Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-12-11
c0R J'YE ENQUIRER.
FUH HL
To The Members of the Education Conresnon.

r., mr. Members or te EuuCuitoH
vould respectfully invite the attention OF 'ne III
~. rauc,tion Convention, shortly 10 asseiioie
t's 70 n few facts in relation to the expenoi'
N : ,hs nroceeds of the Literary Fund, which deserve
,b,ir serious consideration.
i"," ~, 10 found. by referring TO the various acts es-
49, and regulating this Fund, that the Legisia
.aoi'san since that its benefits should be extended 10
- :, class Of our citizens-the poor-the intermediate,
"a Tho rich. | do not draw this distinction IN an IN
ass,ons sense, but simply TO make myself UNDERSTOOD.
..mss lar the establishment of primary schoois-'nter.
late schools or academies and the University OF
I-rinia-thus holding GU; instruction to our youth, IN
sysTy branch taught in any OF the Seminaries IN lhe
Inion. H. c,J
an.,c;,a,ions OF its most anxious frieads-not only
..ndsr;og il unnecessary to send our youth abroad Tor
distraction, but drawing many to this fountain OF Know
lsJ,e from our Sister States, and thus repaying U.S. 10
some extent, the vast sums yearly drawn from our
( =. by the seminaries Of the North and East, before
tls establishment of this school. But the dement's oil
,bs institution are virtually denied to q vast majority
Of our citizens, whose limited means preclude the pos.
s.biity Of their encountering the expense oil d iuii
course of instruction. To such, the loeral endowment
Of intermediate schools, or academies, presents the
only hope of giving TO their children such advantages
Of education as will qualify them for the active dut'es
Of life, as farmers, mechanics, merchants, &c, =, ~
those who wish 10 rise high on the scale OF ih'eheo-
,ul eminence, 10 receive the stamp OF the university
~ n this source. TOO. that we are TO look for teachers
NONE, Nv qualified for our primary schools. 1t IS noto-
nous. that the individuals now engaged 10 teach tue
,o,r and INDECENT, too oflen require the instruction
i,nsy are employed TO impart.
Injer the system as thus established, we had a large
,Doropsistion to the primary schools the precise
,mouat not now recollected-$l5,00O TO the univer-
sty. and the balance was to have been appropriated 10
me intermediate schools or academies. This system
vas wise and judicious, and If the details had been equal
lg wise. and the agents selected to carry them into exc
eu,ion. active and capable, the benefit, to every class OF
GU. citizens would have been great and manifest, But
other yiew VS. seem TO have entered the minds Of our legis-
l,,ors for, on the 22nd of March, 1886, an act was pass
ed. appropriating all the surplus revenue of the Literary
Fund, then existing or which may thereafter accrue, 10
The primary schools; thus cutting off all assistance from
the secondary schools or academies. BY this most ex-
;aordinary specimen Of legislation, which | must leave
10 more astute minds than | possess to explain, the rery
rch and the Gerry poor are alone provided tor, and Inc
large and highly respectable intermediate class, consti.
tu,ng most of our farmers, merchants, mechanics and
professional men, are deprived Of all the benefits OF this
important trust, and are thrown on individual enter
prise for a competent education for their children
The Disadvantages and uncertainty of relying on this
preca-ious source for the accomplishment Of an object
so important and desirable, are too obvious to require
notice.
As the Convention will no doubt present and recon-
mend some general plan of Education to the Legisla-
1ure, it is to be hoped that this, the largest and most
valuable class of our citizens, and who confessedly pay
double as much revenue into the Treasury as both the
others combined, will no longer be overlooked, but that
their claims will be properly enforced; and we shall no
longer have cause TO complain that they are deprived OF
4 share Of the benefits arising from the Literary Fund,
10 which they have SO largely contributed.
4 COUNTRYMAN.