Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-10-22
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years, been an anxious spectator, the
"retched manner, in which, the all
important business of instruction, is
conducted in Virginia; and the gross,
aud palpable imposilions that are prac-
used on the hoodwinked, deIuded pa.
rents, OF the rising, and The future hope
oil The country. And, | am surprised,
that some one of her native sons-more
competent than myself, has not, ere
this, come forward, and laudably Ell.
deavoued, through the medium of,he
press, to arrest, and correct, this wide
spreading, and ruinous evil.
shall in this number, employ my
remarks, principally, in pointing out,
what | conceive, to be some of the er-
rours, IN the system of instruction in
tins state; reserving, for future num-
Der, the recommendation OF a different
course, together, with the reasons for
its preference.
The superficial manner, in which
the English Language, is almost uni
versally taught, and, consequently, the
imperfect knowledge. which the stu
de"t acquires of this important, and,
as | contend, fundamental branch. of a
liberal education, may he regarded, as
one OF the principal errours, in the sys-
tenn, to which alnde.
The fever, which pervades the minds
OF too many N the country, and of moi,
few in this village, for making their
sons classical scholars and their con.
seluent hurry, in putting them to the
study of the Latin and Greek ClAssics,
before their minds are sufficiently ma
tured t. perceive, or relish their beau
: ties, is, IN my opinion, another glaring
defect in the present mode ofinstiucticn
Bat am arrested. in the progress Of
this subject, by an objection, which is
often urged, with seriousness, deserv-
Ing better cause; and, frequently, by
those who are least competent t. decide
in thus matter. When the propriety Of
acquiring thorough knowledge ofour
own language. Il spoken Of, as the
foundation for that of others; we are
gravely told, eft is altogether use
less;" and, that the boy, by learning
dead language, whose idiums are es-
senliaIlJ different from those of his
own, will, thereby, acquire a perfect
knowledge Of boiI,! This objection,
If it deserves'the name, is so entirely at
variance, with every principle of rea-
son, and common sense, as t, render
1T totally unworthy of farther notice, i'm
this place.
When boys, thus young and unpre-
pared, are put to studying the Latin,
and Grek authors, their minds become
engrnssed with these pursuits, to the
partial, ii not total neg Iect of the india-
Pensable qualifications OF lie gentle
man, and the man of business. Let
not these sentiments be regarded as
the wild chImera OF Gisordered imari-
nation. They are the result oi much
reflection, ard OF no smaII degree Of
obScrvatIun
Instances OF shameful deficiency, not
Only IN geography aud common arilh-
metic, bat even in the photography OF
oni language, have come under my
own observation; and these two, In
persons, who had gone through Lalin
and Greek course
Is 1t not strange, that in our eager
ness To acquire knowledge OF foreign
languages, which III most Gases, are on
iy learned 10 be again lorgotteE. we
thus shameiuly neglect our own? 1t
Is high time that we awake, and feel an
interest III tins subject, correspondent
with It's Importance. Let Us, in this
business, follow the example OF France.
ALIoUIs.