Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-06-21
TIE 80 U7JIER.v Ey.STI1U7IO.S'
OF EDUCATION.

"A tnear Liberty, Val was opened III November
last, and IS now ited up and organized, under a COED
corps Of Instructors.
Its plan has been, in part, laid before the public.
But Hcthods, once the only ones known among our
people, have now so completely sunk under the ia.
vasiuns OF a system Of clap-trap, that II Is necessary
both 10 explain aud TO vindicate them. In such as
these, however, the modest but stately matrons, that
adorned the South IN better days, were nuIsed, be-
fore yet Short Methods had come in, or the erndite
persons who now bring us their wares of Education.
had iorsakeH the kindred, but more innocent trade of
Tln-lans aud Wooden-nutmegs.
Instead OF Methods foreign to our manners, our
feelings and our opinions, we aim to revive a system,
domestic aud home bred, that shall sliun alike fall
lacioas instruction and alien instructors. We
teach, then, FIRST, as Indispensable, the solid parts of
an English Education-thipgs winch al. The Sci
ences III the Encyclopedia cannot make il less than
foolish not to know completely. We labour to train
aud store the Mind, before attempting to decorate it.
The first aud principal points are, To read correctly
and exptcssrvely To write currently To acquire
the practical art of Numbers ; To master that most
noble and useful branch Of knowledge, History and
TO obtain some familiarity with what is called Polite
Lcttefs in general. These are, in the prevailing sys-
tenn, sighted. in order to hurry forward the scholar to
the shewy Nothings Of pretended Sciences.
Propriety Of Speech we impar,. not by Grammars
and Dictionaries, but by daily habit, carefully en-
forced. Composition is taught, not by set rules and
forms, but by the varied and progressive practice Of
several Studies. in which the daily examinations are
conducted IN writing. Arithmetic, as necessary in
every condition of life, receives strict attention.
Needle work, Cookery, and the other Household
Ats are practlsed, according as the Pupils age pur-
mts. The Manners, the Temper, and the Con
duct are watched and formed, with the utmost soli-
citudc, as things on which Happiness, Responsibility,
and even the power ofPleassng depend far more than
on VII, Learning, or the accomplishments Gen
tlcness oldemcanour, an attachment to Order, a care
Of he Seemly, a taste for knowledge needing no
compulslon, and The Sense aud the Love of whatever
IN Elegant Studies, inspires refined aud elevated Sen
timents, are, with US, the main thought of Education.
1t is not necessary that all women be learned or ac-
complished It's necessary that all women be anna
BILE.
History, as the great key to a knowledge Of hui
man affairs. the School Of whatever is wise or
goods taught with a particular care not by
barren Compends, COMPRISING The htts ill every
thing truly instructive IS squeezed out of them but
by Narrative. lively and detailed. as far us possible that
OF the Original Writer'S OF each nation. 1t is accom-
panied with its necessary calculations; Geography,
the History of Literature aud Art and that of In
stitutlons, Manners, and Opinions.
\ foreign Tongue (le Frcnch,) is begun. as soon
as the pupil can read English well. 1t is made the
common language of The House; and is used, part
y for ITS own sake, but principally as the means of
uriying at a knowledge Of Grammar unattainable
without the study of some dialect besides our
own. French is also employed as the vehicle of
part otthe Historical Studies and those of Taste.
The Course, it will be perceived, is far more a
Literary than Il Scientific one. Its spirit is not that
OF idly hcapcd-u up things, unfelt, ill., understood, or
anasscd only for display. Regarding Modesty as
the first law of Female Excellence, and a love of
knowlcdgc rs the only sound principle on which to
found II, Our plan avoids every thing connected with
Exhibition, aud even the stlmulants OF Emulation as
usually brought TO act.
The Discipline is careful, but gentle-copying, as
far as possible, that OF a well-ordcted Domestic Edu-
cation. 10 tlls, indeed, the whole Plan endeavours
to conform itself, as the purest, the most efficient.
and capable of the best results, whether as to the
Morals, the Manners, OF the Mind.
To compare it with the adverse system-the one
grasplng at every thing, must, for that reason, fail in
every thing the other, selecting those better parts
of knowledge, which fit the Sex aud are attainable in
It's ordinary time of study, teaches these both well
and modestly. That system desires little, but the
ostentaton OF knowlcdge-ours, nothing but its re
atty. That seeks TO adorn the outside of the Mind
this, to inform and i~nvIcoratc 1t within. The former,
enainoured OF tinsel and gewgaws, cares little wha,
poverty may lurk beneath. SO it can shine in confused
add useless hncry; the latter is studlous only of an
elegant plaiuness, oithe becoming and The good. Tn,
foreign plan REFUGEES IN the slrcds, the patches. ia,
l clippings, the muilatiens, the trash, of any parsui
D with a long name aud passes Common Sense an,
> Taste dlsdalniully by. The baulshed one. whci
c we would revive, regards Science as Of small ac
count for womcn-frSt, because litle applicable (,
; their occupations; secondly. because always laugh
= them lmperlectly; hiriiy, because (ike all other falls,
f, knowledge)i it vitiatcs, instead OF improving, both til,
Understanding and the Taste Gurthiy, because
even asto its only purpose, Display, it render.
woman. IN grown Society, ridiculous, instead o
e pleasing: SO that, being useless IN itself, being
slightly taught. and being laughed at whenever dis
l played, it is soon totally eiiaced from the mind. leay
ing II as blank and as barren as If these unhappy pam.
had never been taken.
u Finally-to state precisely the comparative result.
OF the two systems-the one is admirable for ma
king marvellous School girls, who will never be an,
thing better, IN either mind or manners; the prodi.
= gles of IA scene, fit only for breeding Actresses
" Public Examination creatures that have learnt Sc
much as 10 be ignorant OF every thing. The Other
system is content to produce Children far less ANA.
n Eng, IN order that IL may form something that shall
e ipen into the well-iniormed, but modest woman, fiji
o lor the Household, fit for Society, tit for the seriou,
7 duties OF llic' and capable of adjoining its leisure.
SO much oflhe Principals life has been PASSED
abroad, that he may be parIoncd if out of a numbe,
OF like testimonies, he publish the following.
u From the Governor Of =. Caroli,,.
1 EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
e COLUMBIA, S. CAROLINA, Dee. Goth, 1896.
a My dear Sir:
r | nave Just learned, with great regret, that YOU arc
; about to quit our town and State, by which a per.
sonai deprivation to your friends will ensuc, and the
State lament the loss of those high literary attain.
u ments, that you have exerted among us, for some
years past. you may do better trust sincerel,
you VIII. our distinguished literary taste, wher
ever called INTO requisitlon, cannot but secure YOU
position both agreeable and profitable. Accent m,
BEST wishes Tor your pros perIty and happiness. Viii
great regard and esteem, Z. NJ. BUTLER.
From DIR. Thomas Coopev. In,c prc.. or,h. . &c.