Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-11-27
POPULAR EDUCATION.


Rev. d. NJ. SMIru, delivered at public meet,
ing Of the Citzsns OF Augusta, held in StaunIon
Sept II, IsiI.-ICosoLuDEDl
& What has been done f,r the interests ofcom.
mon school education IN NrsiniI1
The answer TO this question involves the discus
.ion OF thu plan for the education Of tho poor now
IN operation In This Commonwealth.
According 10 the prpv.sOns OF this plan Si5,.
900 formerly, and nov about 10000, are annually
appropri,ted from the proceeds oi the Literary
Fund TO the tuition OF the poor white children OF
both sexes, thrrushoutthe Safe. This fund Is DIS
tribuled the several counties IN the proportion OF
their federal population. Not less than five, nos
more than fifteen commissioners are appointed, IN
each county, 10y the county courts, who arc rrqur-
ed 10 lay oil the county into districts aud divide the
amount received by the county, ioto as many equal
portions there ATE dIstrc s. Thcy arc empower
ed to ply for the tu'on OF as many poor children as
the funds permit, allowing &C cents per day, OF
nctual attendance, tor cac'. incY are required 10
be cautious N selecting ls'sIcrs, and accurate m
the adjustment OF nj. lccnyu's tor tuition. In ad-
Git,on 10 these cHrg lticns the school law allows
them no comp 1F,.rou tor their services anJ pro-
Viles tor nc instruction beyond reaGlUE, w,.ug and
cyphering. unless m sOns lew cas- ?; they per
r,.Ued to select the most promising scholars, and
secure them NOR oNtencst advantages, thai they
rlay oc guailhs 81 u serve Gs J e'cbcTS.
Sub IS Ure; 's,rac, o. the provisions Of this
iNv. 1, mas heen Of considerable service iu many
parts OF the Safe, under h.oDl'e cIrc.ms,a0ccs.
Slppnsing The ou} fc,S Of tue States bounty 90 be
= Z
urged on by parents approaching the advantages
Il etucauan, and guided by teachers, capable,
faithful auu Jealous, and wirnn., wiling TO teach
t-sln tor the lowest consideration aus supposns the
scholars also punctu1 and constant, tHcge IS no
doubt that great good has been ttsctCi. I, l1i,
however, 70 DC assumed, tHlI the plan has Ccen
successful ~ measure p.pnnri nu-t 10 the number
oF scholars, whose tuition has been uC,5sysl 1y d.,
i1r psris OF year, nor even n all cases where The
p-pIs Eve been sen; 20 schno. constantly Tor the
entire period OF scholastic year. Foe the inslruc-
Ton OF scholar especially Snl.. child, ami M the
ere elements of learning, Ter few days q time,
VIA other days Or weeks az 10 sneSs intervening
between the periods OF ns'rI ton, Will ryt prouI-
hly produce very bensicta. rsSg Is. Tins suggests
the statement OF those dg.scs ld this scheme, and
the illustrations Of lis inethclenSy, 10 which now
invite auen'Ion.
/. The plan is p1r'ia' in rs construction. Il Sc.
lects Que portion Of the population lone. W. know
that when II originated, II was but one par. OF u
grand scheme of State education, divided into three
departments TO adip; itself 10 the CORES ponding
classification Of society. THts was GcsigTci for
the poor. Reading, writing and Cypher'ng, were
thought sufficient. The next to have refer
cnce 10 the mlddng classes. Their demands were
10 he grauhed by the establishment Of county
Academies. The next should DIR the facilities iUl
the best education TO the rich. The State appTo-
prIated 10 this upwards OF S3jO,ODO expended In
buildings books and apparatus, and an annuity of
$4,000, sum Total Calculating 5000 The IN
terest on S25Uu OF 500 coo, OF 50 900 per an
mum. The mrtlIG class, however, have MS yet
been unprovIdei Tor. They furnish the bulk OF the
taxation which Is ecssSarY 10 supply the expenses
OF Governme.i, ~ ~hch tie annJa. expenditure
Of the money Tor primary schools and The Univer.
sity might .Eer"sg w. fp.CF..,.CJ. Il present,
nearly $4,000 per aUnum, pad for the Cduca-
ton OF the extremely poor AID the rich, tog- ;Aur
with the interest on Inc money expended va eject.
ing tho University buildings, sc. making an
amount nearly OF $4,000 annually. Il was
thought the aid afforded 20 educate POOR children,
would be tue means OF keeping up schools, when
lacy could not otherwise BE- sustained; anu this has
lO5.e ines been the case, yut this IS by means
system for all, ana moreover:
2. The scheme rather rClards than aids the cs
Enlistment OF good schools. Good teachers de.
serve good pay, and you cannot expect men TO
confne themselves to the laborious occupation {.
Teachers tor such an uncertain and trifiu- tuition
fee as four or five cents per day Of aclua. attend
Ence. IL is unjust 10 require the Teacher 10 be in
place, and then deyo.vc on hm the loss Tor the 10
Bence OF his scholars, detained nj home by parents
100 indifferent 20 care for their chdrgns welfare.
TOO ignorant 10 appreciate OF TOO ndugcn, secure
il, at the expense OF urging their attendance. The
consequence is, that the poor children are lsil 10
poor teachers, who work for poor pay, and who OF
course imp0Tt poor instruction.
}. But this provision docs not apply 10 al, Who
are actually needy. For LIST. Many who are 81,
will not admit IT, IL may be false pride IN the opin.
ion OF some but long may Il be the Characteristic OF
citizens, TO love Independence and scorn the no
sltiOn OF the Oesgar for the crumbs Of State Uoun
ty. The State IS bound To look on her children as
a common mother and whenever distinction is
drawn, indicated by the line which charity draws.
it is adding species Of Insult to misfortune to doe
out charity with the acting out OF, Take that be-
cause you are poor" End. Many ore too Door In
their own estimate to send their children 70 school
and yet not InfIgent IN The usually received ucCCp-
tation.-They pay part o the tax, which we have
seen aids 10 educate the poor children, and by as
much OF tax as they contribute, by just 50 much Is
their ability to provide Tor their own children dmin-
ished.
4, This plan is deficient 10 respect 10 securing per.
manency IN the schools There is no power 10 con.
troll parents and o3Ise regularity on the part OF gu.
pills, nor can such power be given, without further I
nggRvaung tie misfortune o. poverty; Tor d. would
be manifest injustice compe Ic poor, VIII others
are permitted 70 DO as they please. Nor dos /. .
provide any ties, tor the character Of T-ac els A.
though the commissioners aye charged o. use eau. .
lion 10 selecting Teachers yg, they have no dsz-e-
ION 10 the m1tg-. the people OF ,uo u-Isagor4aJ1
decide, AMI the commissioners must ABIDE the de-
CIsIOn.
). The amour, Of instruction required 10 gs gly-
cG falls ilrtaufi Yi what Is necessary DID Teach
trs usually instruct the CnulIsn JOB reading. with
sJch success as o. secure love igE rg1l.r- Oh ug
port OF the pupils, they might 1g u, win some
e. ETY. 70 prob. by their own -naG-d efforts DO iI-
tlTe BI, 50 far otherwise Is the fact. thu. many
forget what has ytJn taught. because B. las ..ln
taught so Inuccurtl.Y. Indeed, History OF our /.
uwn country 90 least, our Constitution, and some .
elementary kasw edge Of Geography Us ueer-s-ry I.
20 every citizen. But the Aw provides fur u.'.IU- .
more than mere reading wnIrg and cypu-lug. .
Z. The plan operates uatgll.y U0.h as OBJ d Do. /
s.snatlon Of the poor anl tlg remuneration Of
Teachers. Poverty ra comparative pbrase.-Pgs. /
session oi property does not always ui.r a.II.y.
nan may in one part 0i the State De comparative.
ly wealthy, and in another, pglr.-OuC Wl.u Drop.
cry may not command as much money as another. I
dependent on lis own .nurur An. the Teacher
who IS PAID cents in on. part of the S'ri.. may
BH O. do so better than wCr. Lc paid d. cent.
per Gay IN another, and 'AIs By reason OF the oryl
ousditerence Of the expenses OF lyIu.. Blu. Oh.
IlE positively fixes the sum.
he only 1dduyn1. item We nov ru.T boz. /
reference TO the fusuifc.snryuf tine fund Even
when we shall have expended b.i lu the best
manner, there remain nearly one belt OF The poo.
children unprOyI.d iur Ig. OBJ. system promise
NJ least Dcter things, uriYr. we uUd.r.aa ..s ug-
fence. WCure told that the Legislature uU.f1gr-
tion Is not sufficient, cslu when expended 3D.. The
most suitable manner, 90 secure more than 90 blrn
average Of 90 days tuition 90 each child through
the whole year After 40 the Attachments which he
concession Of Imp1ua.ty may demand we arg
forced TO the conclusion that while the plan does
not deserve the name uI system for tue whole
State, % ~ not even adlpcs 90 Its pros.-gI object
and does not accomplish what DO aims 10 do In
my next shall eudgavOr 90 detail Tho outlines of
pnn for the whole State, and In ronuc1I0u With
IL may aude 10 other defects IN the present. School
Law.
g. What remedy should be applied 10 supply de-.
hceneies and impehCclI9ns In common scaOO. cIu
cation 10 YirgInIli
One Of the dearest indiccs Of ignorance or inca.
paciiy relative 70 subjects Of difficulty, iB The prOfs.
sed familiarity or ability with which some persons
O.