Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-08-22


insured by individuals in the education oE
their children-NVhen all these circurr-
stances are taken into consideration, it will
BE found not unsafe to affirm that morS
money is at present laid Out on I've eSNi-
cation of you,h, imperfect and limited az
tina, education is, than would be- sufficient
10 provide for the establishment of a gene
raj system, so comprehensive as 10 eITS
brace every child in the country.
But there are other additional sources
of expense which, though not usually
regarded in cxamining this subieea, rae;-
RI the inst ph,ce in our reflections.
In country where labor is 1t all times
convertible into money, it is great e%-
?ense unnecessarily to consume time
The time, at present taken up, owing TO
the unskilfu'ness OF instructors is general.
v twice as niue as is necessary. When,
'hctefore, the child has attained that age,
that gives value to his services. the whole
of This value is so far destroyed, as his lime
shall be uselessly consumed. Let the cul.
tiva,ors of the soil, those who are the moss
reluctan, to come into general system
al instruction, seriously weigh this consI.
Iteration, and they will not fail TO per-
ceive how deeply, even on the scoic Of gain,
they are Interested in its accomplish
rnent.
The distance at which common schools
as well as respectable Summaries of learn
ing are placed, from those who send their
children 20 them, are sources OK great, of
almost inralculable expense; so great as
frequently to impoverish those whose en-
L.. ....t- t..
children the advantage derived FROM them.
Hence the unfortunate state Of things
which virtually disqualihes the poor aud
even men in moderate circumstances, from
properly educating their offspring where
by The advantages Of education are mono
polised by the rich. And hence the long
train of political evils that threaten the
subversion Of all governments indissclubly
connected with the enjoyment Of equal
rights, only TO be maintained by a wide diff.
fusion OF Knowledge.
Let us, in order 10 test tie accuracy Of
this statement, enquire into the probable
expense OF system OF education that
should embrace all the male children at
present within the United States bstween
the ages Of ten and sixteen. The num-
l>sr OF children between these ages.is taxi
en- because it constitutes a class in the last
census, and because it is considered that
good system of education, conducted
during that period, would BIZ adequate TO
giving all the necessar, elementary know
ledge. The number Of male children be-
tween 10 and 10 years old in tie United
States, at the taking the Census appears
to have been about $40 600. A well QUA
liied preceplor, with the assistance of
young man between the age of rs and 81,
could easily teach reading, writing, ariih-
metic and geography, to three classes,
each consisting of thirty pupils. Such
preceptor and assistant might be got for a
salary Of $50 dollars. Add fifty dollars
Tor the rent of a school room making all
together six hundred dollars. The cdu-
cation of $40, GOO youth would require 3,77l
schools, the establishment of which, being
computed at 600 dolls. each, would cost, in
the aggregate, 2,266 200 dolls. This sum
sounds large; but on comparing it with
the magnitude of the obiect, and with our
numbers, 1t, at once, appears, very mode
rate. IT Ii should be raised by poll tax
II would not exact from each person in the
C'iNSN '''htCo hiOiC t4ihiI Hlty C6HtS ana
if assessed on property would not impose
bnrthen Of more than thirty cents on a
hundred dollars. Families would pay ON
an average four dollars year.
There is one view Of the subie &, evin.
Give of the Iightness Of this imposition,
which must be conclusive with all men OF
sound Judgments. Such ave our habits
that we pay from choice on single import
cd articles Of consumption sums as great
or greater than would be required Tor the
tanment Of this important objeel.
On Sfirits we pay above four millions Of
dollars which Is double the estimated ex-
pense Of education.
On Sugars above four millions, also
double.
On Hines about two millions and half.
Here then are three articles of consumpti.
on, two Of them are absolute Iuxuries, and
the other not necessary Of life, for which
individually we pay, wishou, a murmur,
more than would be enough to educate all
our children, and for which, IN the aggre.
gate, we pay five times as much. And
will anyratlonal being say thai the gratifica-
ton OF The animalappetilec can eputin COM