Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-11-26

tinuanee Of tho blessings aud privileges we hav
przedi and our State may lose, if she has not n
ready iost,a large portion OF her importance, by
glecting TO secure TO her chi,iren the incstimabl
blessings of Elementary Education. While IN
people are congratulated and hateted, let the trul
be faithfully told Boosting OF our ancestry, toast
ing our distinguished men, eoting dinners IN homo
OF liberty, and enSlaying soul and body under al
dent spirit to illustrate freedom from British iytGn
ny and taxation, will not transmit our free nStitu
tons to postetity, nor remove from our State IN
curse OF ignorance which rests upon IT, Eminent a
we have been, our glory departs when the great DO
dy of the people, who possess the right of suffrage
may have become too ignorant to understand theI
rights, discriminate between the Demagogu
who hluers and deceves, and the Patriot who car
nestly desires and honestly enceayorS TO benefit hi;
country. That we are already m danger Of reap
Ing the banctul fruits of ignorance IN the commun
ty, Is evinccd by the facts presented IN tho result
OF the late census and confirmed by other investisa
! tions. Ii appears that IN an adult population q
about $4,000 whites, there now nearly Ct, 900
who can neither read nor write. In 1889, IN,
marriage bonds filed IN the Clerks offices OF about
100 counties in the State showed that nearly one
nth OF the Slsners To those bonds had signed with
| a cross mark.-Takinc that as a fair index would
show that about nth, or between one fifth and
one sixth OF the adult population could not write
This comedies with the result ol the census, already
mentioned. But lurther according TO the sam. IN
deI, appears that 20 years previously, the same
proportion Ut unedueated to educated existed, that
existed IN 1887; and hence, IN all that umc We have
made no mprovement-though, TO remove this evil,
nearly 81, 100000 (I5,OOO year for Is years, and
! from 55 to 10000 year for years. had been eX.
pended V the State.
| We receive these melancholy statements with a
confidence IN their truth, the greater, because we
| find in the general aspect of common school educa
ton causes sufficient TO occasion such results. In
almost any neighborhood in the states, you will
discover lhat the important matter Of inStTucung
children is managed with great nee ,ISence 10 the
character OF the means employed, aud the results
produced. A few individuals determine to secure
a school. Many who need II for theic chidr n, are
| too careless To adopt any measure 10 secure II.
Those, then, whom the duty falls, Though re.
cosuislng a general truth the necessity and i'm.
portance OF the measure, yet, partly because hey
stand alone, and partly from failing fully TO appre
the subject, act win great want OF Judgment,
energy and foresight. teacher IS employed, those
| chief Recommendation 10 his chcdpneSS. lie may
| know what he pTotesses or he may not. IL would
| ue want OF courtesy 10 requue his submission TO
| an examination even wutn there might be al aOIii-
| " the part OF any 10 examine. Tie may be Geh-
| cen; IN what far more important, IN one
sense, than know edge. He may not know how
10 communicate his know. edge, or may possess
| a nasty, undIsclplned temper. he may have fail
ed IN every other pursuit, professional mechan-
| zeal, agricultural or mercantile and perhaps II will
| be plead for him, He IS fit for nothing else, poor
| fellow, and is willing 10 teach cheapy. lie Will
DO to teach the CHI dcen spelling and reading, with
little cyyhering aud wiring Now in fact this IS
one OF the highest accomplishments OF Teacher;
one which requires great proficiency the art
. well as accurate knowledge OF the Cspos ton OF
Ichl.drtn. To the want OF the proper qualification
for thus apparently easy task, we have reason 10
ascrbe the numerous failures IN teaching by which
many sprighliy children are seIasanst every form
Of learning, and It not lett worse, rendered no
brtter than the unfortunate teacher NAV have found
| them. The accommodations for scholars are ge-
neray fair index OF the interest fetIn the subject
| OF Elementary Education. \ few rough logs rough
| Iy put together with loose plank floor, a door
! with open seams, fireplace and chimney so con-
/ taefn n hes 10 fine
possible ~ order 10 counterfeit the cold ar entering
( by its wide opening, and high narrow benches,
| without backs, Is description Of the scat OF the
muses. Tor thousands OF our young friends, who no
| doubt need but few Of the common threats: eff
YOU are not gOol child, you shall be sent TO school
! II you behave we.. you may stay at home, but Is
not 20 TO the school house." 20 Convince them that
| going to schoon is awful alternative, and TO IN
! spire them with great horror OF even the outer
| building. When you have seated such place with
| twenty or thirty urchIns, It'll minds al home
| and thoughts balls, hoops, marbles and
| dolls put over Them some duI.-heaGed drOne
or some untuIored idicr, 100 poor 10 live unsm.
! poyed, ton ignorant TO earn more, and TOO lazy
| TO work you have before you the interior of many
! places called schoOl-huuses IN Virginia. The great
wonder Is, that any thing reputable ever proceeds
| from such provisions; but for elder brothers ami
| sisters, attentive fathers ami mothers, We d1ub,
whether augh. than unmiKed evil would be the re-
sul;. IL IS True some OF our common schools pre-
sent more pleasing, but many, less agreeable
prosTect
1t is 10 be observed, Also that even when in
struction is conveyed oy some little capacity pos
sessed by the teacher, yet the common modes OF
teaching wTetchedly defective, the pupil IS
wearlcu, and time, temper and talents throw away
by long course Of undressing spelling. or the
mere dry details Of cypherIrg 10y rule, perhaps
as well understood by pupil as master, and by mel
Their well enough to give on explanation Of the
| principles involved It's Statements, the limited
| tme and means of the pupil are exhausted lOr
bag t..F.
/ impaired. Were all the children IN the common
wealth taught IN this manner 10 read and write, the
aversion TO literary subjects, and the ImpertcOn Of
the accomplishments impaired, might well Justify
/ the expectation that but little Il any voui be-
/ made OF the ability TO read and write and 10 a few
years II would be lost by dIsIsC, impaired as
to result in practical benefit to the pos,essor.
In the mean tme other causes have cOnsplred 70
/ retard the progress OF improvement IN our common
| schools. We are doomed 10 a succession Of me
Gent unInstructed teachers, by a twofO.d cause
either portion OF which Is competent TO produce the
| result. Like Uesgts ike, and the wonderful iecun
. dity OF apparently useless OF pernicIOus animals
or rather animalcu.E, is notorious. But while teach
( ers are poorly rewarded, can We expect that
| young men, conscious OF msrtirg greater reward
| than a squeezed salary OF hily or seventy dollars
| per unuum, with board, vii. devote their time 10
! tsaChlngl Unless there is reformation IN the
| state Of public opinion, and EducHtion becomes
more appreciated, o. D. VAIN TO expect better teachers
/ Strange 70 should be so. a mean teacher IS only
apparently cheap. Like mean mechanic, be costs
more than good You pay half price, and
the work is half done. ii worth doing al all. a;
had better be we'll done. Il the child Is 3D., It Is
cheaper 10 employ an accomplished physician 10
say nothing OF the safety. II your carrlsge needs
repairs, 10 IS cheaper to employ good colchmlker.
! II the child needs instruction, ihCu employ good
teacher, rather than lose the money paid an unskI-
fu teacher and 10 addition this, rs, the mental
character, and perhaps moral, with the future pros
peIity Of the child. Before leaving this part VI the
Subject, ] may anticipate 6Umewhat, by Deserving
that the low rate Of tuition, Fixed by the ate law
I has greatly tended 10 foster the sentiment that
cheapness Is the best qualification o! a teacher
-Four or five cents per diem, subject 20 q deduction
/ for time ,Ost by the pupil, Is a mere apology for
tuition fec, and who can be q Jectod To accsp. o.
II he has any proper sense OF the requisite ouaIf
cation Of @ teacher, unless driven 70 such a course
/ 10y dire necessity
! Another fruitful source of the evils Of ignorance
which 20 sldy overcast the prospects Of our State
may be found m the inadequate provision made by
the State for the unfortunate. As this subject viii
receive attention IN iis proper place. under the next
general topic dIsmlss DO Tor the present by tue
observation, ih1t even supposng the pecunIlry pro.
VISION most Abundant, 3. could never be benehraIy
expended under the present plan. Sparse popul1.
ton ln some places, an uu5tOCratic spIut debating
separate schools proper for toe rich and poor nd
similar causes, have old had weight in aggrlv1tfpg
from year 20 year The evils of our condition. nd
while other states are yearly diminishing the mum
o bcr OF their uuaught, and some OF even daaparc
p governments securing the blessings Of Education 10
e every child, while the tendency OF the influences
operating throughout our country, Is % elevate be
standard Of boulaIon 90 every department, our own
"a beloved Virginia, with hgr immense resources. her
. . Hr .nrf b. F.