The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-10-27
The PRoBkTE CoURT for November will com.
mence in this town on Tuesday next.
FOR THE MAssAcHUsErrs sPY.

FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS SPY
Mr.. Editor-I have read in a recent number of
your useful paper, some structures upon my first
number on Education. This Academic Student"
appears to be. "tremblingly alive all Ger" lest
Academies and Colleges should not be duly ap-
preciated.
My first remark upon this singular article is that
it was not called for by my first number. did not
attack those high seminaries, as this " Academic
Student" would have the public believe. My OBJ
ject was to shew the importance Of common school
education and in remarking upon that subject l
stated what none but this q Academic Student
will deny-that the great mass of the people must
always depend upon common schools for the
education Of their children. But this it appears
was attacking Colleges and Academies. Although
| stated in that very number that these seminares
were important.-that he did weLJ who founded
Colleges and endowed Academies, yet this sensi-
tive Student" "smarts and agonzes at every
pore" He thinks that Academies and Colleges
i are pointed at, by insinudtion. at least.
But if this Student" had curbed his fiery zeal,
as candor would suggest, and waited till / had
closed my numbers, he would have learned my
opinion on that subject. ] expressly said in my
last that 81 was not opposed to an Academic or a
Collegiate education" Aud | iS3:rther conceded
that e any man would shew his ignorance by OPP
posing them when they were kept in their proper
place." But our "Student" will perhaps say, that
this had not appeared when he wrote. This is
true-but this only proves his hastiness. Common
courtesy well justice, required that he should
wait till all my numbers had appeared.
But he thinks that Amherst College is attacked.
But how sol simply stated what | believed to
be fact, that two Academic Students" from that
institution we're deficient subjects taught in our
common schools. Was this an attack upon that
institution | think not 1t only asserting
what the gentleman himself admits. He saws,
that this College has produced good and bad in
structors is admitted. So have other Colleges %
Now this is allowing all that stated | did not
even nsinuate that all their students were of this
description.
be seen that the article in question was not called
for by any thing in my numbers. l said nothing
against Colleges or Academies such. / did
speak against abuses in Academies and High
Scht, ols did say that scholars in these schools
were sometimes allowed to study the higher branch
es before the were even toerably acquainted with
the first rudime ITS IF educaton-that Young
men were sometimes Du:. into Latin, before they
knew any thing of English, &C. And, possibly,
after all, this is the sum of M offending Possi-
bly, this Academic STUDENT mSv A9ow OF High
Schools conducted, on this plan anu, may feel as
did Demetrus Of old, that his craft was In danger
know that some Academies do pursue the course
above described, and whether this is not following
an "ignis fatuts" will leave TO this g." Academic
Student" to determine.
If "a Plain Man" erred in approaching an Am
herst Student he did it in yielding to the opinion of
an Academic STUDENT who in truth was for ap-
probating him without any examination at ALL Now
Mr. Editor have no disposition to continue such
controversy with this or any other gentleman.
Whether this Academic Student" appears under
that name, or whether he appears as an Anti, and
exclaims, Mores, he will have the whole field to
himself, unless he advances something more tam
gible than what has yet appeared.
This :" Academic Student' thinks that all the
Improvement in our common Schools is to be as
crlbed TO the influence of our Colleges But Ebe-
eve that they view with disapprobation the at
tempts which have recently been made to elevate
the STANDARD of popular education, | kno,c that
the President of one College in New England and
leading officer in another. yea, of Amherst, re-
gard the whole attempt as Quixotic and desire to
that they are not alone in this opinion But, still,
our % Student" thinks, that our Colleges are the
leading agents in this reform.
In conclusion l will say that / am friendly to
Colleges and Academies such. But they NAV
both be multiplied too much. When Academies.
are established in every town, and patronized,to
considerable extent. by those who cannot pay their
Just debts, as sometimes happens, / cannot see
that they are Of any utility to the community.
And when they are got up to inculcate the dogmas
OF a sect, and when the " Academic Students"
who are better acquainted with Greek particnle.
and Latin verb, than they are with human nature
and common civilty, set themselves up as infalli-
BILE religious teachers of the people in the place.
and thereby keep up excitement in the commu.
nifty, as may perhaps be the case, ] cannot regard
Academies very valuable 20 the public at large
however high may be their professions, or boastiul
their Academic Students" who in the language
Of Swift,
"OtcH iDhat another trrit -':
And flourish By imputed tcit"
A PLAIN Man.