The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-01-25
For the Massachusetts, Spy.1
PUBLIC SCHOOLS

| L VI tHS NdsSdCHuSeLlS Spy.I
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The superior advantages enjoyed by the
youth oil the present day for schooling, so far
exceed those of former times, say thirty or
forty years ago, that they hardly admit of any
comparison. 1t is natural to expect, and we
have right to expect, that the degree Of at
tainment in reading, aCritang arithmetic. or
'hogr0phy, and decent behavior, will be in pro-
portion to the advantages enjoyed, and COM
mensurate with them-I say, we expect it;
ana 1t is fact that, in any other case, we
should require 1t. An increase of means
ought to produce an increased effect, and if il
does not, we Immediately set about it, in our
private concerns, to ascertain the cause and
remedy the evil. But how is it in our public
schools? No man will pretend that the in.
crease OF knowledge keeps pace with the in
crease of expenditures in our schools, in time
and money, for the instruction Of youth. II is
not so much as formerly, and why is it not
| know OF but one reason, and observation con-
Vlnces me it is the true one. 1t is not the i
FAULT OF the scholars their fathers, when r
young and at school, were naturally as much
inclined to mispend their time and neglect
| their opportunities as their children are now
nor is 1t for the want of capacity in children
Inow-they are not whit behind children o.
the same age forty years ago. If the fault il
not in these who are taught, il must be id
those who teach--and on this point we take
our stand and affirm, the truth will bear US
out IN 1t, that the fault is chargeable 70 thu
teGchers-to the schoolmasteYs and Sehool-z1is
HeSSeS, and wholly TO them, except SO mucI
OF II as IN The outset is to be laid upon thos
VINO employ them, and we confess this is not
httle. We do not mean by this to exCupat
n,eaIfN f. 1.
difference and neglect of duty, nor towns, ne
school districts from blame in choosing unsui
able men to provide masters aud mistressd
to teach their schools, and also those unqus
flied to inspect them.
Formerly, the grants Of school money we
small, comparatively with what they are nc
consequently, the time of schooling W
short; yet good readers, writers, &c. were
common then as now, and as much was
CURED IN SIX weeks then, as there is now
ten. Then there was scarcity of books,
"a want OF ability to purchase them-n
books are abundant, and the liberality of
rents in procuring them has become prov
bal. school-book then lasted several VI
ters-now hardly one. More knowledge
obtained from dollars worth of books, ii
than from three dollars worth now; while
modern wrItlng-books, notwithstanding all
facilities arising from comfortable and con
lent school houses, do not exhibit the
provement that was then made on birch h
in very distant and cold. inconvenient b
ings-and whether there is any improver
in decent behavior and good manners, lei
elder people judge say it, without fe
contlS diction, that school masters are nj
d faithful as formerly, nor is there so much
taken to procure competent masters as
once was. There once was law on thisl
ject, and it was obeyed-there still is, a
is disregarded. Hence. we may accour
the degeneracy of our town schools.
rarely the case, any town incurs the per
+ provided by law, for neglectng to pr
schooling the requisite length of time
when sufficient grant has been made 70
purpose, so generally is there total in
ence how the money is expended, tina
body will do for Committeeman, any
will do to keep school, and any body
J spect il If a man wishes to keep sch
have his son or daughter do it in the
district in which hey live, and this the
do, because they can save their boa
r matter how incoml etent, he, to raise III
ty of his friend, and lay him under obi
need do nothing more than nominate
, Committeeman to secure the place;
, body that is nominated is sure to be
Thus, to have good school, is not mad
much Importance as merely 10 hare a
nor the benefit to the community of I'D
good Committeeman, or good school
2 so much Of an object, as il is to grs
selfish motives of one or two individu
district, who seek to obtain employmf
relative or friend, however incompete
discharge Of the duties in which he e
In this way, what is the interest Of
rents, the education of their chhdre
regarded or overlooked by the great
them, and the struggle too often conf
. II few individuals, rather to see who shj
1 ct the school money, than to have god
masters. This is not only volatiol
but of duty. which parents owe to II
and their children. II is waste
t and contempt Of privileges; which,
v gnawing Of the worm, is impeding
). gress, il not destroying, the fair tree
edge, which our forefathers planted
= joined il upon their posterity to cul
:, cherish. Even partial disregard
4 relative to the duty Of towns to bd
with good school-masters, &c. (and
axness in some places It is nea
: strikes at the foundation of our Gil
l. tons, and increases poverty and chi
h minshes the usefulness Of ministd
from the pulpit, since the minds OF
are but little cultivated and expan
T reception OF divine truth the te
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