The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1839-01-24
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. MES
SAGE.

The message 81 The Governor. present.
ed Al The opening oi The present session
II he Virginia Legislature. il plain and
sensible dseumrnt. smAsaring subjects
some of which are &C paramount imPor-
t,ncs 10 the people af N"r'h CsraIina. ss
wsll as nf Virginia. We sllade more
particularly IN The system Of common
sehonIs. and the disposition u The public
lands: both Of which. u This lime, deserve
the most serinus consideration.
In the former Of these. II u matter oil
regret. that sfIer srisl of twenty years.
aud with an annual expenditure Of more
than f"riy-fve lhnussnd dollars, The sys-
ten has been found 10 he 50 defective and
so impsrieclly executed. shat but h'ils
has been done toward The eduralion of
ihe poor children in that commonwealth.
IL appears from statements procured BY
the Governor IRON Eve city and bnroush
courts and ninety. three al the county
courts, that in The year 1917. being tho
year preyinus TO the introduction Of The
system Of popular Instruction. the apPli-
canl- Cor marriage licenses announced 10
1852. e whom 1877 were unable 10 ~rils
their names. In 1927. ten years after
the Introduction of the system. the mum
Der of applicants was 504s. OF whom
1856 were unable To write; and in 1887.
ten years later. Of 46l4 applicants, l047
were unable 10 write. From these state
ments il appears ina, the deplorable ex-
tent Of ignorance which now exists is not
perceptibly less than il was ~ eniy years
ago. when the system was frs. adopted.
In view OF The many defects Of The sys-
tenn now in operation, the Governor goes
on to observe:
"a system Unpopular instruction, such
as is needed by The state, and within 10
means 10 provide. should look as well TO
the class whose revenues are insufficient
to educate their children without. some
assistance from the state, as to that which
Is more indigent and to The gradual IN
crease Of the number Of experienced and
qualified teachers and Of well organized
schonls. Al present. The former class
may he said to be wholly unprovided for.
consisting Of small landholders. and 9th.
: efs, whose inconsiderable incomes will
y not admit Of their taking upon themselves
!, the whole charge Of their children's edo-
cation: bu, who are yet able, and might
be relied upon. cheerlully to contribute 40
, the supper, Of judicious and camprehen-
. sire system, schools established and
maintained by private and public contri-
buttons would be better managed and bet
ter attended. Than IL they were exclusive
ly on state account; and their advantages
would not be declined by any from reluc-
lance TO appear as applicants for assist
ance. The system which propose, for
The inefficient one now in use, 10 recon-
mended by the experience 0f our sister
= states. and by that Of other countries that
have tried il with distinguished success.
Il would require not more than eight
q thousand schools, in order 10 place one
: in every convenient and proper lnca,ion
the loca,ions 10 be selected with refer
u ence to the accommodation Of the great
est number. The number Of schools 10
be allnItrd TO the counties, and the sites
which they should occupy, to be referred
tn the respective County Courts, under
: the restrictions and directions as to the
, territorial extent and population. that shall
be entitled To one school. as may be Or
dained by law. His presumed tina, such
a plan would not involve The necessity III
putting up any buildings lor the purpose.
at the charge Of the s,aie--ss each dis
= uict would cunsen, ar might be required
To provide one at us own charge. For
tins number of schools four thonsand
teachers would probably be sufficient in
the commencement. each undertaking the
charge of two schools, and dividing his
time between them as may be directed
by law. The compensation Of the teach
eus, which would constitute the material
part OF the charge oi such plan, 10 be
made up by the united contributions 0f
the public and Of The districts within
which the schools we're situated; the FIRST
by an allowance from the incame of The
Literary Fund: the latter, tina, IL. The
share which each distric, shall contribute.
by levy on the inhabitants. sscer.ainesl
and distributed among them as the Law
shall appoint, and made payable directly
: To the teachers. To ensure The requisite
qualifications IN The teachers. their dsl,-
geuce and fidelity in office. the systemss.
> ic attendance al The children. and fos osh-
er points Of police and regulation. local
or county cognizsncs nigh. be ins,itu-
ted"
a Tha nnasiinn of tha L,.nn.sasor, nf fhs