Interesting Pioneer Paper

Iniiii the Laiwing Republlcan. At thu iiimual inenting of the Htate Pioneer Sooiety, in thia city, Fob. 3, besides the papera already noticed in our columns, a most interesting ono was read by John D. Piorce, of Ypsilanti, the FIRST SUI'EKINTENDENT OF PUBLIC IN8THUCTI0N of Michigan, on the "origin and progresa of the Michigan school aystem." Unquestionably to thia man moro than to any elso, does Michigan owe hur present school system, of which evory citizon of the State ia juatly proud. Mr. Pierce carne to Michigan in 1831. Previoualy littlo had been dono in the territory to establish schools. Tho legislative council had passod an act providine for the election of school skraers in each organized township, for the purpuse of dividing the respectivo townships into district, but no provisión was made for the support of schools, excepting by rate bilis. The schools, thereïore, were little else than private enterprises, and many of the new townships, up to 1835, had not organized under this system. CONCErTION AND OUIQIN. In that year the Michigan school system had its conception and origou. The census of 1834, gave the territory 87,000 inhabitauts, and a constitutional convention was called to meet the following May. Gen. Isaac E. Orary, a gradúate of au eastern college, and a warm friend of education, was for a year or two a inember of Mr. Piorce's family. The conditions and prospects of the new State were often the subject of discussion, and cspecially the auestion of schools. About this time Cousin's report on the Pruösian system, made to the French minister of public instruction, feil into Mr. Pierce's hands, Sitting in company with Mr. Crary one pleasant afternoon, upon a log on the hill north of where the court-house in Marshall now standB, they discussed for a long time the fundamental principies which were deemed important for the constitutional convention to adopt in laying the foundatien for a new State. They were agreed that education should form a distinct branch of the State governinent, and that the constitution ought to provide for an officer who should have this whole matter in charge. Gen. Crary was a member of the couvention, and was appointed chairman of the corumittee on education. He drew up an article on that subject, reported the same to the convention, and it became the ore-anic law. It Drovided - what no other State in the uuion had done - tor the appointment of a superintendent of public instruction. This was to be done ou uomination of the governor, with the joint vote of the two houses of legislature. At the election held in October, 1835, the constitution was ratitiod. Stevens T. Mason was eleoted goveruor and Gen. Crary representativo in congress. APPOINTED SUPERINTENDENT. Up to this period Mr. Pierce had never thought of oocupying the posision 'for which the constitution provided, although he had often cuunaeled with Mr. Crary as to what ought to be done to prouiote the best interests of the State. He was constantly employed in his work as a inissionary of the American home missionary society. Kepresentative Crary, on his way to Washington, held a consultation with Gov. Mason, and proposed Mr. Pierce's name for the newly-created office. The governor expressed & wish to see Mr. Pierce, as they were wholly unacquainted. About JuIy 20 the latter visited Detroit and had an interview with the governor. The result was that on July '26 he was nominated and unauimously confirmed as superintendent of public ïnstruction. At the saine time an act was passed requiring the superintendent to prepare and subniit to the Legislature, to be examined on the flrst Monday oi' January, 1837, a plan for the organization and support of priniary schools ; a plan for a university with branches; also, a plan for the disposition of the university and primary school lands. Mr. Pierce had five rnonths in whioh to perforin his work. One thing was favorable to hiin, - it was a day when all was astir with activity, and there was no deep-rooted prejudices to remove or overeóme. The condition of the State, however, was to be taken into account, for it had less than 100,000 inhabitants, and the people were coinparatively poor. The lumberwagon and the Indian-trail were the principal modes of travel. But the people had mostly come from the región of school-houses and were anxious for schools. VISIT TO THE EAST. Soon af ter reeciving his commission Mr. Pierce went east, and visitiug such men as John A. Dix, Gov. Marcy of New York, Pres't Humphrey, of Amherst College, Gov. Everett of Massachusette, Pres't Day of Yale College, and others of eminent oharacter. He was cordially received by these men. What Michigan had already done was a matter of great surprise, and lauch solicitude was feit for the success of the plan marked out. He also attunded the American institute of instruction, held at Worcester, Mass., and the college of professional teachers held at Cincinnati. His object in making this journey was to get exact information in regard to schools, froin the primary school up to the university. His work involved interests not only of the then present, but of the great future, and a bad beginning must necessarily affect the educational interests of the state for a long time. Besidss, he had over a uiillion acres of school lands to look after. MAKES HIS REPORT. After two months' sojourn he returned and prepared a report. In it he discussed the great questiou involved, and the three educational plans required by the legislature were drawn up in detail. When he presented his plan, after slight modifications it was adopted with hardly a dissenting voice. A DIFFICULTY OVERCOME. The plan of congress up to this time had, on the admission of a new state into tho unión, to donato the 16th sectiou of land to each township. These sections had been so wasted or mismauaged by the townships as to bo of little benefit. Theu theru was no equality in the system, for one section uiight be worth thousands of dollars, and another not worth as many cents. Mr. Pierce and Gen. Crary saw that the state should hold these lands in trust, but the difficulty was to get congresa to chango the law. That body at the time was not very well disposed towards Michiigan, ou account of' the southern boundary trouble. How the uniform policy of congres could be chauged was the problem to be solved. Gen. Crary was ono of tho committe on the ordinance of adrnission, and to him was assigned the task of drafting that instrument. He so worded it that these school lands were really conveyed to the State, and it passed without question. ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOLS. When the systern was once adopted and the maohinery in operation, it was easy to organize schools. The apportionment of money derived from the school fund, operated as a stimulus to every school district, but the greatest diölculty was in gettiug competent teachers. To overeóme this trouble, Mr. Pierce proposed that a certain intermediate grade of institutions between the primary schools and the university should be used for qualifying teachers ' For thoir work, as well an preparing young men for tho university and for tho ordinary business of lifo. Tliisthe oonstitution acquired, and it wi.s a favorite sohciuo of (ion. Crary. But it was attouipting more at Unit tinw tlian the Htate of tho country would permit, and the amended constitution of L850 lolt the university freo and independent of all othor institutions, and the normal and unión BOhools havo taken tho place of tho branch institutioua. TUE PLAN CRITI0ISK1). Soou aftor tho adoption of tho public school systoiu it was roviowod in tho Michigan Guzettoor, and altliough pronouucod superior to that of any other State, yot that joumal saw a groat de foct in not providiug for sohools in overy township throughout the entire yoar. Mr. Piorce says that to have this at that time would have been an iinpossibility; besides, five days in a woek for 40 weeks is as mueh as any school ever ought to be kept in any one year. Even up to 1850 thoy failod to lecure the passago of a law for the mont of froe sohools tor türue mouths. lt was out of tho question to have oounty superiutemlonts in those days, and thu ou ly resort was the plan of townshig inspection. THE UNIVERSITY. Whilo the 16th section of evory surveycd township was reserved froia salp and giveu to the State in trust for the support of priniary schools, 48,000 acres were given as a, porpetual fund for the establishment and support of a university. The samo amount wus granted to each of all tho other new states. But not one of thein has created an institution within its borders of a inarked character. It was resorved to Michigan to roar up, within 38 years from its inception, an institution rivaling not ly Yale and Harvurd, but outstripping them both in somo great features. This now is universally aoknowlfidged. Men frora the oldest iustitutions in the Uuited States, concede the groat fact, and the New York Obscrver says the university of Michigan is a marvel. When the matter of devising a plan for a university was committed to Mr. Piorce's hands, it caused hiin gieat anxiety, for it was said that no state institution of the kind had ever succeeded. It was propoaed, by some, to name the several private colleges that then existed on paper, " the university of Michigan," and distribute the incomo of the fund to tnem in proportion to the number of students. Mr. Pierce opposod this scherue with all the inüuence he could bring to bear. The measure passed the senate, but was defeated by one vote in the house. Mr Pierce was bitterly denouueed by the rienda of the ineasure as being mstruuental in its defeat. The effect of that ne voto on the future is now known ind read by all men. From that day VIr. Pierce cherished the hope and beief that Michigan in future years ■ould have a univorsity worthy of the lame, but aoknowledged that he never xDeoted to livo to see it reach its presmt eminenoe. EARLY WEAKNESS FOB FINE BUILDINGS. A New Haven architect was employid about the year 1840 to draft a design Eor a university building. The plan was to be approved by the governor ind superintendent of public instruetion. The design was a magnificent one, and would have cost at that time $500,000. The regents accepted the plan, and the governor approved it, but Mr. Pierce refusud to give hisassent, and assigned as a reason that it would absorb so much of the university fund as to cripple it for all time to come. This ref usal on the part of Mr. Pierce created the gruatest excitement, and an indignation meeting was talked of ■ at Aun Arbor. The result was that the regents receded and the present plan was adopted. No new State ever started into being with so niany warm and devoted friends of education as Michigan. Five of the past years of hiet life Mr. Pierce gave to the work. In that time he traveled by night and by day, - on one ocoasion five whole nights out of eight, - not in a railroad palace-car, but in lumber-wagons and stage-coaches, through rain ond mud, f rost and storm.