Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-04-07
COMMON SCHOOL ASSISTANT.
PROSPECTUS.

IONMON SNf1OOL- ASSlS AIN |.
"- PROSPECTUS.
The improvement Of Common Schools
is the exclusive object of this paper
From statistical tables Il can be seen, that
only one pupil in twenty goes higher than
the common school. This paper, there
fore. viii endeavor to assist nineteen out of
twenty, Of the children and youth oflhese
United States, while they are acquiring
the only education they are ever to re-
ceive 81.
The necessity Of general knowledge
ami good morals, is admitted by every re-
fleeing man yet the great majority do
not perceive, that the Common Schools are
che pery sources Of a n1ti0n intsligsn-e.
The education Of this people, taken as
whole. must be that, and that only, which
the common schools are prepared to give
In these primary schools, the nation re-
eeives its education and character And
when our safety lies only in the virtue and
intelligence Of the tOhoLt people. with com
mon schools the empire end liberty Of
these states must stand or fall. They are
at ouce hs sources ana the Guardians o.
fYesion.
Not only our civil but our literary in
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., colleges, and pro-
fessional seninaries, are dependant on
common schools. If the children in the
common schools acquire love for letters,
adssire for higher improvement; ifthey,
in the elementary schools, make their
studies their delight, and the acquisition
AMI possession of truth their purest and
highest happiness, they will wish TO 60
from the common school TO the academy
Ia this land Of facilities. if the primary
school has given right direction, neither
parents nor poverty will be able to keep
the youth from the highest degrees Of lit,
erature and science. But if the chjllren
in the neglected, repalsive common schools,
are made IS hate instruction, and all the
means Of acquiring knowledge; if they,
in the irst steps ofan education, find their
sudies q task and punishment, they will
not only AVOID the common school as much
as possible, bat regard the academy and
collegs with supreme adherence. All
the allurenen.s Of frien1 Is will be useless,
an1the children will probably pass tn O
life with that degree Of ignorance which
never wants knowledge. IF our common
schools were what they should be. they
would take care Of all the higher institu
TONS, The friends, therefore. Of these
broader, nob!er rivers of learning and in
tellect, -shou'd not be unmindiul of the
springs which create and support. Tc
mike calemles AMI colleges flourish. the
first step must. be taken in the common
schools. g.
Ar,;n - t,l,es roora tbnp half of ths
collegiate course TO supply what the -ee
mentary schools shoull, but do not teach
and to correct what they teach erroneous
ly.a.~-
Good common schools are, also, neces
sary 10 sustain lyeeums Libraries ana al
associations for mutual improvement
There must be considerable intelligence
and love Of knowledge, for these lnsutu
tons to appeal to, and stand upon. If the
elementary schools are good, the people
will be prepared to sustain these usefu
associations; but .iG Otherwise the com
munity nav know enough 10 desire, bu
~ not enough TO estlblsh or sustain them.
Ifayoung MN can receive good com
mon Eng ish education--such an educa'
ton as every common school ought to
give---hs has tn. power Of making the
highes. auainmens. Self-e1ucation, with
the assistance oEthe higher institutions, is
thsbrst education; and the self-instructol
neeis only sound elementary beginning
1.-THE common schools assisted the people
as they should, we might see a greater
number Of those great selE-educuted men
who rise to honor and bless the human
p race. The common schools now giys
nothing, To the people 10 commence with,
nothing to build upon.
All the moral movements Of the dav
appeal lora good common school educa.
lion forsuccess. It is idle to distribute the
B!o.e, fwsare not able to read. Teach
ing Us to read-aot merely TO pronoaa:,
tocrtsIbatto read undelstandingIy ant
With ,rehsction, is one of the first mora
AMI bensyolent duties of christians anC
philanihropists. Many receive III. B;bl,
an1trlctss who are not able even 70 sne'
the words, and many more. wbosc A.
ton has been so limited, or dafac,;,, 80 10
they are not profi:el by the words ~ r.,
pronounce AMI, perhaps, BY a I;nIa y
signing assistance, are misled into erro
and biyo:ry We would rejoice to 81
every man possess ana obey the Scrir
. tusesS but to distribute the Bible anon
those who are not abe TO read it INTEL
g-ntly, is not only making charity US,
less, but il is giving to ignorance and d,
IL r