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

productive than crowded shelves with an empty
head. But who can portray the advantage to the
professional or literary mani II he did not en-
Joy the blessings of a good common school, he
feels its Inconvenience through his whole life In
college, and even in his office or study, he loses
much Of his time in trying to overcome his idle,
desuItory habits Of mind, his superficial methods
of study, and his disregard Of systematic applica-
ton, acquired by the mere verbal recia,ons Of the
district school perceiving nothing distinctly in
early life, being thorough in no Que study at the
commencement Of his collegiate course, and con-
scquenty receiving knowledge in confused man.
ner, without arranging his ideas, or expressing
them in clear. forcibe style, is an admirable pre-
para,ion for that hcsitlting, unintelligibie COM
runcation of thought, 50 often witnessed in too
many of our public mcn. Every thing depends
upon a correct, thorough beginning. A good
education is legacy which We can hcstow upon
urchilIren, with the full assurance that it never
can be taken from them by the willy arts of design
ing men. How much soevcr Of this worlds goods
may be lraudulenty arrested from them, we know
that this bcqucst can never be reached by the
clutches Of the subtle deccivcr. Consoing
thought, that there is something that we can give
our children Of which no one can deprive them!
Then every thing that we prize, and hold dear
to our hearts-our national prosperty--our So
cial ties and b!essings-our literary halls--our
free and civil in-titutons--the happiness of the
rising geueraiion--and our religious rights and
privileges, are looking TO the common school for
growth, for greatness, and for thervery existence
We must be intelligent, rs people, to make our
laws, and vlrtuous to obey them; for the laws
however wise, will be entirely ugatory, unless we
have the intelligence TO perceive their justice and
virtue tn which they can appeal for support. The
people are the sovereignty, and the sun Of knowi-
But how can this be done How can knowi-
edge be carried to the door Of every house, and to
the capacity of every child, unless by the common
school system! Then, let us stand round this
system to defend it. The strong arm of the gov
eminent is already thrown round it for protection
The wisdom Of legislation is watching over it with
parental sacitudc. What more do we want?
What binders its prosperity! The answer comes,
aothng, in communities where the people have
become sufficiently Interested for each one to con-
slider it part Of his own peculiar business. Every
parent and teacher, trustee and inspector, and
school commissioner, should foster aud watch
over the common schools, with an untirng supor
vision and seepless eye.
But, alas do these schools, in our community,
receive that friendly sympathy, that intelligent
aid, and that cn'ighiening and fostering care
which their influence and their vital importance
demand! Do not our citizens live as though
their happiness, the peace Of society and The iber-
ties Of this nation, rested rather in laws and con-
sttulions, political acquisition, and the boarding
up of wealth for stumbling blocks to future gene
ratious, than in the virtue and intelligence of the
people! Do not many of our leading, prominent
men, overlook the common school as something
Of minor importance, and thus make it dsrepu-
table thing d. MT tie commissioner, inspectors,
trustees, and ciiz0s generally, neglect 10 riW orr
Sciooh, as tie lnO requires, al hast, If part Of
ITEM? ID he trustees attend 10 the accessories of
lie sciook md :: see toieider The same is pyogeyiy
Eept and GTaished,' as tie lac requires If them /?
Do not parents pay more to those who work in
their shops or stand behind the counter, than to
those who give their children their educalion and
character! Do the parents know what prulicen-
cy their children making in any oftheir studies!
Do they know whether, in learning to read the
pupil does not acquire the habit of nr,cuIalne in
neutrality-suspicious. his reading does not consist
in merely utering the words OF the author, with
out his scntimcnl--;hc whole exercise little else
than verbiage! In arithmetic, do they know
whether their children can make an application
Of the examples Of the book, or explain the prin-
cpcs upon which one of the rules they have CON-
mitt2d, is founded Whether the study of geo
gnPhy is much more than committing the words
OF the book u memory. without transferring the
mind from the words, to objects and places de-
f'rlbcd Whether the study Of grammar also, is
not a mere exercise OF the memory, and parsing
anything more than guessing out the parts Of
speech and the syntax, without learning ANYTHING
Of the philosophy Of language or being able to
express ihelr ideas with any more force elegance
than before studying grammar II philosophical
studies are pursuel--and they, by all means,
should be embraced in common school education
do parents know whether their children are
studying the book or the science; and in fact,
whether their Rotations throughout are so con-
Quoted, as to make them learn anything Of pract-
cal advantage, and as to make them love in
stead of hating their studies
1t may safely I've asserted that our citizens do
not give that friendly assistance to our schools.
which they would, if they perceived tina, their
nersonal inie1est and hannines. as a cnmmnnity