Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-10-31

Be- The side Of the inlulged and pampered child
of wealth, is the sturdy little son of poverty
whose father perhaps drives The dray for his
chum's father or whose mother is the washerwo-
man OF his companions mother; but except in
the texture Of thu garments or IN the healthier
aspect Of the child oil the cabin, you would be at
a loss 10 discover any signs OF sense OF infe-
riorty in The one, or OF assumption in The other
Away, then with all charity or poor schools
Let us have only common schools for all the
children Of The PEOPLE This is the system adopt
cd in New Orleans Under the direction OF a
few intelligent citizens, mark what happy results
have been achieved! The first school in he ID
Municipality opened with thirteen pupils of both
sexes. Al the end Of that year OS42,C taere
were more than 500 scholars attached 10 The pub
lie schools in this Municipality. There were,
then, 1890 children between the ages of 5 and
10, Of whom 300 were in private, and 500 in pub
l;cschoois leaving near 1000 rot in any school
For that year lie State appropriated the mise
rable pitance OF 81 ,S93 81 ~ our public schools
very little more Than s. year for each pupil
the rest was supplied by our Municipal Corpora
tion. In The following year l643, the number at
tending our public schools amounted 10 ,l56
the private schools 400; leaving 93l children be-
tween 5 and ID not attending any school. In
December, lSi4 there were ,57i belonging 10
the public schools; and during The year 3,5C0 had,
in some way or other enjoyed the advantages Of
The schools. These we're taught BY 80 teachers,
10 males and % females besides a superintendent
In that year there we're in the Municipality 2619
children between the ages OF S and Is, OF which
l,51f attended the public schools, 269 The private
schools; leaving 13J not attending any school.
These facts show the great superiority Of The
public over private schools, and the regular and
rapid diminu;ion Of the schooIIcss children in
prosperous Municipality. The report Tor this
year, 1915, will exhibit still more gratifying re-
suli>. By The end Of the year. there will be less
than FIVE hundred children between The ages OF
i've and fifteen not III attendance on any school,
Bear in mind that many ot these are orphans
who arc well provided With support and educa-
lion in our orphan asylums; many are taught al
home, and not few are very tooli>hIy sent Oft 10
the North, 10 he spoiled in fashionable academies,
Philadelphia boarding schools, and arisocraic
universilies-and, unfortunately, many OF them
are debarred from The advantages of our schools
By the ignorance OF our language There IS an
immense German and Dutch population in our
Municipality, and you know, from your expe-
rcnce OF this people in Virginia, that they are
slow in learning the English language, and back
ward in participating in American enterprises.
The children Of these make up almost the only
class Of cur people who do not attend school. ]
trust, that The Iberaiiy and spirit OF improve
ment which seem constantly 10 animate the Di-
reciors Of our schools, will lead them 10 establish
school expressly Tor The benefit Of the children,
who do not speak our language, in order that they
may al least be able 10 read and understand The
Constitution and Laws which are 10 govern them.
You will perceive that the public schools are
superseding The private. This is happy result,
because the former are in all respects preferable
81
the public schools the children are taught al a
cost Of 81 II per month, including stationary. In
the private schools the cost would be IS per
month, exclusive of stationary Total in public
schools would be S27,s70-privalc So, 552 PER
annum. Here, where all the expenses OF Il Ia
miy IRE SO high, there is a great saving. 2ndly,
the public schools give employment 10 larger
number OF teachers, and afford a respectable sup
port 10 number of deserving people, who would |,
he ont OF employment. MANY ladies' |
OF good education, but OF moderate circums,an-
ces- Widows, lell without adequate means for /
Their supEort-young ladies' who would lay by a
lille 10 meet the exigencies of l;e-young men,
preparing for the pulpit, the bar, or the medical |
PROFESSIONAL these deserving people find useful |
and profitable employment in our public schools. |
The salaries paid ale highly respectable. The |
gets larger salary than the Co |
vernors OF ,hree-iourihs Of The States-lo wit :
S2.500 male assistant gets 81 200; female |
principal has 5 ,000 female assistants are paid |
5hdi9,- fne puolIc schools are preferable 10 The |
private, in admitting of an easier classification
OF the pupils, so that those OF the Same ages can |
be divided and classified among the different |
leachers-and thus one teacher can, by The size OF
his classes, teach larger number than in the
private schools There are other ubrions atvan |
tages of the public over private schools, which |
| need not refer to-
The public schools here are divided into the
primary school, where the lille ting ones are kept
out Of mischief taught subj. ction and habits OF
attention; il they were taught nothing more, this
would be great deal-but, in addition they are
taught their alphabet spelling and reading. In
tie Intermediate department, they are taught
reading. writing, arithmetic, geography, history
and Reclamation and also music, in which, by the
hye, they attain an astonishing proficiency. In
The high school, they complete their education by
learning algebra, mathematics, Latin and French.
Attached 10 The public schools is a public T.
ceum, supported b. the voluntary contributions
OF the scholars. each one subscribing three dol
lars year, and which is in most prosperous
condition, having the foundation OF fine libra
rs. The schools are held in the different wards,
ia convenient and central positions, and in
elegant buildings erected at great expense By
the Municipality As every thing among US is
unfortunately TOO apt TO be viewed with reference
10 lis pecuniary bearings, il is very pleasing 10
discover that this institution OF public schools has
cont bued largely 10 increase The value of pro
perry and enlarge the resources oil our prosperous
Municipality The great facilities for The educa
ton OF their children afforded 10 the resi-
dents Of the Municipality, has raised The
rent OF houses By drawing large number
OF people from other portions OF tie city and state
No better evidence OF the efficiency and useful |
ness Of these schools could be required, than Is
afforded BY The che Tful, Joyous and contented
countcnances of the little ones, as they skip along
the streets, on their way 10 school. When The
bell rings 10 open school, they rush in with tn
multuous haste and delight, and salute their
teachers with every evidence Of affection and re.
spect On my way 10 my daily duties, often lin
ger around the school rooms 10 catch, the hum 81
their happy voices, and watch the expression oil
their little faces, bright with emula and eager
for praise A happy judgment in the directory
has selected for them principally female teachers
To The tender, afiecionate, sensitive feelings OF
childhood the softer tra of woman infinitely
better adapted, than The harsh determination and
rough manners OF The other SEX Led by their
affections, children progress rapidly IN learning;
il forced or roughly treated, they soon begin 10
look upon learning as punishment, and he
school house as prison. But my letter has al
ready greatly exceeded Inc limits had marked
out for II, and | must close. Fervenly hoping
that your efforts in behalf Of education in Virei
mia may be eminently successful, and that the
good old mother OF States may, under the benign
influence Of education. of knowledge and Of vir
tue, regain and long retain her proud distinction
in this Coniederacy, beg 10 remain,
Very truly, your utedieht servant,
ALEXANDER WALKER.
From the N. y. Herald EItrn OF Tuesday morning.l
OF THE STEAM SHIP
GREAT WESTERN.
SEVEN DAYS LATER FROM EUROPE.