Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1839-02-19

It's master Ike dog Pray. be content,
Learning Is surest Of the gifts we have.
10 these questions Of the poet may be added the i'm
ror'sut consideration, that an Improvement IN public
education is as durable q, profitable. When once
introduced It s ficd fof evet; or At least, a ner.
~ give place bot 10 one still more valuable For cdu-
cation never goes backward No parent will consent
that bis child shalt have education inferior to hat he
has himself received The smallest advance, then Is
of infinite worth licu,alsO property our children
no, merely e; themselves but iyf al their posiefiy,
ven to The latest generation.
II may perhaps. be objected, that though education
may be beneficial to those whom conferred, yet
the tax for It's supper, unequal and oppressive, mas
much 1t falls as heavy on the childcss as on those
who have large families to educate In answer 10 this
would observe, that inequality is lection that
may be urged against every species Of taxation. But
surely applies with less force his than to tax for
any other purpose whatsoever. Where is property
valuable. other circumstances being equal in a land
Of schools and colleges VIVA, boo, would tempt
0! farmers from neigbborhood of virtue
and nisence. into Of ignorance and vice Be
sides. who would think OF grumbling against tax for
the supper, of our free institutions,
But the fact is. that thorough mpro cement Of
schools such would provide good moral and
intellectual education for the whoe people, whatever
il might cost would, in very few years, produce
actual saving Of taxes TO the community. Let the
expense Of as, pen,entaries prosecutions, loss of
by jurors and witnesses be calculated, and LEI il be
remembered that the statistics Of state prisons fully
prove, that vice end crime mainly arise from the want
of sound education, and it will appear that the school
tax paid b, the chiljess is without peounia,y
turns even to them.
Nor is this ALL One Of the heaviest Of our taxes is
that for the support Of the poor may he said fact
to hold mortgage upon all property, both real and
personal. Now, who would not desire to tighten
move such circumference land who can for a
ment doubt that this heavy tax would be essentially
duced if all our citizens educated they should
be AT best nine.ten,hs of community consist of
farmers mechanics and ma nu curers who depend for
their subsistence manual labor and who, consequent
ly are liable in moment by apparently the most tri-
fling accident, 10 be reduced from state Of ndepend
TO paupersm How frequently does il happen
tina, worthy citizen becomes a 5urhen TO his friends
or TO the community by the loss of limb,
trifing casualty But if all received good edu-
cation this serious result would be almost entirely
voided. For, when source OF subsistence clos
ed another would open. The profession of teacher is
alone sufficient TO employ all the crpples in the Union
Having thus shown that the duty of sefpresTrafion
renders it encumbent every free State TO provide
thorough education for all lis youth and Independents
ly of its value a bulwark for republican insu-
tons, and of promoting individual wealth and
happiness that economy would dictate its support,
as better and cheaper mode of mitigating and dimin-
ishing crime and paupersm, than the erection Of as,
penitenaries and poor houses your committee would
next inquire into the best Of rendering our pre-
system Of public instruction eeienl and impartial
in its administration.
We hold ii to be a sound principle. that the State
should interfere little possible in the affairs of in
dyiduals and, if good education could be provided
for ALL by the unaded efforts of their parents sho d
be among the first who would say TO the legislature,
"Let alone e. But all experience proves this to be
mpractcable that, without system Of public insuc-
ton, the great mass Of the people viii ever remain in
gross ignorance situation imperiousy calling for the
restraining hand of strong government, state oil
things have wish to in these United States.
We are, and always have been, advocates Of strong
gorerHmeHt, but not in the in which the words
here used. We would have our government strong
IA the affection Of the people, not in perfect police nor
in military force We consider then, the true policy
Of the State TO consist merely in enforcing such regu.
a,ons and aording such pecuniaIy assistance as shall
aid and stimulate parents the Performance OF this du-
iy, snd leave them wilhou, excuse for Is neglect
But whatever may be the arrangement for carrying
it into effect, the system should be thorough, VIZ It
should be which will render the ,oho people intel
lgent readers, and capable Jurors and voters Half
way measures are alike eItravagant and runous. Il
10000 men absolutely necessary for public de
fence what name should be given 10 the policy which
should provide or 5000 Let the system Of education
;hen BE- which all really The Pgp0se or ths
money II costs will 5e little better than thrown away
The system should also approach as nearly posi-.
bic 10 equality, that Is, every child should have
quail chance for securing good education Bot this
can be effected By the distribution Of the school
funds equally among the individual youth. For, such
IL the inequality Of population and wealth IA different
sections, that situation dollar Viii 60 farther
than hVo 10 another For example one Of the oi,-
rcis IN this own ihefe only fI iamile, 10 support
tie school, and the public money smouuts 20 81 5G,
while ia The adjoining disifci there are thirty families
aud The public money amounts Ia $l0G. NON u 10 eYI
dent that the popo0us district tssiy support
school lsiho4i oHy asssiraee, than the other w.th
aoute share Of the public money. Many attempts have
been made IA the legislature 10 remedy the inequality
Of tbs mode d distribution, bot al have proved uJoT
Assr l.rv tfs