Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1845-07-30
An Appeal for the Cause Of Education.
A NATIONS JEWELS.

------"Duties rising out Of good possessed,
And prudent caution needfal to avert
Impending evil, equally require
That the whole people should be taught and train
ed" WORDSWORTH,
To THE PEOPLE oE Ono:
Never was there more admirable re-
ply than that which the Roman matron,
CoRNELrA, che saothsr c) the Gracchs,
made to lady Of rank and wealth, who
had with foolish pride been displaying to
her q pfofusion Of splendid ornaments.
Cornelia detained the lady in converse
ton, uatil her children came in from
school. aad then, pointing to them, said,
"'1Aese are my jevsis."
The beautiful aptness ofthis reply has
been thousand and thousand times
admired, but perhaps It has not been SO
often observed that it is the great truth
which il contains, that makes it beauti-
ful. Asi view it, we have nothing, in
all that Temaips Of the records of Ro>
man greatness, which, when rightly con
.sidered, conveys to US more important
lesson.
Tha. which the head Of family may
pointie with highest pride. the same
shouldbe the chief glory Of the guar.
dians of a free State. Well educated
children are the noblest ornaments of
family; a State is but collection Of fa-
miles; therefore, well educated gen.
GRAFTON Of children constitute the noblest
ornaments o:a State.
Under our Republican institutions,
she people themselves are the sovereign
guardians Of the State; and all the va
Tious officers Of our government, from
the least to the greatest, are but agents
to use the power which the people have
given them. And how is it with the
children oft people Of Ohio? Arethsy
go educated as to be worthy of being
presented as the pride and glory of those
who are responsible for their education?
The Want Of Statistics.
Citizens Of Ohio,-l have to tell you
of that which is burning shame to you,
and stain upon the face Of the cons
mon wealth Of which you are members!
II man, in the county of Franklin or
IN any other county Of Ohio, wishes TO
know the ''number Of acres Of land" or
the s'amount Of moneys at inter est" or
che ''number Of horses, mules, asses,
and nea. cattle," in any township of the
county. he may easily do SO. for the laws
Of Ohio particularly provide for ascer.
tanning these things. So, also. the man.
ner, in which the militia is organized,
or taxes are collected. or tavern-licences
are granted, may be readily and pre-
cisely known. But, if man inquir, s.
what number Of children there are in
the State, or he would know how many
Of them are at school. or If he asks in
what manner they are educated there
Is sone 10 aDssCer him!
A wise people ought, as far as possi>
BILE, to have accurate and minute infor-
nation upon all matters at all important
10 their present or future welfare. II is
jus, as easy TO collect the statistics of ed
ucation, as the statistics Of property; and
is il not far more important?
Remember, there is no gem Of earth
so precious as single human mind,
though that mind belong TO one who is
clothed in beggar's rags. Surely, there
fore, there 10 not one among you who
will not admit, that it is great wrong
that you enumerate your horses for tax
elton, aud yet neglect to enumerate your
children for education.
The Children Of Ohio.
In order 20 ascertain, as nearly as we
can in the absence Of any authentic emu
neration, how many children there are
in this State. who ought now to be sub
iect 10 the kindly influences Of education,
invite attention to the following fact.
and estimates.
X, According TO the last census taken by
the federal government, there was in the
year ts40, white population OF l, 500 ).
la2. z
Under S years Of age, 2s1.707
g., 8 and under 10, 226.7sI
10 aad under Is, 1856 .09I
10 and under 20, 1865 500
itmay be safely estimated, that Of the