. The organization of boards of education, and of the other branches of school administration, is radically defective.
The report of the new Superintendent of South Carolina for 1877 shows that 2,483 schools, with an attendance of 102,396 children, out of 228,128, were in operation for a period averaging three months. The State had appropriated $100,000 for their support.
In Georgia, English branches only are taught in the public schools. The total enrolment in 1877 was 191,000. Of this number, 64,000 were colored children. The school funds amounted to $434,000, including $143,000 which was raised by towns and cities. There is a prospect that, under the new Constitution, there will be a large increase of funds.