The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-10-21

sch0Ol natrlct. ana, rs our SCHOOLS nave DeCOInc
every year, more and more ut the public charge,
the necessity OF such voluntary support would he
less md less felt, and, possibly, the introduction
and progress oft new system has been allowed to
supplanl the old one more rapidly than it should
have done. fprivate interest in the subject has
thus been Withdrawn, only in proportion TO the in
crease of the public fund even, the effect may
have, and probably has. been unfavorable. Indi-
vidua exertion, which springs from sense Of me-
cessity, is active and jealous; and 10 rendtr sys-
TEN Of support, in schools at The public expense,
an adequate substitute for the voluntary system, it
Is indispensable that il should be accompanied by
some general plan Of public superintendent and
management. Such plan should embrace all that
ia essential TO secure perfect knowledge Of the
whole subject Of education, as it EXISTS throughout
the state, careful application of the school fund,
and IN adequate support of the necessary schools.
Several states have adopted systems similar 10
the one recommended, and | would refer you
particularly to that which exists in the state Of
Massachusetts, md to the reports which are anu
ally made, under it, by an officer charged with the
duty of their superintendent. ] have been for
chilly impressed with the utility Of these reports,
and, indeed, | nm unable to perceive how they
can be dispensed with, il our schools are 10 be-
come objects of public care and support. With
out them, it is difficult to understand how the pub
lie can ever be possessed OF the knowledge neces-
sary To their proper management.
The expense attending such reports, and the
examination and enquiries Of which they are the
result, would not be considerable, and even il il
were, it ought to constitute no objection to the
plan, If am correct in my view Of It's importance.
But it seems 10 me, that, if a wise aud efficient
system were adopted and our school fund and
- 4 ,l., H., oc r IL
ful officer, sufficient saving might be made 10 de-
fray all additional expenses,
Wilhou, attempting TO present new reasons for
n liberal provision for our colleges and higher
schools, I would again urge the subject upon your
consideration. 1t is Cor you to decide how liberal
Il provision the state of our finances will admit
Of But must be permitted TO say, that, in n
community like ours, education, in any Of its
branches, ought not 10 be suffered TO anguish,
from any motives Of economy.
The business prosperity of the people of the
state, and the means of improving it, deserve your
continued and constant care. While every one is
left perfectly free in his own pursuits. il is in the
power of government 10 accomplish many things
TO which individual efforts would be entirely I'M
equal. Government may in various ways afford
salu,ary aid to the enterprise and industry Of its
citizens, and its seems 10 me TO be one Of the first
duties to enquire what il can do to improve them,
Our citizens have become so dependent upon the
growing of wool, that this article may be said to
be the staple of the state, and regret to say that
the extreme depression in its price is not only the
cause Of present inconvenience, but of uheasiness
as TO the future The rich and almost bcundlss plains
of the great West are becoming covered with
focks of sheep, which will soon furnish supplies of
wcol in such abundance, as, fear, may seriously
affect the sale Of our own. But as the West can
also produce every thing else cheaper than the At
anlic states, it would be in vain TO attempt 10
compete with them in any other product destined
for the general market. Our constant study should
therefore be directed to creating and building up
market among ourselves, md to establishing the
means of such rapid communication with the mar
kets on the sea-boari as would enable us TO dis
pose Of our products, without fear Of competition
from the distant west.
The most obvious means Of accomplishing these
objects are the introduction Of railroads. and the
encouragement Of manufactures and the mechanic
arts. Capitalists. con6ding in the stability and
Justice Of our legislation would readily occupy the
valuable sites Of water power with which our state
nbounds, were it not for the difficulty Of reaching
them. This difficulty would be entirely removed
by the construction Of railroads, and they will be
constructed when individuals become fully sats6-
ed of their vast importance to our prosperity. Al
mos, unaunable us this object seems, ut present,
to he, do not at all despair of its ultimate accom-
plshment. Obstacles, which at first appear almost,
nsurmounablc, will yield, in the end, TO public
spirit and enlightened selfnerest, kept constantly
alive
The establishment Of manufactures may be en-
courNged by liberal granting of charters, with
such provisions as shall secure vested rights against
violation or cncronchment. greatly mistake the
character of the people Of this state if there should
ever be n disposition to disturb them But il
would, nevertheless, be the purt Of wisdom TO offer
lllis,ns well as every other possible inducemen, to
those who hare the means and inclination 10 EN-
bark IN such undertakings. In the neiglbor-
hood Of manufactures, population would naturally
increase, and the mechanic arts spring up and
thrive A home consumption would thus be crca-
ted for agricultural product upon which the farmer
could always DEPEND. Certainly no community
could secure 10 itself greater prosperity than ours,
BY adopting and steadily pursuing this course Of
policy. No people have been more highly favored
Than ourselves, by natural advantages, and it will
he our own fault il we do no, improve them.
The tariff Of duties lately passed by Congress
will, have no doubt, greatly increase our pros
perily. Yet we must not expect from II mracu-
lOus effects. Protection had been so long, so I'M
wisely and unins,ly withheld ,lhnt the whole couh-
try was inundated with foreign manufactures, and
our means almost exhausted to pay for them. The
consequence has been universal prostitution Of oil
the great interests Of the country. from which we
cannot expec, they will suddenly recover. Blu, lei
US at least derive some benefit from these sell.in-
hic,ed evils. They should teach US the necessity
Of guarding against their recurrence. Already do
we see the same spirit Of mischief, which produced
them, again at work in demanding and threatening
repeal Of .ho Tariff five watch and oppose It,
rs we should, we can have little 10 fear from it,
But its success would be our ruin.
! IN connection with our internal prosperity,
would again call your attention TO the subject Of n
geological survey Of the state. The discovery Of
mineral wealth Iwould more certainly hasten the
establishment of rail roads than any other cause.
To this cause, indeed, they owe their invention
But it is principally on account Of the direct bene-
| fit which agriculture would derive from such n