ANNALS OF CLEVELAND

CLEVELAND NEWSPAPER DIGEST JAN. 1 TO DEC. 31, 1838
Abstracts 490 - 492
EDUCATION (Cont'd)
Mr. Lewis appealed to the parents of these boys and girls to bear
him out in the assertion that they could in no way make themselves so
happy as in cultivating the minds, the morals, the tastes, and the voices
of their children.
He explained why the State had seen fit to legislate on the Common
" Schools saying that it is the inalienable right of the children of the
State to call upon the Legislature to carry out the first principle of
democracy and not to obI ige them to remain for life mere "hewers of
wood and drawers of water" by condeming them to ignorance.
President McGuffey of Miami University, who is the companion of Mr.
Lewis in his tour, spoke for nearly an hour on the needs and requisites
of a modern school. There will be another public meeting tonight in the
Old Stone church. (17)
490 - H&G Aug. 14: 2/3, 4 - The Cuyahoga Common School Association met
"Aug. 10, at the Stone church in the city of Cleveland. H. Sexton, Esq.,
was appointed president, pro tempore, and J. A. Briggs and F. J. Backus,
Secretaries.
On motion, the Constitution of the Association was read and circulated
for signatures. On motion of P. Bartell, a committee of three was appointed
by the president, consisting of P. Batell, J. Keys, and
W. Cleveland, to report resolutions for the action of the Association.
Samuel Lewis, Esq., State Superintendent of Common Schools, and the
Rev. Pres. McGuffey appeared and were invited to take seats in the
meeting. On invitation, Mr. Lewis addressed the meeting and spoke on the
condition of the Common Schools throughout the State. He was listened
to with absorbing interest.
The following resolutions were submitted and accepted: That it is
important, in carrying out the School system, that the number of pupils
should be limited, 30 or 35 pupils being enough for one teacher; that
it is desirable that a system of books should be procured and adopted
by state authority; that school books should inculcate a uniformity of
spelling, and reading books should convey valuable information; that
School Districts should provide an apparatus, such as globes and blackboards
to facilitate the instruction in useful branches, and should provided
a School Library for the use of the pupil. (13)
491 - H&G Oct. 18: 2/3 - The District Convention wi 11 assemble at No.
65 Superior street, on Oct. 30th, at 2 P.M., to take into consideration the
propriety of forming auxilliaries to the Cuyahoga county Common School
Association, and to discuss other matters relating to common schools.
D. H. Beardsley, Pres't of the C.C.C.S.A. (3)
492 - H&G Oct. 24; ed:2/3 - In our city and county we begin to realize
some of the good fruits of a devotion to the improvement of common
schools. The efficient and well-directed action of the County School
Association and Board of School Examiners will do much to perfect those
fruits. The project of organizing district Common School Conventions,
97