Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-03-01
For TIE EEQUIRER.

FOR TIE EEQULRER.
EDUCATION III.
To THE LEdIsLArURE OF VIRGINIA.:
Primary Sch0ols--The subject of practical .d,.,
lion addresses Itself to your devoted attention
There Is nothing within the wide range Of vour -:
auve powers or duties more important nor is there
subject on which little has been done and 80 pu.b
remains TO be done. We all boast of republican
tuons Our principles assert that all righuI and eei
inmate government is founded the ,ciH of the peo
PIE. Then, that toiH ought to be enlightened 1 do
not say that it necessary that every should bs
Colcgate but only that the great majority shouIs NJ,
be ignorant-tbat the means ofeducaon should be MA
GEO wi'hn the reach OF all, upon reasonable terms,
ms, perhaps, is as much as the government of viz
gina can or ought at present, 10 attempt The re,,
may be safely left TO the people In our present DE-
pressed condition. TO attempt would en,ur, the
failure Of all. And, if am not egregiou,v ,n,,,,
ken your efforts, at the present session 10 favor Of in
teinai improvemenis,wi result In shameful abortion.
owing 10 an Niludged attempt, the part of soma n
you 10 do more than can be judicously done at once
VI our wretched system OF primary school, n, thew
are falsely called, much might be said But n has
some how or other been so sustained by popular ,en.
ment that fear any thing may say in opposition 10 n
VIII be unavang. IL were to ascribe this crcum.
stance 10 the influence and Of artfu hunter,
alter popularity, the remark might be considered b,r,h
by those who felt the force Of it, The Popularity OF IN
system is surely not derived from any practical de-
monsration Of its utility. That IL has impaired SONS
benefit, in few counties may be true: OWING 49,
bly, 10 the peculiar location and character of the no1
laon and to the faithful and vigilant manner In hjcL
the fund has been applied. But I have looked H.
vain, Tor any useful results IN the scope Of scquan
In relation to this system there is surely .,no,,sy
nickname.
In common parance, and according tcihs ,so,l,,,,.
reports and speeches, tho appropriation Is said 70 b.
Ia favor OF primary schools, when, in truth ,urh !.
not the fact; 1t we regard either the law or the nr,r
tice under it. One part OF the law sets apart IN. Gs
for "ths sole benefit Of school schools 10 be k,n IN
each and every county within this Common s,b
ject 10 such orders and regulations the Gennral A.
sembiy shall hereafter direct" But the school Gov.
missOnerS. ar 4
determine what number oil E00r children thsy will sdr
Gates what sum shall be psid for their eduo.fon. -
authorise each of themselves TO select so manv oo
children as they may deem expedient," &c And th.v
use it upon the principles that the over,e,r, =,
the poor dispose OF the poor rates Is the fund b,ro
fore, not purely elemosynary all Intents and ourn
their proper names II il be said that the school rom
mssioners are not bound to spend the quota, of tha
counties excu'iyely In the education OF pdpey ch,Se
the reply is, that they generally do so on the ground
that the word "poor Is TO be Interpreted bv ,S.n, ~
the same sense in which the ovsrseers of IN. roo- 49,,
derstand it, Though, il the discretion 1, rs.i,,, =;
them, TO depart from this rule, IT Is improper and %
nishes strong objecioi TO the system, since ., CO.
the door TO great irregularities and favoriism An n
era Ia"s shou'd De equal and just in their operation
and not subject to the varying will OF men
We have carried our charitable potioos IN vir;i
10 very great extremes. II Eosu squsndets his ,a,
rimony in idensss and disspson and s too pro,b q,
NV " work Tor support u, like thou,ands If nj.
feow-ciizens he is born to indulgence or yerv
circumstances happens TO be ,elI born his nover
~ recommends him, and he is certain of public
patronage and o1ce, than the man who has tbriyer b.
honesty and industry. III you have $4,000 annna,Iy
to spare from the income Of tbs Literary Fund ,hs
same mistaken charity causes be given to The chill
oren oil parents who have prodgally spent thar Al, ar
who are too worthless and lazy 10 work WouId 3, -,
be more truly charitable TO award favors ~ ,sos -
are nohly struggling to help themselves and proyd ioy
their famiies-who will be grateful for g. ,n5 h. LII
benefited by your bounty! ! speak here NJ ,bs y
rous class of housekeepers and taxpayer, who are 10,
a cha tof hi.
The doctrine of BOuRtifs and Premium, which h..
p9upstssd iour-iths OF the population Of England and
which hnds so many blind advocates in this contr il
enough, IN all conscience. But when tits extended
10 dieness 10 iaziness; 70 downright pro6earv 4, a. ~
soiuiey iDtolersbie. IL has been said in oibsr eow
tries, that poor laws have tendency TO incrsa,s ~
naoer OF me poor; upon the principle that A. man ia
sVerse 70 toiI, ne Is not apt TO encounter H. when he 60
mo al once refuge in the protection and rh.-i, =,
government OF individuals There is, perhaps In tho
Ianse OF government no subject upon which more
cFcumsPecuon - necessary than this The s,nos ,,i
eiPIe which ought to protect the proceeds Of m ;r.
try from being wrested from me- to enrich snotber man
Uugn aso 70 exempt me from the burden of supportlny
those VINO nave the physical strength bur Iack II. Ii;
TO support themselves. am only ouoosno 7, hi,nJ 80
Pernlelous charity-a charity which PRODUCES evil ~
.ner tndh good In all weil-reguated communities
mere ought 20 be ample provision made in favor of
those, who from accident the disDensa,ions ~ p;
dehce, need assistance And in such cases. n IA hs,,s
tnat government should do II, than that should ba Is
10 the benevolence OF individuals For in 49,. 49,,
case, the burden falls too exclusively on Ibo s'
snd wsrm'hearted; when in fact IL 4, the eop5rnon -
eial nofy OF the whole community.
ny your poor laws, paupers are placed unds, b. 49,.
iecUoh OF oVerseers OF the poor and of the con,,, ,
as 10 ctothing and subsistence. WIN M, .oy,ey y.
those domestic and Paiernal authorities Inc .d"sst "
poor children; and require that tho exneps. $500 VI
paid out OF the poor rates' This plan wond 81 DC
~ and justly Each county would then have m ~ ~
only, OF its own poor The law for binding a., 81,
children TO some useful occupation il not erSs,,1 10
proper vigilance. II, however, requires teriaI
msnts, and particularly, in relation 10 the srnnn. -
schoong that should be given 70 them The sane -
rally. 'PpFh"ces gene
VI inc annual appropriation OF $45O 900 In f,,os -
primary education, too large an amount Il, ~,
way OF expenses and contingencies And ~ 30" "
ny instances, s the balance permitted - ~ 70" ma
out interest in the hands Of specnia, , c'a'i, WIN
Either from iis inadequscy Or IRON sa,
Is applied 10 sOfyregRidr and partial cause
be Of lille adysnfsge to poor childres n As 70
HiD sent 20 schoolonlY Iet0 months In te 80 Doy
ptooaoy learn 10 read But at the same dine he iy
ssy 20 appreciate his relative situation 10 socervba
Stea sneered az for his pdgpedsm--is imposed uuoa
sl' s AZ d'iHnee--snd ifequeuiy eoweJ by the wan
oess sbd sppereiioasoees % his sbool f-li,ws ~,
s'soees rarely Per.ii bic being kept AZ ,cI,ooI lone
spV"B" W usr'Ve adv subst nHsi ADVANTAGE TRIM
e ~ msJ 'e"fn 70 lfsOtleo after bs Quit select e.
soopt ne sane Iehs'h Of time " tool him q. sc;,
u 'ois oe BOZ the ease ho ranst bo hoo ~ 80.
e'lon and 'sseiais s3it'L u be iAu IA M ao,yena su
v1s' 'fl' 20 pfssx rsi.,s sello,,s ;,s,-,i,'s
- 'tti 80 Nse fo'ssssis0 Sl =, cree N sst,