The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-05-26

ADVANTAGES A Coon Epuc ArloN.-The follow
ing beautiful and interesting passage is extracted from
Governor Everett's Address before the Adcphic Union
Society Of Williams College, August IS, 1887
at is usual to compare the culture OF the mind to the
culture of the earth. If the husbandman relax his la
bors, and his field be left untitled this year or the next
although crop two be lost, the evil may be
died The land with its productive qualities remains
If poughed and planted this year. may be the year
after But if the mind be wholly neglected during the
period proper for its cultivation if be suffered
remain dark and uniformed, its vital power pershes
for all The purposes of intellectual nature it is lost
1t as an earthquake had swallowed up the uncui-
waited ialIows 1t is as if swollen river had washed
away, not merely the standing CROP but the bank on
which it growing. When the time for education
has gone by, the man must, in ordinary cases, be
launched upon the world benightcd being, scarcely
elevated above the beasts that perish and all that he
could have been and done for society, for himself
wholly lost. @... ...' a.
Although this utter sacrifice Of the intellectual nature
is rarely made in this part Of the country, fear there
exists here, woul waste Of mental power through
neglect of education. Taking our population as
whcle fear that there is not time enough passed
at school that many Of those employed in the bust
of instruction, incompetent to the work and
that best teachers not sufficiently furnished with
literary apparatus, particularly with school libraries If
these defects could be supplied, believe few years
would witness wonderful effect upon the community
that an impulse easily conceived beforehand, would
an strongly convinced that it behoves our ancient
Commonw eah to look anxiousy to this subject if she
wishes to maintain her honorable standing in this Union
of States. | am not grieved when behold on the map
the enormous dimensions OF some of the States in
the West, as contrastcd with the narrow little strip
which comprises the good old Bay State. They are
bone of bone, and flesh Of flesh their welfare
is closely interviewer with ours in everything that can
promote their solid prosperity, bid them God speed
with all my heart. hear without discomfort the aso-
nishng accounts Of their fertility that their prai
res covered with feet of rich vegetable mould,
than our soil average can boast Of inches and
bear to hear it sad without envy, that their Mis-
souri, and Mississippi, the mighty ALBANIA and Pharphar
OF the West, better than all the of our poor
old New England Israel.
All this can bear but cannot bear that be-
loved native State, whose stone laid upon
intellectual and moral basis, should deprive ITSELF by its
neglect, OF the great counerpose to these physical
advantages Give the sons of Massachusetts-snal
and comparatively unertle she ls--the means Of
good education, aud they will stand against the world
Give me the means Of educating my children, and
will not exchange its hrstest stands its bares peak
for the most fertile spot earth deprived Of those bless
ings. had rather occupy the bleakest nook of the
mountain that towers above U.S. with the wild wolf and
the rattlesnake for my nearest ghbors and snug lit
tie school house, well kept at the bottom Of the hill,
than dwell in paradise of fertility, if must bring up
my children in lazy pappered, sefsufcient ignorance
moy protect himself against the rattle and the
venom, bu If he unnecessarily leaves the mind Of his off.
spring prey TO ignorance and the vices that too often
follow in It's train he may hnd too late for remedy
How sharper than a serpent's tooth ii Is,
To have thankless child"
> Saddle Mountain, between WIlliamstown and
Adams.
SCHOOL STATISTICS OF THE u. STATES
About one-third OF population Of country are be-
he prs o. am Sly or eighteen
course arc the better subjects for school education
In the United States than iour millions OF chill
dren ought to he under the influence of schools
In Maine, the law requires that the inhabitants of
every town pay annually for the support OF schools
equal at least to 40 cents for every person living
in it. That amounts to about 100000. Their expen-
dItuTcs are more than $4,000,
In New Hampshire, a separate tax OF $4,000 Is
raised FOR schools besides annual Appropriation from
tax on bank stocks Of 80 900 or $4,000
In Vermont, more than $50 900 raised for schools
from third per the grand list and as much
from district taxes, besides income Of nearly
81, 900 from banks
In Massachusetts nearly 5000 schools supported
by public taxes and private subscriptions. In Boston
the schools contain than IL 900 chdrcn, at an ex
pense Of about 100000.
In Rhode Island about 700 schools, supported by
Legislative appropriation Of 900 annually by taxes
and by private subscriptions
The Connecticut school fund is about two millions,
but fails Of It's desired object Children in the state,
$4,000; schools about 800.