The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-03-23

feveral counties would be very unequal, this
mode is evidently to be preferred to the pay
ment of thefe expenses out of the public treafu-
ry. Every county in Virginia is now encum-
bcred with comfortable burthensfor theiupport
of thepoor. Would not that fun be much more
nationally and ufefully employed in improving
tine minds, and training up to virtuous habits
the children of the poor, than in aafording
miferable exiitence to thofe whole vices more
than their misfortunes have reduced to 4 fate
of poverty!
The iecoud part of the bill propofes that the
fate ihouid be divided into nineteen ditri6ts, in
each of which an academy or houfe for gram
mar-fchool fhould be erected, in which ihould
be taught the Latin and Greek languages, En-
glih grammar, geography, and the higher
branches of arithmetic that each vifitor of the
hundred pariih fchoos lhould annually
choofe from the ten fchools over which he pre-
fides one boy of the mott promilng genius,
whole parents cannot afford TO give him far
Their education, to be fent II the grammar
fchool: That the viitors of the grammar
fchoos ihould annually examine the fchoiars,
and difcontnue one third of the boys as public
foundationers, who ihould be of one years itan-
ding, and all ofthem of two years fanding ex-
cept one of the mott promihng genius who
ihould remain as a foundationer for four years
and then become 4 tenior: that of the feniors
one LIQUID be annually chofen by the viitors &
fent to the college of William and Mary, there
to be educated, fed and clothed at the public
expence for the fpace of three years. Ofths
part of the fyitem it is difficult to fay whether
1t is mott to be admired on account of the ex-
cellence of the Object to be obtained, or the
wifdom of the means deviled for obtaining it.
When fociety extends her care to the cottage as
we'll to the palace, when he RATES. from obfcu-
.ity thoic minds which but for her aiIiltance
mutt foreverremainlike " Marble in TIE Quaryy'
then indeed is the grand object of her formati-
on completely anfwered. There is no PATTON
more trong than the love of fame, and moth
ing is 10 well adapted to produce this feeling
as an unfettered competition. Amongst the
children of Indulgence who are initiated in the
mere rudiments of knowledge in the humble
fchoolS OF the hundred, what can excite emula-
ton IN 10 itrong a manner as the appreciation
of their parental vihtors, and the profpe6t of
reaching the goal of academic infruGtion. How
much more vived mutt this feeling be in the
breatS of thofe youths who have already re-
ceived the reward of their juvenile merit, and
who are promted the fill higher honor of be-
ing advanced on account of their induitry, their
requirements and their genius fill higher on
the road to fame How NUT their hearts
throb with anxiety, when they view the bright
profpect before them of becoming by means of
the lberality of the fate its mott fternuols fup-
porters, and mot Lining ornaments?
To me it is evident that this fcheme combines
every advantage hthe almolt jealous friend of
mankind could with from general fyRem of e.
ducation. But l fhal perhaps be informed
that the expence of fuch fyttem would be in
fupportable. 1t is impofIibe for me to al this
time to lay, what the annual requilition of fuch
iyftem would be, but when we take a review
OF the different items of expence, we fhall per-
haPs find that they would not perhaps be as A.
farming as the friend of parfimony would win,
us to believe. The only expences would be the
erection of houfes for the grammar-fchools, the
furnilhing of libraries and apparatus's, and the
iupport and education of the INDECENT fchoIars
who hhould be fent from the hundred fchools
TO the acadamies, and from the academies to
the college. The teachers ought perhaps not
to be paid falary, or at any rate only a fmall
one, ince It's Ger ainly true that faiary would
operate only as premium for Incidence and
negligence. In what manner could the ftate
appropriate her annual dividends of her fhares
in the various incorporated companies, 70 hon.
orable to herfelf, 70 ufeful TO her citizens and
70 admirable in the etimation of pofterity, as
by carrying into effect this fcheme? By ADOPT
ing this fyitem ihould not only raife M
band of patriots bound by the ftrongeit ties of
gratitude to the republic we fhould place our
freedom on rock which would defy the rudeft
attacks of violence, and fet at nought the cor
roiions of ambition and intrigue.
M.