Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-02-02
COMMUNICATIONS.
FOR TIE E.FQCJaE!

LETTERS on EDUCATION IN VIRGInIA-Ncc ..
To Goutrncr .NcDo,r.U:
or; Some may, perhaps, be disposed 10 question The
oil that general apathy the subject Of po
pniar education, Of which have eadeavored TO Illus
'ra'e The existence Such conGne their views 10 tiei,
own favored villages neighborloods. am ready
'heecG, TO admit the existence of noble exceptions; bn.
The position TAKEN could be easily established by ar
investigation into the state of public feeling in the
rious Counties. There is ono kind Of evidence, very
conclusive TO my mind, which you have, doubtless
frequently considered There certain officers ap
pointed oy law TO administer the charity fund of the
saae have nothing 70 say, respecting the ProPrIcty
OF the scheme they aid 10 execute. Do they apply
themselves 10 their duties How hard is il to secure
thr7 funciual attendance, even annual meeting:
Dd you ever read reports OF Stale cooGty officers
presenting many indefinite generalilies, do those
o our School nnssioncrs IN the Second Auditor:
WOW, Sf Il might appear but natural, were any thing
Ike patriotic interest taken in this subject that these
oiiaFj cud present some clear aud decided evidences
OF zeal and success in such plan. Here zoo, may
"'ih safety 10 The general conclusion, readily admit
several exceptions
But let the position be sustained or defeated, Of one
thing we icc con.inccd there evidence that the
state oil popular improvement is al all in advance
Money has been expended-some efforts have been
made-No'theIn teachers and Northern books have
been used, and great efforts made TO persuade the
"dea7 people Of this venerable Commonwealth, that
our plan IS the best that like the laws Of the Medes
and Peisans, our school laws should be unaerab!e;
and yet, after all, ignorance is disgrace. We
become proveIb among sister States, and firgi.
MIA, 'nomen, carum Il esneradie' 'thc mother Of he
roes the of PATRIOTS the pride aud glory of her
sons, tending 10 became the BG Iile Of The Unloa!
We will not dispute, then, with any man, who ques
tons our correctness in ascrhinS this melancholy
| suit in part 10 indifference. Perhaps such may coin.
| C de with ne, however, in other statements
=. LIT Us then consider the character Of teachers
In the outset, freely award TO many Of The number
all that their friends are disposed to advocate for them
After all that has been said, and justly SAID, shall
find some Of those dsspissd and rdcuied schools, with
the long known scubrigue of "Oid Fieid prefxed far
more worthy of CONNIE ndation, than many Of high
schools, academies, semnaries, and institutes, esa
bshed 10 make young gentlemen and ladies', at least
os,ansbly, while thei. real object night rather appear
10 be, to fill the pockets Of adven.urers Teachers
ath high 3acnding Professions, long recommendations
longer lists Of bpoks and scences, ha names oI some
of the later, hardly nislii.b!e their pupils ..ien
gradnacd,l aud with advertisements longer iian eli
-hlQr, for f." years, imposed on the most gene.
roas and conGd'og people On earth, ana then, when
their tue character became kanwn, fl I'd To their
original security, leaving 10 parents long halls, trunks
Of useless books bundles Of peas, pencils and in
ca rubber, with rolls of daubed paper called paint
ngs and pianos, always 10 be, and yet tuned.
Yes, better teach children what for breyy, have
been called the three rs-read,ng, writing and arllh.
met,c-for Taught well, this much is invaluable.
nueaces, such those adverted TO above, becoming
r,rer These high schools have had the unhappy ell
feet 10 lowe. Others, with no elevation themsc9es.-
Many The daughters whose parents have failed to
encourage good teachers at home, and strained their
fortunes 10 place then institute seminary for
young faai,s. To This refined and delicate age, no.
Thing ia so dreadinI mixed schools. That most in
teresting class Of beings, whom We used 10 know as
9irs, has ceased 10 exls and now we have race OF
common dress and common gender called Children,
whose precinct is the nursery, from which. as
transported, they GRE Immediately transformed into
young gsnt. ,n.r ADD yo~al ladies' True, tho A-.--
and manners Of this latter class may still leave them,
for some time while OF The large boarding school, IN
position somewhat equivoca but, ere tina: period OF
lie, at which their grandGIo,hers dotted aprons and
sunbcnnets they are deposited in the parlo far o'na
meni like other toys; and, while the molhc: lives IN
the NURSERY and the kitchen, these misses emera:n
beans read novels, cour;ofs, lady 5 books, etc.
Dnt not 10 follow, what cond wish carica.
ure as may deem there, SIR, you pcrceire n-:t
Of The cause 70, ihat dah OF good teachers o winch
every lend az education compli'ns There IL 10 en-
Mo vr,pr at eas, in country places TO command their
services The chidrH o! the poor, and The children o.
the ind gent the pupils u! cur old field schno mas
ers in but many portions Of Eastern and Western
virginia | distinguish between these portions OF the
Stale for is material TO observe that, in your highly
r.vored section. with white populnton nearly balanced
in The Eastern there wants GEO of the number OF
tnuance in Western Virginia Of the old plan of mixed
schools for chi!drea, while portion Of the State IS
better supplied, according 10 the demand, with schools
of higher grade for young gentlemen aud ladies', who
ora sch in age and behaviour. Now, Sir II ls nolori-
Gus and in part IS of the blessed consequences OF
our we legislation in the matter o educating INDECENT
Children tia. The question Of price has more 10 do IN
settling the xpoy ment Of teachers parts than
the question Of qualification Hence, teacher Of real
al..v is rarely met with, established in country
schools which are accessible 10 the "four cent per
diem scholars Unless the school, from ohcr sources,
commands the services OF good teacher this feature,
in the operation Of landed scheme, is of itlc avail
n secure good teacher On the contrary il cJeaPcns
education hut bad sense. People reason thus II
o.r cents day is enough for the State to P1y, Is not
a,ouph for u.s. Hence The accession of pupils on State
account increases the numbers, but 1t a"gmen's bu'
i;nl. either the revenue or the reputation Of The
{. cher | Islander one, when say, that from
nersona observation, the teachers who rate their ser
vices at four cents per diem per scholar, and SUB
mi, 10 all the acquisitions of n,an,e account keeping
I'M oosed by our school law, generally much mere
commendable Tor patriotism than ability. aany there
ore who receive such pupils on The score OF combining
Individual with State charity but 10 expect comp
;pnt teacher instruct school on such terms unless
m cities or our popuous borhoods oil the North.
e,n States where large and wel.ciassed schools can
he gathered is absurd;y. hardly exceeded BY thai
other provision of law, requiring School CoElmis
soners faithfully To perform their duties, with not even
the expec a,cy Of the high sherialty 10 reward heiF
services Nor are these the only causes which have
conspircd 10 give US ncompeen: teachers ii We at
,entvely examine the developments OF human nature,
Gor few years past, in tins "Auid DomInion ana
elsewhere. we shall discover prominent feature 10
be the strong desire acquire riches honos, and plea
s.re. without labor 81 cannot dig, and to beg a:'
ashamed" has been The laagooge o: conduct Dad yon
ever make calculation connected with the number Of
village and country Has never occurred t"
you, that there has BEEN of late wonderful iecundty
IN the department Of clerks, civil engineers, and defu
~ officers OF various grades md but for the lortu-
nate passage of the Bankrupt Law, starvation bank
rup,cy or emigration, must have been the portion OF
but too many PROMISING roUsG MEy, who have read
Blackstone, Kenl's Commentaries, The Revised Code,
aud peeped into Hennins, before they could parse
line OF English blank veraa-not to mention LATIN ana
Greek, literally DEAD languages 10 them. How lar
Thomsoos No., Pelers's, Brandre!hs, Beck with g,
and slorrsons pills. the various nostrrma iF c"id',
ronsunp.,ons and cs;arhs, the cadisss lit Of CON.
pounds Of herb, il gtans, have contributed to
multiply Doctors by multiplying diseases, don't M
ds.ake to cay; but this is evident, That without sore
d,.,i.a OF labor, erch obtains in England, and Tie
constitution rf three departments for nue. We have.
in most paces three Doctors for the full practice of
-. r,,h,, ,,b.r los rned profcsson where sancti:Y