Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-12-01

petcut teachers,N notby normal schools special
ly intended for that purpose, at least through the
continued agency Of the Military Institute al Lex.
ington, portion Of whose Cadets the State Ca |
dets) are now received on the condition OF their !
devoiiHg certain period after they have left the
Institute, to teaching to others in their own dis
tricts, some portion of what they have learned at
the public expense. Extend aSimiiar system to
the Public Guard in the city of Richmond--a. far
the wise discretion of,he Legislature will duly
recommend.
And now feilow-ctizens. we commit this vas,
aud great subject, with all its momentous conse-
Quencss, to your candid and most serious con-
sideratiOn. A bill, embracing many of its views.
failed in the last Legislature, after il had left the
House Of Delegates. That bill might have been
in part defective. /: presented objections, which
along 18th the novelty Of the proposition, and the
pro,racted period Of the session, might have con.
tributcd to its defeat. But its failure furnishes
no sufficient reason against the reconsideration Of
the whole subject. 1t is for you and your repre-
scn,ativcs to decide, whether this is the time to
act upon the system, and what is best to be done.
Every thing rests with you. The whole system,
which the Convention recommends, is founded
upon the will and free sufiragcs Of the People in
each OF the counties. If the Convention have not
guarded your rights sufficiently, guard them bet
I ter. Every thing, we say again, rests with you
OuR duty Is, to call upon you TO think AMI to Gci
Ito appreciate the immense Importance of elc
mentary schools, to substitute moro efficient sys-
a present, prdCllCaDie, and
where it is not, to preserve the operation of the
P! existing system with such reforms, improvements
and expansions. as the public convenience and
the public interests may permit. May your re-
! Elections be SO guided by wisdom and an enduring
patriotism as to result in the increased Improve
ment. glory, prosperity and happiness of ou be-
loved aud dearly cherished Commonwealth.
THOMAS RIrCHIE, }
y. NJ. SMITH, { Commiitec
II. G.. SCOTT, }
Co. The end Auditor states in his report to the
last General Assembly that there are 3.243 prima-
! ~ schools in the Commonwealth, which fact he
derives from the reports Of the school commissions
crs. The emoluments Of the teachers are es,iIna-
ted each at $3.50,
| (d) More children probably go to school for
some short period oil the year than we have Sc,
down, but we wish TO err in this estimate il a,
all, in lessening the cost.
(c) The law allows Two and half per cent
to the ireasurers, but we put it "a, the least,
| ~ ihoSiaie contains 6 900 square miles. A
school for every five and al halt miles square, would
| give us about 2,t33 districts. For towns and
| popuious neighborhoods, add l67 districts, and
! you have the number $500.
(m This is about the number Of white chill.
dren III the State between The ages of eight and
sixteen.
( (n) The amount passing through she hands OF
t,e treasurers being large, per cent. would be
better compensation than it is 1T present.
/ Co., The present schoohouses. in many in.
stances, are not worth repairing and few of them
areever repaired We hope this will be reformed
altogether