Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-12-09

,;s;,u il made Tor ascer,aining the qnaiiilcations q
teachers. as TO requirements, capacity 10 .each, an
moral character. This is a sad and radical defect. ~
individual in society, except The another, exercises IA
the influence on the rising generation mat TIE leacie
does-for, aas is the teacher so will be the scholars.
And this is more especially The case with respect I
The moral character and social affections. II the inc
mi character oil the teacher be bad-his manners coa's
and vulgar, his pupils can scarcely iail TO be injured
nd vet il IS a la,neniable fact, that in too many neigf
horboods. through The avarice or Ignorance OF parents
snch teachers are employed because they rork ehcal
md thus the morals and manners OF the RISING gene
ration are ruined aud their serviceableness lost to soc
ETY.. . 49,,
notwithstanding a great majority of the school con
missioners from the different counties have reporf'
that sthey have no alterations to propose, ana man
Of them intimate that the present system works wei
vet your honorable body must perceive ut a gianc.
that the foregoing are SOME of the prominent define
of the present system in its practical operation. AvieW
preat wonder is, Notwithstanding the erronefroneout
Of The commissioners, and their onseque9ufered By
reports that the present system has being. But the
an enlightened legislature to remain fit Of some more
people who have so long felt thetion, are now meet
efficient system Of elementary ed public places in their
ing at their county seats and ii on their grievances in
primary assemblies, 10 cost the Legislature 10 pro.
this matter, and TO ~denGedy. And that your honora.
vide by law a p~ropeLily understand the wishes and
BILE body may m9iiluents as to a remedy and snbsti,
wants Of your Gent defective and insufficient system,
tute for the dy propose for your consideration the fol.
we ~respefine OF a system Of Public Schools:
lowing-To pass a law establishing and regulating
Emon Schools throughout the ommonwealth-r
String every county to be divided into school districts
providing for The erection of suitable schoolhouses
in each, located as nearly central as a hcaiAtnL and
pleasant situation can be obtained.
Secondly.-The law should provide for levying and
collecting a tax which, added 10 the Literary Fund,
shall be sufficient 10 maintain a school in each district
1Hirdiy.-There should be created by Law a State ST.
perinlcnient Of Common Schools, whose duty it should
be to superintend the execution Of the school laws
10 furnish officers with necessary forms for keeping ac-
counts and making statistical returns-plansa and dircc.
lions for the proper construction Of district school.
houses for the comfort Of the learners; and, in all places
out of towns and cities requiring that schoolhouses
be suitably provided with grounds Tor gymnastic and
other heallhful exercises.
There should be a County Superintendent for each
county, invested with powers appropriate TO his juris-
dic;ion, whose duty il should be 10 superintend the
faithful execution Of the laws.
When each county shall have been laid of into dis.
tricts, the law should make i; the duty Of the Inhabit-
ants OF each district TO meet and organize, by clecting
three or five trustees. The trustees, when 50 elected,
should be required 10 select 4 place, or piece OF ground,
for a district scloolhouse, and notify the county SUI
perin,endant, who should visit and inspect il, and if he
approve il, confirm their selection.
Should any district neglect or refuse 10 organize for
iEe space oil thrce years, lnen, anu III that case, the
money arising both from tax and the Literary Fund,
which would fall to such district, should be thereafter
equally divided among such districts as shall have or
ganized until such district comply with the law.
FourhIy.-The public schools should be free to all
the white youth within the districts Of a proper age TO
90 10 school. This provision will be important 10 the
success Of the arhole system. Unless the schools be
free 10 all they cannot succeed. II will destroy the sue.
cess Of the whole system to allow any distinction be-
tween the rich and the poor. Should the rich pay any
separate fees TO The teacher, they would feel that they
would be, on that account, entitled TO more Of his SER
vices, and without would not be satisfied.
F~faiy-The public schools must be good. They
must lie emphatically Colleges for the people. If they
are not good enough for ue rich they will not be fiji for
the poor. If made us good as the rich desire, wealthy
will have no i~uducementto send their children
from home for education. 1t the schools be not good,
those who are able will send abroad for education; and
either condemn or oppose the public school system.
want Of good teachers will be the greatest diff
Guilty with which the system III its early stages, will
have to contend, and will demand the prompt attention
Of the Legislature. Properly qualified teachers have
been furnished in ether States and countries by what
are called Normal Schools. Your memorialists believe
tina, Virginia may improve upon the plan for qualify.
ing teachers, by aiding from the Literary Fund such col
aud academies as will incorporate into their courses
of instruction tie practice Of making the higher classes
teach the lower ones. This change in the plan of in
slruction would be highly beneficial TO those engaged
III perlnrmins the part of teachers in more ways than
one. First in more indclibly impriniing on their
lainds that which they had previously learned, and Sc
this plan would daily train them in the ar Of
ifachtny, and somewhat in the art Of gorerAiay. THIS
plan OF qualifying teachers strongly comments itselfon
account Of its simplicity and cheapness; and, 1t put
in operation, could not fail of supplying, in a few years,
a considerable number of well-qnalilied teachers.
AS connected with this subject, the Convention
would respectfully suggest 10 the Legislature lie pro-
prieiy Of requesting Congress 10 apply the Snii!iso-
nian Legacy to the institution and support OF Normal
schools Tor qualifying teachers, as Tie most useful EN-
~ployment of this fund.
Suiaiy-The State Superintendent should be allow
ed an adequate salary, and be required to devote his
whole time 10 The interests of education. The County
Superintendent should likwise receive an adequate
compensation for The services required Of him.
Lasay.-The Literary Fund should be increased, from
time TO time, rs the Legislature may find means, and
the States share of the proceeds of the sales OF the
public lands, under a recent act Of Congress, should be
added to the Literary Fund. The action of the Stale,
in tls establishment Of a Literary Fund, with annual
proceeds therefrom, as well as public opinion, SO far as
its expression has reached Us, point to a permanent re-
venue devoted 10 that purpose. The greatest benefit to
the whole people is then TO be sought in the creation
and establishment Of an araiiaUe fund. And il is sub
mitied whether all The funds for the educational system
should not be devoted 10 works Of Internal Improve
ment, more especially TO those country roads which
will reach every portion ofthe State, and unite them IN
social and commercial inter course-thc State piedgIng
an income equal to the interest on The capital thus de-
voted TO common school purposes. The saul and the
soil will then he cultivated, and taste and refinement
reflect the improved condition Of each.
When tho system contemplated in this memorial
shall have been sufficiently long in operation, it vii.
furnish pupils to The academies and colleges, and to the
University, neither of which are sufficiently supplied
for the want, as your mcmorialisls believe Of good pri'
mary schools.
In conclusion, your memorialisss would respectfully
say, that should the Legislature establish by law
system ofpuJtie instruction OF the foregoing principles
in a few years Virginia will be redeemed from the re
pToaci 50 justly cast upon her for her neglect of this i'm
portant interest.
Signed in behalf Of The Convention.
THOMAS TOWNSEND,
GEO. w. THOMPSON,
+. w. NEWTON,
r. Mckee, Committee
Il. JACOB,
WIN. MCCONNELL,