Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-11-19
WHAT DEMOCRACY HAS DONE FOR
EDUCATION, IN GEORGIA.

WHAT DEMOCRACY HAS DONE FOR
EDUCATION, IN GEORGIA.
| We have already ,eeu, as to Currency, Finance
and some other matters, how far Georgia transcend,
any thing that Plato in his Commoaw lth ever ina
sinej or Sir Thomas More in his Utopil, ever
feigned. In State where the whole conduct Of
public matters exhibits such eonsumnse wisdom
and such sessphic purity, OF Course Public Insruc-
ton must hive arrived AT very high degree Of
excellence To produce the Civil Skill which is
so wonderfully diElsed there, certainly ptodgious
efforts mus, have keen made, and YES, and admi.
rable system set uP.
That Education ilourshcs. accordingly Is every
hing else does in Georgia, the following extract
from our great tex; book for Statesmen, Governor
MeDona;d's Message, will abundauty shew. They
dad once, it seems. give six thousand dollars year
for an University. With the considerations OF LD-
cefoeoism, however, this expense has been very
properly curiaied. At present, they give noihir 9
not even in Central Bank Notes or by "hy po:he.
cation"
But then this is "Lstin and Creek GfIair-an
institution for the Rich deserving OF public en-
cournsemeni-n sort Of knowledge corporation,
whose monopoly should be torn down. In do
mocEatic State, il is the Children of the People who
should be taught: anG, CT course, the "Rspublcan
party" the "friends Of the People," have exptni
ed in Popular Educsion all that they have saved
in Collegiate.
1t seems that the State last year appropriate
each poor child How much that would get in
Georgia, where knowledge ia very cheap, Va 10
not know. II would, in Virginia, teach child for
whole week-if hs could learn without hooks
which we suppose is done in Georgia.
This was the munheent appropriation for las,
year, but the kugeness of the effort ha. exhausted
the Treasury, and left in such a collapse that las
The Governor desponjiosly says) they will be for
ced to be less liberal, for the future. Blu: read
after the repeal of the annual appropriation OF
| SIX thousand dollars for the support OF the Univer
sty, the Trustees found il necessary TO diminish
the number OF proiessorships, as well 10 reduce
the salaries Of the Members of the Faculty, who
| were retained. Ofganz d, as IL is with the same
| abe President at its head, II promises much
usefulness under its adverse circumstances could
be expected from l.. SO well aware were the wise
trainers OF the Constitution that the strength Of
! Republic depends upon the intelligence Of the pep
pie, that they were careful TO lay il down fun
damental principle OF the Government, that the arts
| and sciences should be promoted, in one or MOI c
seminaries of learning. IL is historical truth that
Il
daring ly maintained in those countries, where the
enlightenment OF the public mind has enabled the
people 10 understand them best. All improvements
IN society and government, and in the condition oil
people, depend, more or less on the degree OF &c.
neral intelligence that prevails. X is the duty o.
| every ate, therefore, whose government Is based
| upon lucknow edgemen of an equality Of human
rights, 10 encourage and foster some public inSttu
u1n OF lsarnlng, at which the most finished educa
ton can be Obtained. Otherwise, the wealthy, VIII,
alone can sustain the hesvy expense attendant upor
the foreign education Of children, will be able to ar
ford their CONS a thorough knowledge Of the pro
founder sciences, ond pace within their reach the
rich treasures Of polite and elegant literature IL i.
that numerous class Of four citizens, Of moderate
property, Who being able 10 send their children
! abroad, could encounter the expense OF an educa.
ton within our limits, that TO be benefited by q
Safe ns.tu ion. Every consideration Of policy AnC
Justice then, recommends 10 you a renewal OF th,
liberal patronage which SO long sustained oar Uni
versity."
"The efforts heretofore made 10 confer the beno
fits OF education upon all, through the instrumen
talty Of common and poor schools, have not been
attended with the success that was hoped for Tho
great abuse 10 which the system is subject, affords
conclusive evidence that II is Tndicaly defective In
many places the fund set apart and distributed for
this object, has been grossly misnpped, and ,s in,
tended Oenehciares have received aid from it,
Indeed, so small a sun 10 now sutlsct to dsirbu
ton, ihOt II it equally divided among the chill.
ffen entitled to 1t under the law and it should b,
distributed in no other manner, il would not pe
Sufficient 70 purchase the books and stationary ne
csssary for their use. At the last appor,ionmsn,,
the sum Of seventy cents only was assigned 10 each
child, and there must be even a further reduction
q, the mex. This is ufng with the subject Of
education, and wasting the public revenue 10 no
F. purpose. I would therefore earnestly recommend
a thorough and radical change Of the system
and advise that soon ss the condition Of
the treasury viii justly il, seminary for the
education Of the poor exclusively, be established
in section Of the Safe, eligible IN account OF
It's health, aud the cheapness Of provisions, where
q could be sustained al the least possible expense
Each county should be entitled 10 send TO il on e.
quail number Of ito poor children, the whole amoun,-
1 ing 10 such number can be supported and edu-
Gated, annually, by theifuud apart for the pur-
pose. The children thus receiving the BENEFITS o.
education, Of tho han5s u the State, should be re
qoifej, under penalty nnd an Obligation TO which
you have the power TO confer on them the ega
capacity to bind themselves, TO return 10 their re
spectVc Counties md, compe nsaiion to the pub
I've, teach poor children gratuitousy for such tern
OF time as might DO reasonable abd just. Thsi
Counties should be required to board and cloth,
them for the time, provided the tuition money ~
the children Of persons able 70 pay fUr ihei
education, should not be sufficient for the purpose
system Of this sort, could not fail 10 become ex
seosively useful, and the fluids now wasted 10 lh
iryitoss attempt, under different plan, 70 sccom
: plish the same object. ought ~ be carefully hos
D banded 10 carry " into tilectn