Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1827-03-31

THE SCHOOL HoUsE.--A few days since, We
chanced to stroll in the vicinity OF The spot where
stood one Of those unpret ending nurseries OF
learning, called a "Fiee-School- House," and
within whose "a,n-clasSic'' walls, We drew the
better half Of what education we can boast
But the once yenerated and dreaded building was
no more-t had fallen before the unsparing hand
of mpro genent and the rod and the ferule, which
VIC once dreaded, as the victim of the Inqus.tion
does The rack and the wheel, no longer hung up
in terrorum before the truant schoc-boy But the
spot introduced a thousand recollectons of juye-
nile hours, as we wandered around It, and brought
fresh TO our V.son, a hundred scenes and associa-
tons, which the best system Of Mnemoncs, prac-
ticed b. Doctor Dougherty, or Mr. Teacher Man.
ners, could not have awakened. II recalled TO
minds those eventful days, when Suke Hill
cracked old Cleveland stove; when Sail Bolster
and Sally was a most unlucky Jczebel-was fas-
tened in the coal-hole, with Hut Sweet, for eat
ing up Sylph Arnold's dough-nuts--when Bill
Wnniman broke old Clerfland's ferrule with an
eve-ash, and when we, in company with Pard
Howard, ran away from school, TO lick lasses''
down to old Jake Soesmans. And as fingered
around the spot, we thought OF those golden days,
when we used 10 ride Mr.. Reynolds old he goat
B ly and caught tad-poles out of Nam. Bowler s
brook, and a mvrad of Incidents connected with
juvenile life, and those happy days which have
passed away g 70 he more heard Of
But although the tide of Improvement, has
erased from existence, that common-lettered''
seminary, where the young idea taught TO
shoot, another has been erected by the munifi-
cence of the town, where youth can resort, and
drink of the pure waters of the literary fount.-
And though the conceited coycomb, and literary
pedant and quack, may sneer at these unpre-
tending nurseries of learning, to us they held
dear; and of en- do we look upon them with emo
tons ngled with gratitude and respect and offer
our feeble but sincere thanks to their founders.-
Though we would be far from ranking ourselves
among the able men of the day, We take pride in
saying that our free schools, sneercd at they
by some, and ridiculed by others, have pre-
sented to the world, men who enjoy the fame
ofscholars, and hold places of distinction, Of great
respe ctability and honour To alude TO persons
would be inviduous, and we shall content ourselves
with saying, that from the free schools Of Proyi-
dence, individuals have issued, whose scholastic
knowledge would do honour to any University of
the continent. Ii is true, that here, the absruse
sciences are not taught; but the thirst for know
ledge which is created in them, has urged many a
votary of education, TO sip at those streams of
learning, where academical life is less allowed by
the baser ingredients which too often annoy the
pursuits of the student.
We hope the day is not far distant, when free
school-bells will be heard in every town in the
State, and when the people will entertain just
sense Of the necessity of educating our youth, and
vi ioi VI usciuiieSS W theHi-
selves and their country. The subj ect has too
long been neglected; and the effect Of that negli-
gence is to be seen in the morals and habits of
the conmonahty, and presents an appalling spec
tacle Of the evils of ignorance, and the disgrace
that of necessity attends it. 1t said to a dis
,nguished coun'ryman of ours, by that celebrated
literary lady, Madame De Stael, that people
can never be free until they arr ed dIcated. The
truth Of the observation must be admitted by all
and il should URGE all TO make strenuous effort
TO establish Free Schools, where the wealthy and
the INDECENT alike secure the benefits of an
I English education. Our public schools equal
lv attended by the "a uent and the poor; and
thus, whilst they equally partake Of the sweets Of
! minor literature, they imbbe feelings purely
in accordance with our republican institutions.
Let no man despise the Free School System.