Litchfield enquirer., 1830-05-06
MANUAL LABOR HIGH SCHOOL.

the hand of . joint committee Of the two eonSOcia- iiOns ot the county many reaSOIs assigned for re pediency er establishing in this eoansy MwsnGi La 6Or High School with detailed plan ofIhe institution have few remarks to offer on this subject, which have no doubt from yOUr Obgihg offer to |" insert the views of correspondence" you will permit me to to the public through the medium of your paperF while call Heaven to witness that am aeauated by no views unfriendly the christian re
 zion. or those who defend is. This High School, l observe, like many others iR our land, cOntemplates as leading object, the education of pious indgent young men, to become school masters and religious teachers in our new settlements, and especially those parts which are fast becoming the prey of the Roman isIs. This object would be more highly appreciated by many if it were certain that these schoolmapers and preachers would actually go into 6e new country atier they get thrONsF with their education. Bet h is beginDing to be nOtOriOusIy the fact that no young men are less disposed make this sacrifice than those educated by charity aud for this benevolent purpose They seem to think that some remarkable qualities were in them as reasons for adopting them on the
 list of beneciaries, and that these qualities justify them !" s"pposing that they are called in providence to some higher and wider sphere of usefulness than
 that of humble missionary. cannot but think it is with these views tlsa, they SO often satisfied with standing at their fathers door HBtil they see where the carcass falls before they sail forth on their spen- did career Of usefulness would solemny ask if the people of New-Engand generally, or Connecticut iH particular, should not stay the business of educating ministers until we can be of producing some bet ter, some more apostolic, selcdenying men than
 hitherto we have been enabled to find? What shall be lRe end Of this business? Look how the young candidates swarm about every vacancy at all desirable
 l 'H their zeal to be put into the priests office that
 they may eat piece of bread, they forget the rules of common poitencss to one another, prostra,e the
 char of the sacred profession the feet of the
 mob and render tt far more difficult for any vacan,
 parish fo keep away the scores of hungry applicants
 tha" to select one. To say nothing of the temp,a.
 tons that young men under such circumstances may
 feel to ostle old minister now and then in order that they may succeed to his place; to make ministers 30 plenty is altogether the wrong way to make them respect themselves obtain that respect of others which is Indispensable their usefulness 1. s eleva. ting the wrong end of the gun f you would wish to shoot up By ali means, for the honor orrelision let
 parishes seek after ministers rather than the contra. ry-by all means let us have too few ministers than too many. Let no man misunderstood me in these remarks do not object to uniting manual labor with study for purposes of health and strength to mnd as well as body; or to educating young men to preach the gospe 6 they will preach, and go where they are wanted; and especially f our missionary funds are likely to keep pace with education Societies; for t is matter of common sense that the new countries cannot to any considerable extent enjoy the gospel ne we have 1t here by the labors of settled pastors-nor do object to educating young for 10 labor in that country provided they will go there and take up with that piitance for their labours which
 n the destiiuton and scatered population of every new country is all that they can expect. When we go to sea ought to know the port which we design
 10 make, well understand the art of navigation. have spoken freely of those in sacred rust though t is rather the fault ot others still further back than 'f these, because think religion is not 10 be bene6t
 ed by falesehood or concealment. The subject has ,een touched lightly before, but the public mind
 through the-eiamour of agents or some other cause was too much engrossed to hear. Many good men have surely dreaded the tremendous reaction of this spirit of education Societies; and it s
 10 anticipate and # possible in some measure prevent
 he severity of the shock that these few remarks have '00W t"SUWu Vut dA SHuuoWs Hcy are tue result or
 ong and painful delberation and there is no sugges-
 lion contained in this communication which it's writer
 is not possessed of facts abundan,ly to jusfy-aud perhaps one day may show that thousandh part has no' been spoken. Take for example the fact that in n great part of the state of New.York, which has hitherto been considered the most destitute of mins-
 rs.! labor, they utterly out of the habit of paying any thing for candidate hire, that man ofgood parts in preaching four mouths between Cherry Val.
 ley and Buffalo could not obtain % many dollars for his services a candidate. This labor they consider '"ly exposition of wares If they buy, that is,
 etile, then they pay, but not otherwise. These lays of experiment; of society forming; speech mak.
 ing; pamphIet.writing; agent appointing; high- 'chool erecting, &c.-when improvements are to be made in divniiy us well education and almost eve-
 thing else, similar to that which steam has produced ,pon navigation. Let them all go on; for one, have 'ery little fear of innovations while the Bible s unre- drained and the press Is free. But let not be igno- rant in spite of experience for the sake of seeing our names tn print forget the first principles Of chris
 an and political economy. I will not wholly con- iemn the contemplated high-SchoOl; bat truly, sir, have thought that our young men were sufficiently called away from agriculture, for ihing-and for another, that # should carefully educate our soas
 n the principles Of the christian religion in addition
 10 att else that they may acquire in much cele- braied common schools, and send them Out as farm ers into the South and West they would be more hap.