Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-01-09

ana interest demanded, n IL by no means
extravaganza suppose. HAT the five states
which bind on Ours would have sent as
| many students In us, as under the pre-
sent vretched system, we havc'sent To
them. This, then, makesanoiIler amount
| OF seven millions Let GU, economists
fnuk Ia that. Fourteen millions of good
dollars, lost To us by our parsimony l..
! Let our wise men calcn,aie The annual
| interest of Our losses, ami add il 10 this
| prlucipal--t!ry will ihcn see what etbe
fruits OF This precious speculation. la
the language OF The cioii, II may well be
said, " Verify, a is 3 .ss'ng job" /.
But say some, we ARE Jealous friends
10 the system ot puDlic education. Let
the rich, however, provide for themselves,
and lei us bciriend The poor. Let us sup
port The primary schools, and leave col
ieges and the university for some future
occasion" | answer, that am a poor
man, and always expect 10 be so. |
scniied very hard for the little education
that have, and therefore feel very deep
ly for The poor. The subject of primary
schools is one both OF great Importance
and great difficulty. Ii ought 10 be pro-
ceeded IN with caution, and managed
viii, The visest deliberaiion. Precipian-
cy here ill ruin every Thing.
know nor appreciate The value OF educa
ton and when the blessing is offered to
tilcm. The, reckon the acceptance OF il a
favor. They will mol move "a finger, I'M
less prompted 10 il. Hence, 10 make the
system OF primary schools efficient, be-
nevolent and public spirited men must
takc great pains and make vigorous txer-
lions I" produce the proper excitement.
Ot coarse, the progress OF The measure
Wilt be- SLOW: AMI appropriations boy oHd
The actual demaud will be useless.
,. Should tine intelligent ana leading
men in their several counties possess pa
trloism and perseverance, sufficient to
create "A strong interest i'll this sub
jJect among The poor, then many deli
cafe and difficult questions must be deci-
ded. In the circumstances OF The poor,
thereare SO mauA shades ofdifierence: and
these depend so mech on the exertions
thai individuals are disposed to make, that
II is often IA nice point to determine who
snail, and Who shall not receive graiuitous
instruction. But there must be some
stopping place. And in many eases The
difference between those who are Just a
bove and just below The fixed point, will
be so small as to be scarcely perceptible.
This may, and probably will, excite
Ejcalousies and heartburnlngS, and I'd Sc
e great cutlery among the people. One Is
ablebodled, but drunken, lazy, and waste
full /: another is Industrious, sober, and
economical. The children Of the former
are put TO school at the public expense:
those of the latter are not. Here, in one
case, a premium is awarded TO vice anu in
HE ether, worthy and industrious citi
zen is discouraged. He may, through "a
,i.!uous feeling of independence, refuse
To accept of public charity but cat the
same Time he " i'll entertain hard thoughts
respecting the favor shown 10 his worth
less neighbours Children.
3. The parental affection, is one of the
4trongesi in human nature and may
most safely be depended on TO ensure ho-
nest industry among the poor. We sheuld
be cautious how we adopt any measures
calculated 10 diminish the force OF the
powerful motive 10 viriuons conduct,
derived from parents desire TO better
the contliiion of lis children. In add-
ton 10 this il may he remarked and II
will obvlaie an objection that may be rails
ed against the preceding observation
that The feeling of independence, If moi
essential, Is al least powerfully auxiliary "a
virtue. But "a permanent and certain
provisioa made for the supply of any want,
as much experience teaches, is calculated
10 break down his noble + cling, and sub.
sliuie IN lis place parasitical, begging
disposition.
. 4. The education of the children oI
paupers, and men of substance in The
same school, when This distinction is
known, is calculated 10 produce n,any
disasrecable circumstances too obvious
10 be enumerated The conclusion then
is, that The management of primary
oh .s4l, IF
uuires caution: II demands diligent OBJ
ryatloR, and all the lights OF expert
ence.
But let not the writer be misunderstood
He is not unfriendly tn the system
On the contrary il he knew another man
: whose zeal IN favor of the universal iiflu-
sion OF knowledge is greater than his
he would al once fOregO his own feelings
and views, and adopt those OF that other
His object is To- secure the adoption OF a
system that will 90 on; and not merely
To make an experiment, shortly Ia be laid
aside in disgust. Perhaps The best plan
will be. finally, 10 rake education so
cheap thai every iDai III The nation will be
able 10 pay tuition fees. Jbe price OF
tuition in The parish schools OF Scotland
ranges from, two shIIliDgs aud six pence 10
ten shiliings per anuum. The poor and
the rich pay the same tees. And the
course Of Instruction there embraces the
elements of Lain and Greek, as well as
an ordinary English education.
II is evident that this great object will
be a WORK OF Tine. The support Of pri-
mary schools need not then, al all, inter
ferr with The establishment 81 al Unieer
siiy, and the endowment of suitable
number Of Colleges in convenient parts Of
The State. This remark seems 10 nc con
| clnsiNe Mhrn il is considornd fhai tie