Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-12-14
Tur EpItcATIoN CONVENTION.

or rep,Iemen who were drawn from so many sections o
the State, from the mountains and even beyond them
, to the seaboard-and who have started up 'like so many
armed men, as at the sowing OF the dragon $ teeth, be
cause the soil from which they emanated was rich ant
) Iuxuriant in all the good feelings favorable TO Educa
tion-this Convention closed their labors on Saturday
evening, and adjourned in the utmost harmony, and
have returned home with the strongest enthusiasm II
behalf of the great cause which brought them here
Saturday was a day of business-and they continued
in session from Q O'Clock in the morning to at night
Il was in truth a working day; and all their work was
done. and done well: and as al present advised, We
know of nothing which they did which ought not 10
have been done, and nothing has been omitted which
ought TO have been done. We shall present a full synop-
sis of their Proceedings in our next paper-and IN the
mean time content ourselves with republishing 4 general
sketch Of the last Proceedings from the Compiler and
the Shield. We were really too much occupied with
the business of the Convention, and with other engage
ments, to take 4 note of their Proceedings for the Prcss.
They have recommended to the Legislature some OF the
wisest Reforms, of which our present system appears
at this time to be susceptible-the District Free School
System, under its most efficient ana wlsest modInca-
tions, as far Us such a system is practicab!e-pr n
serving, until the inovasion proposed can 60 INTO
effect, the present system which,, IN spite oil It's de-
fects, has been productive of so much benefit
They have the intermediate institutions
to the wise patronage of the Legislature, always nav
ing an eye through their fundamentally TO the pro
duction of better Teachers for our Elementary Schools.
THEY have recommended an enlargement and modi-
fcution of the Military Institute system, having an eye
also TO the same wise provision The manufacturing OF
the rau material of mind (taken from the great body
of the People, and selected, according to meriV into
excellent teachers, TO be returned 10 the great mass
again, in order 10 manufacture that raw material itseli.
But we shall lay before our readers the Proceedings Of
this intere sting body in detail, oil Thursday. In the
mean time, we must content ourselves with laying be-
fore our readers the following extracts from the Com
piler and the Shield. (Happily, the question OF the
Distribution Of the Proceeds Of the snles OF the T.. ).
Lands, did not once come up during the Conyention)
Second Days Proceedings.
From yesierday's c0npaer.l
fAfter the Report on the Military Institutes, present
ed from the Committee on the subject by DIR. Plumer,
had been read several gentlemen addressed the Con
vention, almost all of them in commentator Of the plan
of extending the system of military schools, and ap'
proving in warm and impressive terms Of the PROPOSE
ton TO convert the establishment OF the fuoilc Guaro
into a military school.
MIR. Hicks of Brunswick was particularly strong IN
his expressions Of appreciation. lie said that when he
came here he was fearful that little would be done ; but
this report Showed him at once his fears would not be
realized. Although cautious in deciding upon new
plans, such and so striking seemed TO him TO be the me-
rits of this, that without qualification or hesitation he
gave il his earnest support.
Mr.. Taylor of Norfolk Borough and Dr.. Chamber
Jayne urged doubts as to The ~propriety Of assigning the
heavy duties of the Public Guard 10 young cadets, and
as to their ability to protect the property and arms Of
the State.
DR.. Plumer answered these doubts in his energetic
and effective style, throwing into his remarks OCCASION
ally, sentences of much eloquence. lie showed that
the duties Of the Public Guard here were not more Sc
we're than those Of the West Point Cadets, and that the
rigor of winter was much more intense there than here,
both from the exposed situation Of West Point and its
greater Northern latitude. lie contended that perfect
reliance could he placed in the young Cadets even IN an
emergency Of danger-for exploits OF hardship and
great exposure, Bonaparte selected his veteran soldiers,
but for desperate enterprises he always preferred young
soldiers from sixteen to twenty-one. He had asked
General Dorman if the Cadets ut the Lexington Militia
ry School would fght-'yes' was his reply, +" like
Wild Cats" DR.. P. spoke Of the healthful influence
of military education. Parents had hestated to send
delicate sons to the Military School; but by placing them
there, they soon gathere d strength and robustness. lie
gave a pleasing view of the moral advantages of send
ing through the State Cadets from the Military School,
who had become at once soldiers, scholars, and gentle,
men-and how great a service they could render their
State as teachers.
Mr.. Richie, in his --- style, expressed
his admiration of the plan, and offered an additional
paragraph by way OF amendment to the report, winch
having been adopted, we have added to the report above
Ii is next 10 the last paragraph.
MIR. A. w. Venable, made 4 speech full of truth
sound sense, and opposite reflections. lie supported
warmly the report. He commended that unless we edu
Gated our Teachers, our whole system OF popular Edu
, cation must fail-hc glanced at the serious disadvan
tages we now labor under, for the want Of good teach
e ers, men Of honor and north, and Of capaciiy-we now
obtained our teachers from the North, where they art
h manufactured, as are shoes in Lynn, 'o ORDER ant
2 Brother Jonathan he said, had sense enough to keel
o the good ones at home, and send us the bad. 1t took
year TO find them out, and he averred that the mass o
t them were generally rejected after that trial. lie urget
D strongly the necessity of educating our own teache s.
h imbued with our own feellngs-bound to our State b.
d the dearest ties-governed BY a high sense of honor
and fitted for their vocation, by a solid education. III
regarded the plan proposed by the report as going far I
Y accomplish this important object.
e MIR. Hicks offered some very appropriate reflection
: connected with the plan, which he happily expressed
The question upon the adoption of the report was the
j. put and decided in the affirmative, with not more thai
two dissenticnts we believe.
Rev. Benz. NJ. Smith, from the Committee on Com
: mon Schools, made a report, which being read, the Con
: vention adjourned till 4 o'clock.
n Erening Session.
The Convention resumed the consideration OF the re
: port on Common Schools. The report recommended tn
o District Free School System.
n DR.. Plumer opposed it as impracticable, and defended
n our present system as best suited to our State.
Y MIR. Smith replied to him and was proceeding in hi
remarks when the near approach Of the hour for tn
: lecture by Mr.. Garnet, rendered an adjournment nc
cessary.
From yestcrdays Compler.l
EDUCATION CoNyENTloS.-Thi deliberative assem-
: blage completed its labors Saturday evening and ad
. journed. Its proceedings attracted much attention
J.. and were of a very interesting character. The CON
h mon school question was the only one that occaslone
:. division in its councils. Upon that question, al the start
ing point, there was great diversity of opinion; but a
d discussion progressed, and the members examined NOR
e closely each others views, and appreciated more high
" ly each others objects, the spirit of concession devel
4 oped itself, and we have never seen a body wherel
!. there was a more generous exhibition Of it. The con
sequence was, that, important as the differences Of op
q Mon were at first thought, and as widely apart as nc
tons were, a plan was concocted which met almost tn
70 unanimous approval of the members.-W We shall pull
m lish it tomorrow. This harmonious result was graf
flying TO the friends Of The cause; for it was upon th
common school question, that it was feared a diyisio
- would be made that could not be healed during tn
brief space that the body could be reasonably expece
TO remain in session.
DR.. Plumer defended with great ability the preser
school system, urging the ~propriety and expedrency c
adhering to that, and taking measures 10 increase il
efficiency, by blending with it the plan ofcountry tax'
ton. lie contended that the system was the best thi
could be devised under existing circumstances. II
thought that the sparseness of our population rendere
impossible the adoption Of the district free school sy
so TEN.
lie The lenders In the dehate were nr z and The Re,