Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-07-28
From the RIHeAssfer Republican.
POPULAR EDUCATION.

According the official report Of the last Census OF tho
United States, the number Of white persons IN Virginia,
20 years OF age, who could read and write.
5S7o7 And nothing has been done, that lime,
by the Legislature, promote the advancement of Popular
Education is greatly 10 be- feared that this number has
been annually increasing
Although the report OF the last Census shews the almost
utter restitution The of Educa Virginia and
reveals amount Of ignorance truly deporabc there
strong for belle wing, that does eI the
iohos truth" upon this subject. BY examining the official
report the number OF persons in the State 30
OF age who read aud write, IL will Ice found that
from the OF Frederick Marshall Charles City and
Stafford of the number persons OF this
given and it is confidently believed that The returns,
from many counties which have been officially reporl,d
extremely deficient and fall far below the amount
That these views in relation 10 the late Census
confined this part of the State the following pertinent
remarks from the Charleston Republican, Kanawha county,
will shew. The Editor says:
"Tho Census Of 1910 loosely taken. IL is now ac
knowlodged 20 have been very inaccurate most pacu
lars and in Than in that of education. We
bold TO say, that in this State IL did disclose
than half OF the truth this subject. We wish we
could believe otherwise but personal investigation aud dill.
gent inquiry into the have forced the conviction on
mind, that than half Of the destitute OF edu
cation our people recorded by the That
duty committed in many instances To unsuitable
aud incompetent hands In county in the West,
where tiIe Census. modest polite 10 nsk
write ." there only eight returned Of that class and
yet know true would have made the number
not less than 200. In three other countless the sub
Jec has been Investigated Ia extent aud o which we
know something, half Of the number who cannot
read and write Is returned by The Census These facts
with many others all going shew the great errors in the
Census, convince US that, at least in Western Virginia ono
half Of the truth told the subject education
by that document. From what know Of Eastern Viz
gnia dare not hIter ourselves that better state Of
things exist there.
he in n 49,
IT, shall this state VI things continued Shall Virginia con
inue to retrogadei-to sink lower and lower the scale
Of intolligcncoi Car nothing be done to down
wsrd counsel Ii is evident and oil should be convinced
that the present furnished by the State especially
applied, utterly inadequate the education Of one
half Of the children IN the state"
The only remedy for the deporabc ignorance 30 forei-
bly, depleted in the above extract is the bshmen by
the Legislature, Of nsyst'm Primary OF Common Schools
which shall the rudmens Of learning TO every child
in the State.
But IL is said, that several attempts have been made al
ready, by means Of numerous petitions aud memorials 10
induce our Legislators devote their energies to the a
ysneencnt Of General Edueaon and moreover that the
Governor has repeatedly and eoqueny urged upon their
attention the vital importance Of this subject and ali 10 no
purpose Tins Is lamcntabIy and painfully tue Yettho
friends OF Education should be discouraged bv
fay dhc1ucs ana d.appoinmcnts. but rather stimulated
10 renewed exenon. They should be animated by the ~
Fiction thai almost every great aud good effort TO ,o,
tho condition OF man. TO elevate the character srd
the happiness OF society, has with formidable opposi
FROM ignorance, prejudice, or Whist wofsc on that
cipc Of sCitshucss which las been the eadin
Of DfspOiism and the peculiar feature Of Adstoeracy
Had the Patriots Of the Revolution yielded al the dcCea,
Of Lexington, Of Bunkei's HILL American Independence
had never been secured. Anmaiod then by their noble
oHampe, lot tho friends Of Popular Education in Virginia
combine their efforts TO promote tho Of humanity and
equal rights and cesse not their labours, until they sha
have secured the establishment Of hs MENTAL INDIE
PENDENCE Of the whole people which the happiness Of
society, and the freedom aud pomsneneo VI our
Government, 50 mperativoly require! JWM