Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-10-27
PLEA FOR COLLEGES AND ACApE-
AIES
To N, Ed,io,s ~ "a, trh,.


Gentlemen-I observe with pleasure in YOU,
number of IsIh October. a call made by a Commit.
mittee Of the Society Of Alumni Of uampden Syd
ney College, for Convention which il proposed t.
Oe held IN Richmond con the LIST day OF Dccembel
next TO take into consideration the interests of Col
'eges and Academies OF the State" As this is il
ny estimation subject Of very great Importance L
all classes OF the community, will ask tho favor
through the columns OF your paper, to invite tn,
attention OF the public more particularly 10 it, Thi.
The moro ehceriully do, since | am grati6od TO be-
'eve you to be both the friend and supporter of n
improved system OF liberal education in our State
The fact that so little has been done by our La
sslaiure towards the promotion of this great caus,
arises mainly IN my judgment, from the short. ssh
Cd jeaouses which have existed amongst the pecu.
ar advocates OF the three great aud leading schemes
OF instruction, now IN existence, towards each other:
| mean the peculiar iIionds of the Primary Schools
of Colleges and Academies, aud of the University
respectively.
Now, 1t is iact-n matter OF legislative history
that any application made by the friends of eih,r
one OF these schemes for government aid, is viewed
| oy oo'h the otheis with Jealous eye and a crude
ing hand Instead OF considering, rs they ouob,
these To DC integral parts OF u grand whole ns The
various sp"kes ct wheel mutually bracing and
supporting each other, and giving strength and va
| lue To the wheel, these spokes seem 10 bc viewed
only as nniagoniSng powers, striving and pusbip,
against each other-and thus the efforts which have
been made 10 perfect a comprehensive system have
been constantly frustrated. Another reason why
| the friends OF comprehensive and ludcious svS.
tenn of instruction, have been able to do So little is
that there exists IN the Legislature n strong Marty
VINO claim to Toe par eNcellence"-lhe exclusive
protectors anu champions OF the rights of the poor
these gentlemen, whenever any proposition or even
suggestion, Is made to alter or amend the Primary
Sohooi system, or appropriate portion of the Lite
rary Fund towards the better establishment n,
schools Tor the instruction Of the children nj ,L,
great middle class-ihc tax paving portion Of III
eonimunity-mike such pathetic, such feeling an
peal m behalf Of the INDECENT and destitute thew
would almost make us believe that they possess,J
all the benevolsnco and charity in the country when
IN ihct the whole and sole matter th them Is mere
ly one OF county disbursement-and they car, m.
Tie or nothing about how the money is disposed OF
when they get It home. With such II is evident
That 1t IS useless for US TO argue nothing cin be
reasonably expected OF them. But to those gentle
men throughout the country VINO arc sincerely ard
uuiy the trends CT education, and who notwith-
standing, advocate ConscieniuIusly the exclusive
claims OF either the University or the P,,m,,,, .
Schools, or both, To public patronage-whn CONSIDER
heSe as an mpoTlon, nnd the great middle interest
'ha' ol colleges ana Academies, which Is ten fold
greater than either or both of the others rs unde.
serving OF legislative aio, or unentited TO i, w,
would bcS leave 10 address few words. We a, so
the more unreServedly, because we claim with such
To be equally the friends of the two former vbIs
we are the friends OF the latter system: and wc
would advocate the claims of the latter unon m,
Srou'cS OF our friendship for the former. And
'hInh II can be shown that, IN no way can the int
rests OF the two former be advocated more sureI,
ana rapidly, than by liberal support of the latter.
Tor II IS matter of TACT, Of public notoriety fand
can appeal confidently to the School Commissioners
throughout the Stse confirm ~ that the o,,,ltv
OF instruction received by the Indigent chi a, on
ouSh Ihe country IS generally OF the very nearest
order. Now tins arises from the fact that the hest
schools IN the conntry-thc private Classical Schools
when at best are but very scarce,-w not admit
mem as pups, because they don't pay enough, or as
much as other pupils.
And hence the INDECENT pupil is necessarily
thto"h into the cheapest and most Indifferent school
IN his neghbourhood. The eI quiry then naturally
arises, how can We improve this STATE of things} and
now can we hest advance the interests OF the indigo
pupili would say 10y sustaining our Colleges and
Academies by endowrng the prufessorships Iber.
ally. This wouli enable us not only TO command
and retain the services of the best men IN the conn
try as professors, but II would enable them at the
same time TO lower their tuition fees-to mn Ike edu
cation cheHper-and 20 throw open the lecture rooms
to those who are now debarrcd the privilege from
want OF competent means. The class of youns men
VINO would be thus admitted, many of them at
least, would IN all probability (since they would he
more or less dependent their personal exertions
Tor 'heiF sufpor,) pursue teaching as a profession
nc country would thus Toe supplied with greater
number OF teachers, and with those of n much bipb.
er order OF quaih cation or attainment, This in !
creased number OF teachers will make good priyate
school instruction cheaper, and bring 1t within the
reach OF the indgent the ordinary nrincipIe of
competition affecting prices in OTHER departments
OF business. Farther, the increased number of SIN
dents which would be the result of cheapenng col
icsiatc insiTuc ION, would very much benefit our |
Univcrslty.-For OF this additional and extensive
class OF young men who would be thus admitted into
our colleges, many no doubt would acquire a taste
Tor letters aud also acquire that proficiency in their
studies which would enc bic them to procure suffi.
cheney oil means by teaching, prosecute their stud.
les IN higher school and on n more extensive scale
and thus our University would I've benefited and
It's sphere Of usefulness enlarged.
Now IN view Of these reilsctions-nnd AS n sin |
eeFe friend Of each Of these great schemes Of nsrruc
ton, not separately but individually and collectively
(Which declare myself TO be,l | would earnestly
call upon the friends Of ench dcsst from the i'm.
po'itc course which they have heretofore pursued
on this subject. would entreat them to Law aside
their sroundIess lrsOuscs and suspcions-to cease
thls unnatural waItdre,-and let us no longer be
tributary TO Northern Institutions for comrcent in.
siruc'ors or liberal oducaons But let US like th, m
endOw our Colleges Iberay,-givc permanent sal
arcs To our Professors, and will find as they have
found, that this is the best and surost way to bring
sound and thorough instruction within the reach OF
the greatest number at the smallest cost.-Let us
then unite IN aiding and sustaining each o.her and
we shall have every good and substantial assurance
to believe that something valuable can be accom-.
plished IN thIs great enterprIse.-I.et a voice from
every county IN the State be hoard on this subject
IN the convention proposed, and we shall not fear
the result. Yours A. H.