INTRODUCTION. 
15 
common schools. That office was filled in 1813 by the appointment of Gideon 
Hawley, who gave place in 1821 to Welcome Esleeck. Mr. Esleeck held the 
office only a few months; it then devolved upon John Van Ness Yates, who 
retired in 1826, when Azariah C. Flagg succeeded to that trust, and retained the 
same until 1833. Mr. Flagg was succeeded by John A. Dix, who gave place in 
1839 to John C. Spencer. Mr. Spencer retired in 1842, and the place is now 
filled by Samuel Young. To Gideon Hawley is justly ascribed the merit of 
organizing the system, and bringing it into successful operation; to John Van 
Ness Yates, that of an assiduous and enlightened administration ; to John A. Dix, 
that of codifying and interpreting upon fixed and enlightened principles the vast 
body of school laws; and to Azariah C. Flagg and John C. Spencer, high praise 
is awarded for earnest and well-directed efforts to remove obstacles which pre¬ 
vented the system from becoming such as its founders originally proposed it 
should be : an uniform plan of universal education, as well as in the cities in 
the country. The latter gentleman, during his occupancy of the office, induced 
the legislature to revise the entire system, and increase its efficiency and useful¬ 
ness by important amendments and improvements, and especially by those which 
secure more effectual visitation of the common schools by the appointment of 
local superintendents. The enlightened efforts of George Clinton, of Lewis and 
of Tompkins, have been already acknowledged. Nor was less zeal exhibited by 
De Witt Clinton and William L. Marcy, successors in the executive office. 
To William A. Duer the system is much indebted, for his successful efforts in 
inducing the legislature to make the support of schools by the people, with public 
aid, compulsory. 
The maintenance of school district libraries may now be regarded as a cardinal 
feature of the system of primary education ; an improvement which, if not sug¬ 
gested, was brought into public favor through the patriotic efforts of James 
Wadsworth of Geneseo, aided and sustained by William L. Marcy, under whose 
administration this important project was carried into successful operation. 
Bountiful and widely extended as the provision for this system seems to be, the 
