The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1843-04-28


to provide a house or employ teacher, but de-
pend wholly upon others to start schools, who, Us
a natural consequence, do it TOO much from selfish
motives. Accustomed to regard it in the same
ligh, as they do all personal, selfish businesses
followed solely for the purpose of amassRg wealth
they consider that they are comforting a pecu-
mary favor upon the teacher rather than fulfilling
an obligation to the child, 10y sending him to
school. The consequence is, that there Is not
that reciprocity of feeling on the part Of the
teachers which there should be; and, therefore
they stay no longer than is for their own interest
so that continual change Of teachers, 80 delete
taking place.
! Did our citizens, both ladies and gentlemen,
consider how much their presence would cncour-
age scholars and nerve up teachers to promptly do
their duty-what an impetus it would give to the
advancement of schools to often visit them, they
would not neglect it as much as they do. While
they thus neglect this important duty, they are
unable to Judge of the qualifications abilities of
tttCIlOiH, tNNNHb " ltl'lb' dl'i WIN NbN'd NV
rrpudatc the idea of being either apPlauded or
condemned upon Madam Rumors testimony
alone The character of common schools should
be elcyated-the public expect too little from
them. They expect them to teach little smat-
,crng of few rudimcnts Of knowlcdg e-just
what the demagogue, the impostor, and the iana-
tic would like taught; for, these agitators choose
to have the people half educated-enough TO read
what they say, but not enough to tell whether it
is true or not--not enough to make the people
thinking, inquiring, reasoning, independent, men.
Our citizens pay high for tuition, while, at the
same time, teachers receive a very poor remune-
tanning exorhi,ant expenses, to delray which, they
have to depend upon the few who punctualIy pay !;
whereas, did they know TO whom to look for their
pay, they could support themselves at a great re-
duction from the amounts now promised, which
are paid only by a few; therefore, the more the
people do directly for the schools, the better will
be their supervision. Something must be done I.
The school funds, particularly of the township,
are in disorlered state. Legislation, as before
said, is no. what we want But one thing is
wanted, and it must lie done before the sun Of
prosperity will shine upon these nurseries Of im-
proyemcnt. Public sentiment must be enHgiteH-
3D. and HE pe0ph iRtereSteN An informed pub
lie opinion must do that for the cause of popular
education, which it has done for temperance. We
might have lcgisIated upon incompetence i'll
dooms-day, and what good would it have done
1t nercr could have accomplished for our town
what the united movement of our citizens did in
the formation Of one society. There were laws,
wholesome and strong, for the suppression of this
vice, before the public voice was heard. But what
the best laws will be, while public opinion is
wrong. Laws seldom change opinions, but OPT
Mons will invariably change laws. Get public
sentiment right then and there is no danger but we
will have Wholesome laws, and, have them ubeyed.
In the temperance cause citizens, old aud young,
public and private, male and female, enlisted to
let their influence be felt; why not equally in
cause which is calculated to consummatc the ends
~ 'iit oN '''lH 'NFNh' Ai 'lC' ilt il''tii
to hold converse with Natures works and Ma
lures God If they seek q reward here il one
the noblest of the nobIc for he who supplies de-
fcrncies, remedies evils, or gives mental and
moral light to his fellow beings is abundanty re-
warded in the consciousness of having bestowed
the greatest blessing that man can give. He who
improves common schools, in which the great
mass Of the people arc educated, is the warrncsl
friend of frcejom--ior to educate is to make free
Those who wish their country to take a Iii IN
stand among the nations of the earth who desire
the growing greatness and prosperity Of their
counrymen; and who wish the perpctuity Of this
noble example Of liberty aud cIf.goycrnmcnt vii.
DO all in thrir power to improve the peoples
schools. We can serve our country by defend.
ing her constitutions, by fighting her battles, and
by contributing to her revenues; but never do we
serve her SO nobly, so elIcctualy, as we do when
we strengthen the minds and morals Of her ci,i-
zcns. II is, therefore, not without the province
Of the patriot, the phiIanlhropist, the Christian
and the poIilician-ii, indeed, be has the good Of
his country at heart, to cniist their influence in
this cause, and hello "roll on tho BALI Of improve
men,. I'LL it shall have crushed ignorance beneath
It's massey weight, and triumphantly lowered above
immortality and superstition Of every kind.
PHlhOM.
opt RepW.-An honest son Of Erin,
green from his peregrinaions, put his
head into a lawyers office and asked the
inmate, "and what do you sell here -
"Blockhcads," replied the limb Of the
law. "Och! then, to be sure" said
Pat, ait must be good trade, for see