Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-01-01

eoha'ly 10 inelr guidance. In other cases. even !,
our Academies and Colleges, the instructors ace NO
unirefuen,ly men utterly ignorant of The world
anu entirely unacquainted with that rarely ntt,;nc
art oil regulating, confronting aud directing the
ward propensities, and passions of vonI
IN short, knowing nothing but the usual methods q
teaching certain sciences and languages REQUIRED :,
| he taught IN the ordinary course of a COLLEGE, Cd
Gallon. But what will knowledge of All ,bos,
avail, II the main springs Of human action the mir
epes anu motives OF our conduct either left &c
form themselves at that period Of life when we mos
need good instruction.; or, so operated unon IN,
the caprieious ignorance OF those who have aImos,
the sole care and government of our cbildr.r d.
ing the whole time oil their pupilage, that these
springs, principles and motives are either totally y;
taied or rendered nearly useless for any GOOD nn.
pose fN
How Else, but on the supposition that all this /,
perfectly true, can we possibly account for the
iui increase o. vice and avarce amongst us for ,h.
dePorabe decrease of respect for the laws of homes,
public agents. and of men Of integrity i'm orr r,ao;
! cd institutional To what other cause but 70 r.
want OF sound moral Education in all classes nj ,r
people; can we ascroe the alarming spread OF OPT.
mons destructive TO all the best and dearest
OF society;-the frequency of MODS against ho,L
lives and Ptoperty,-of party combinations 10 evoJe
or iorclby defeat the salutary provis;ops .,
our Laws and Constituton-In a word. TO wb.,
other source can trace the undeninhle ipcrea, 80
all those atrocities and minor offences which a., -
cuIated TO destroy the peace, the safety and m.
happiness OF our community We Certainly bay.
more schools OF every grade, IN proportion TO our
population, than we formerly had, and more of what
we called "eduedisd men" But 1t is equally Ger
tain, that there is far greater scarcity than n, nv
iormer period, OF those good fruits of edpc,,io1
which we should surely have enjoyed. had ,ba
courses OF instruction IN all our schools been such
rs they should be. '"e"
Now the all important question is. can M r.,,o-
dy no substitute, be devised for these very defec,,y.
coursesi Has not your honorable body bo,L H. -
power ana the ability to correct them1 One Of the
preparatory means which would most respectful.
~ suggest, IS the immediate appointment IF cor.
trustworthy, competent person. to visit ALI IN. ,oos,
celebrated schools III the United States with ms M,
NY OF secondary grade practicable before vour
next meeting; TO examine and compare thorouSbly
their discipline and course of moral instruct;or ~,
10 report TO you the same. You might then obtain
IN the shortest possible time, all the informot;on
"heh our own country can afford on this most deem
ly interesting subject.
We believe that we are doing a patriotic work
ana one too, which many think OF Indispensable
Obligation, when send forth AT the ni,II; 80,
pense, explorers OF our forests rivers and rnonr
talns, with view to increase the wealth and C,c;I
tate the intercourse Of our felow-ciIizens by ma
Aig Puo'lc roads and canals; and shall we have no
PubIIcly authorized explorers whatever-or ,b,,
ihcomParaOIy more precious region-the field of cd
ucaon, Tor the special purpose of ascertainins the
various moral appliances most essential md Ines,
adapted to make 1t yield the best possible harvest
OF good, wise, and happy men7 In regard IN mi
schools, tne public may truly be said TO be Jeff MI
most ehtirey IN The dark; Tor they see no renorts
relative to these institutions, but such as merely
state the number OF scholars, the OF their tut
uon, and perhaps few other particulars which
have little or no bearing the great the vital in
curry, how lar these establishments nre calcu
To attain the grand, the Tuely noble ends of nm ed
ucauon, as u should De, which surely nre-not lam
gunes and sciences Alone even chi,fu but sound
moral principles Of action with vigorous Iastine nJ
efhclent motives TO wise and vlrtuous conduct I'm
less all these predominant in the BODY polite land
how is this possible, when in a vast number nro
oaoy majority oil our schools, there never any
mnslratlonS OF the Gospel, never any reIioions
services, nor any recognition in the form of n1bc
prayers, even Of the existence OF God himself fb,t
BODY can no more enjoy healthfuI existence. tban
can the BODY natura! IN the midst of noxous MAS
mata and deadly pestilence. Only few veors ago
an nvowed inide and notorious sot was nreS;isn,
OF college in a sister State, which Office no had
previously held IN another State; and IL sbonId M,
DE concealed, that similar cases have elsewhere nc
curred- not OF the greatest vices at least of Desm
and Atheism m our public teachers Now i. il mn,
something worse than folly to expect the Lont6 nj
our country TO respect or value religion and morals
when they find our old men utterly disrcgorrind
both, in the choice Of their instructors1 IL is indre
not only ioUy, but wicked derection Of sac.ed
duty. Yet we shall, most assuredly be doon,ed
long TO witness an augmentation rut6er than n de-
crease OF this heart-slckenng spectacle unless true
christian mo ais are made the pont the indispensa-
bls qualification for teachers in all our schools of
every grade and size, and the constan, incnIc,t,on
OF these morals be prescribed the "sine qua no,,
Of their continuance in Office. but al this trt. !,
what are called Primary Schools, no such reou,re
ments are positively mado--no such duties imoe IN .
lively enjoined-the ultmdtum being 10 read write
and cyPher; whilst, in our diminishing Insti,u.
tons" modIcum Of certain languages and sciences
sufficient to obtain for the professor collage dinlo
ma, is all that is demanded TO authorize his nassny
Tor an educated gentleman, although he may actu.
any be destitute oil every requirement truly essen
tial to entltle him TO this high distinction.
IL has heretofore been deemed quite sufficient IN
satisfy public curiosity, that our newspapers should
abound with programmes and advertisements of our
schools, especially OF the highest class, filed with
hard words enough 10 contound the brains fall H.
lt6Ta.e PERSONS but in regard to tie one Thing need.
JuI, the discipline, by which the granl structure Of
education is TO be built and the moral materials Sc
lected for its foundation, we very rarely see nnv
thing more than the csmpendious promise that 'tfhs
morals and Experiment. Of The siudafs shall be strict
" attended to- and with this sweeping clause the
flourish generally ends In regard to what the teacher
or teachers may deem good morals and good conduct
the public IS usually len 10 conjecture, rs IL they
were mere secondary matters, not worthy Of any
particular specification. But until both are held
IN the highest possible estimaton-far, very far
above all literary and scientific acuurements-un.
al the means Of onsuring both nre deemed vitality
essential to good education, shall often unavoid-
ably behold the inexpressbly painful spectacle Of
shameiulIy mscalled "ceA educated" rushing on
with reckless and desperate haste in the broad roid
70 utter ruin Instead Of effective moral agents capa-
bic ond desirous Of contributing largely 10 the sum
total Of human happiness, as really we'll educated
young men would be, we have let loose upon us
troops Of selfish ambitious, concei,ed smaterers and
scioisis, born and bred, would seem 10 "oOnsus1s
ne JTmts ~ the tarih" without over adding one par
tcle to the common stock. Far be il from YOUR me-
morlost TO include all college graduates in this
description, for VIC have worry many highly praise.
worthy exceptions, yet they are far from consti,,,
ting the majority as they surely would do. II iyys.
proaehable moral character tgsys made au
bic prersqdsiie 10 obtaining not oniy a eoHsgs diD,o
ma, Dat also The office Of college teacher or pro-
fsss,T.
Possibly some OF your honorable body may ,tul
thnk none OF our college graduates deserve the cha
rao'er winch have given to portion Of them. Itl
IS certainly Tor from ny intention TO oxaggordto in
this matter, Tor nothing is more painful TO me than
TO witness any aborivo attempts IN educate the ri
sing generation, since Il Is upon them chiefly thai
our country must depend Tor her all Of PROSPERITY
and happiness But should | be deemed 6y any oCl
you guilty OF injustice towards them, all will beg
OF you -, 10 ask yourselves what proportion IL there
OF tho graduates whom you know who are not seen
tics, u not confirmed inhdes in Religion add latin
dinanans IN Morals; who will not gamble 30,
drunk, and even murder each other provided the sr
be dIgnihed las every duel 10y by the title of can
g0aT Of h0nor7" II your answers DO not ecouit ~,
then will ! acknowledge that my censures ne
been more comprehensive Than they should be- Bu,
still must believe that none will denv tbe, -: