The following is such information as I have been able toobtain respecting the public Educational provision in the UnitedStates, from the year 1830 to 1835.
MAINE.--"By a law of the State, every town, however largeor small, is required to raise annually, for the support ofschools, a sum equal at least to forty cents. for eachperson in the town, and to distribute this sum among the severalschools or districts, in proportion to the number of schools ineach. The expenditure of the sum is left principally to thedirection of the town, and its committee or agents. appointed forthat purpose. In the year 1825, the legislature required a reportfiom each town in the State, respecting the situation of theschools."--United States Almanack.
At that time, the number of school districts in ten countieswas, 2,499.
| The number of children between 4 and 21 was | 137,931 |
| The number who usually attend schools | 101,325 |
| Dollars. | |
| Amount required by law to be expended annually | 119,334 |
| Amount raised from taxes | 132,263 |
| Amount from the income of permanent funds | 5,614 |
| Total annual expenditure | 137,878 |
The number of incorporated academies in the State was 31; 4 ofwhich were for girls: the amount of funds varying from 2,000 to22,000 dollars a-year.
NEW HAMPSHIRE.--"From the year 1808 to 1818, there wereraised in New Hampshire 70,000 dollars annually by law, for thesupport of common schools. This amount was raised by a separatetax, levied throughout the State, in the ratio of taxation forthe State Tax. Since 1818, the yearly amount of the sum raisedhas been 90,000 dollars. This is the amount required by law, buta few towns raise more than they are required. The legislatureassumes no control over the immediate appropriation, but leavesthis to each town."
The State had also, in 1830, an annual income of 9,000clollars, and a literary fund of 64,000 dollars, raised by a taxof a half per cent. on the capital of the banks; both to be, fromthat time, annually divided among the towns, in the ratio oftaxation.
Some of tbe towns had separate school funds.
| The white population of New Hampshire at this time was | 268,721 |
| The coloured population | 607 |
VERMONT.--An act was passed in 1827 to provide for the supportof common schools. About 100,000 dollars was raised in 1830. Afund was also accumulating, which was to be applied whenever itsincome would support a common free-school in everydistrict of the State, for two months in the year.
There were about 20 incorporated academies in the State,where young men were fitted for college. The number of studentswas supposed to average 40 at each.
MASSACHUSETTS.--"By the returns from 131 towns, presentedto the legislature, it appears that the amount annually paid inthese towns for public schools, is 177,206 dollars.
| "The number of scholars receiving instruction | 70,599 |
| The number of pupils attending private schools in those towns | 12,393 |
| At an expense of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170,342 dollars. |
"The number of persons in those towns, between the agesof 14 and 21, unable to read and write, is 58.
"In the town of Hancock, in Berkshire county, there areonly 3 persons between 14 and 21 who cannot read and write; andthey are mutes."—American Annual Register.
RHODE ISLAND--"In January, 1828, the legislatureappropriated 10,000 dollars annually for the support of publicschools, to be divided among the several towns, in proportion tothe population, with authority for each town to raise, by annualtax, double the amount received from the Treasury, as itsproportion of the 10,000 dollars.
"There has been as yet no report of the number of schoolestablishments under the act, but it is thought that they maysafely be put down at 60, as all the towns have availedthemselves of its provisions. The whole number of schools in theState now probably exceeds 650."--American Almanack.
| The white population in 1830 | 93,621 |
| The coloured | 3,578 |
CONNECTICUT.—The revenue derived from the school fundamounted to 80,243 dollars. The State is divided into 208 schoolsocieties, which contained in the aggregate 84,899 children,between the ages of 4 and 16.
| The white population in 1830 | 289,603 |
| The coloured | 8,072 |
NEW YORK.
| The number of school districts was | 8,609 |
| Number of children between 5 and 15 | 449,113 |
| Number of children taught in the schools | 468,2O5 |
This estimate does not include the scholars instructed in thetwo great cities, New York and Albany.
| Dollars | |
| Amount paid to the districts | 232,848 |
| Of this, there came out of the Treasury | 100,000 |
| Raised by tax upon the towns | 119,209 |
| From a local fund | 13,133 |
| Voluntary tax by the towns | 19,209 |
PENNSYLVANIA--This State was in the rear. Not above 9,000children were educated at the public charge, of about 16,000dollars.
| The white population in 1830 | 1,309,900 |
| The coloured | 38,333 |
NEW JERSEY.--A fund of 222,000 dollars being realised, asystem of Common School education was about to be put in action;an appropriation of 20,000 dollars per annum being ordered to bedistributed among the towns for that purpose.
OHIO.--In Cincinnati, the first anniversary of free-schoolswas kept in 1830. Three thousand pupils belonged to thefree-schools of Cincinnati. The amount of the school-tax wasabout 10,000 dollars.
INDIANA.--A committee of the legislature was appointed toconsider and report upon the expediency of adopting the CommonSchool system.
| The white population in 1830 | 339,399 |
| The coloured | 3,632 |
ILLINOIS contained less than 160,000 persons in 1830, and hadno public schools.
MARYLAND.--Provision was made for the establishment of PrimarySchools throughout the State. One was opened in Baltimorein 1829.
There were 8 or 10 academies, which received annually from 400to 600 dollars from the Treasury of the State.
| Grants to the University of Maryland | 5,000 | dollars. |
| Grants to Colleges, Academies, and Schools | 13,000 |
DELAWARE.--A law ordaining the establishment of a CommonSchool system was passed in 1829, and the counties were beingdivided into districts in 1830.
NORTH CAROLINA had a literary fund of 70,000 dollars; butnothing had yet been done towards applying it.
VIRGINIA.--No free-schools.
SOUTH CAROLINA.--"It appeard by a Report of a Committeeon Schools, that the number of public schools established in theState was 513, wherein 5,361 scholars were educated at the annualexpense of 35,310 dollars."
"The benefit derived from this appropriation," saysthe governor, "is partial, founded on no principle, andarbitrarily dispensed by the Commissioners. If the fund could beso managed as to educate thoroughly a given number of young men,and to require them afterwards to teach for a limited time, as anequivalent, the effects would soon be seen and felt."--AmericanAnnual Register.
| The white population in 1830 | 257,863 |
| The coloured | 323,322 |
GEORGIA.--The appropriations for county academies amounted to14,309 dollars: and the poor school fund, 742 dollars.
| The white population in 1830 | 296,806 |
| The coloured | 220,017 |
ALABAMA.--No schools.
MISSISSIPPI.--No schools.
MISSOURI.--No schools.
LOUISIANA.--Instead of schools, a law making imprisonment thepunishment of teaching a slave to read.
TENNESSEE.--A fund is set to accumulate for the purpose ofhereafter encouraging schools, colleges, and academies.
KENTUCKY.--The Common School system was established by law,and provisions made for the division of the counties intodistricts, and the levying of the poll and property taxes for thepurpose.
"The Louisville Advertiser announces the establishment bythat city of a school at the public expense, stated to be thefirst south of the Ohio. It is opened to the children of all thecitizens. The number of pupils entered is 300."--AmericanAnnual Register.
MAINE, 1835.
| Annual expenditure for free-schools | 156,000 | dollars. |
| Aggregate number of pupils | 106,000 | |
| Academies, 12; Colleges, 2. |
NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1835.--Amount expended on primary schools,101,000 dollars.
MASSACHUSETTS, 1834.--Returns not received from 44 towns outof 261.
| Boys, between 4 and 16 years, attending school | 67,499 | |
| Girls, of the same age | 63,728 | |
| Number of persons, between 16 and 21, unable to read and write | 158 | |
| Number of male teachers | 1,967 | |
| Number of female teachers | 2,388 | |
| Amount of school-money raised by tax | 310,178 | dollars |
| Amount of school-money raised by contrtbution | 15,141 | |
| Average number of scholars attending academies and private schools | 24,749 | |
| Estimated amount paid for tuition in academies and private schools | 276,575 | dollars |
RHODE ISLAND, 1835.
| Revenue from school tax | 10,000 | dollars |
| Permanent school fund | 50,000 | |
| Amount raised by the towns besides | 11,490 | |
| Public Schools in the State (in 1832) | 324 | |
| Children educated in them | 17,114 | |
| Private schools | 220 | |
| Scholars in them | 8,007 | |
| Estimated expense of private schools | 81,375 | dollars |
CONNECTICUT.--The capital of the School Fund on t he 1st ofApril, 1833, amounted to 1,929,738 dollars and the dividend, in1834, was at the rate of one dollar to each child in the State,between the ages of 4 and 16. Number of such children, under thereturns, --83,912.
NEW YORK, 1835.
| School-houses | 9,580 | |
| Public school money | 316,153 | dollars |
| Paid besides to teachers | 398,137 |
Number of children receiving instruction in the CommonSchools, 534,002, being 50 to 51 of the whole population.
PENNSYLVANIA --There had been difficulties about putting theact in operation; and no return had been made in 1835.
OHIO.--"Our system of Common Schools has not advancedwith the rapidity that was anticipated. It was at first unpopularwith the people in some parts of the State; but it has graduallybecome more and more in favour with them. Its utility is nowacknowledged."-- Governor's Message, Dec. 6,1834.
Nothing more done in the Slave States.
The Reports of the Sunday School Union up to May, 1835, showthat there are, or have been, connected with it, (besides a largenumber of unassociated schools,) upwards of 16,000 schools,115,000 teachers, and 799,000 pupils. The officers and managersare all laymen.
| Colleges in the United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 79 |
| The number of students varying from 15 to 523. | |
| Theological Seminaries in the United States . . . . . . | 31 |
| Number of students varying from 1 to 152. | |
| Medical Schools in the United States. . . . . . . . . . . | 23 |
| Number of students varying from 18 to 392 | |
| Law Schools in the United States . . .. . . . . . . | 9 |
| Number of students varying from 6 to 36. | |
From Harriet Martineau, Society in America, AppendixD - "Public Education in the United States." London:Saunders and Otley, 1837, pp. 333-342.
Forward to Society in America, Appendix E- "Discourse on the Wants of the Times."
Back to Society in America, Appendix C -"Recollections of a Southern Matron."
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