Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-07-25
E1r Tic EngNilcl
TUT NC IIHT
EDuCATION.


Education. with this, mats temporal and eicr-
nal Interests are intimately connected. rIo'"
his radia.e as The grand centre, his comfort pea
sure, enjoyment and happiness. l ne lii"n .uu
Gated thoroughly, physically, intellectually anu
morally bears The same relation 10 The unednca-
he'd that The most finished and polished statue,
from The hand OF some shliul artist, bears 10 me
rough and disproportioned block OF marble rom
which that same statue was chiselleu OUT.
Bul though education be thus important, ana
deemed al such inestimahle worth, II IS sunlect
OF all others most neglected, IN lis nne oe0I'ns,
and the influences which il eHerts 30 ihuen 'a'
This subject been neglected in this poih' Oh sie"
that the man of genius, and great mentai powers
has moi deemed this theme sufficiently airac-
tive or important TO engage his talents, but ne mas
resorled 10 the bar or the legislative halls as 'le
surer means of acquiring present honor ana iu.ul.
fame. A nd so absurd has been the view taken %
this subject that the man OF moderate auaihhel'''
and humble pleensions, has been lhcuSh' l,'c Pi'r
per agent 10 WELD this mighty nower anu upon
him have the community looked, as engaged ~
no more important task than the man VINO th'en.
be engaged in any mechanical branch. III one
word, the individual engaged in conducting eun-
cation has moi been regarded as engaged III lhe
most respectable. the most honorable, The most
imporan nj o. all avocations. This mistaken view
OF the subject first caused those the least quali1ed
10 venture on this field, and By the principle Of
action and reaction the whole system OF teachins
and conducting education, has been lowered 10 a
standard much below The dignity and importance
of the subject.
So careless and Indifferent are the people 10 lhe
suhec, Of education in The State, that we present
The shameful picture 10 the world, and 10 other
States Of having ons-thirisenM of the ,rh'le P'i'n,
lation so Ignorant that they are Th0bR 10 Tedd
IL, anI
have totally neglected The subJect, and nave
concluded, when The people elected them to the
Legislature. that their business is 10 make speech
IS and seek their own political advancement and
exallalion, there i. the most alarming apathy and
Indifference on this subject pervadins The mass.
True. sometimes, in the social circle, the subject
OF general education is named, and sometimes
The mere politician speaks Of the Importance OF
having all the people educated, and speaks OF ihis
being the only safeguard of our Republican IN
situations: but there are no deep eohrieftons OF us
importance. II is mere matter for theory and se-
neral conversation. The PEOPLE are The rulers,
and when they shall become thoroughly con-
WINGED OF lis value its excellence, and its grand
Importance, it will be an easy matter to elect
such men as are suited 10 the end oil carrying
into effect, from their own convictions, some le-
cisatve enacimcntS, By which system OF gene
raj education may be established. | would be
ashamed 10 own my native land, my native
State, could believe that lis citizens, alter fully
understanding and approaching education and
lis important bearings upon society, would re-
fuse 10 extend il and place il in the power OF all.
Education is Term used by many, but under
stood and appreciated by few in lis ull Import
and meaning. In common conversation, we
speal; of education and ones being educated,
as i! education consisted only in an ability 10
read and write; or, if extended al all, in mere
mental aconiremeniS the knowledge OF few
signs The term education is derived from the
Latin word educo, compounded OF : and dncO,
10 lead or draw out. Hence. education means a
dra wing out literally H. then, in It's etymolosi-
cal import is 4 general term, and relates 10 the
whole man-his BODY his mind, and his moral
nature II 4 mans mental faculties be drawn
ont. expanded and unlulded, he is educated, but
educated only partly: il his moral nature be cul-
tivaed onlv, he is sill educated only in par; but
If his physical nature Re well maured his mental
faculties developed and his moral nature cu!iiva-
led. he is educated IN TIE !ull sense OF that term
Willis, We would not give il Tins extended sense
in every instance in which we may use il, much
more extended meaning must be assigned 10 IT.
than is given n common parlance. II means
much more than the being taught 10 read aud
WRITE and 10 learn HE four first rules OF afiin-
metc.
The infant, before il leaves lis mothers breast,
or the child lis nurses arms has made consdera-
bic progress in the great matter OF education.-
Many items making up the most valuable part
Of education, answering all The purposes II sub
seQuen, life are derived from The family circle
around The social hearth, long before one sign has
been learned in books, or any artificial means re-
sorted 10. Nature, ami the circumstances esia-
!ished 10y nature surrounding every human be-
iny, perform no unimponant part in the business
81 education.
AS we see the srea, improvement in a human
being from this partial education, by the time he
has reached The period OF childhood, 50 We would
argue the greater improvement from The greater
development. al his f:icui,ies-irom the greater
extension o. his education. lis "A law Of mans
nature that his enjoyment is in The ratio OF lbe
exercise of his faculties of mind, and powers Of
body Hence we see The pleasure with which the
child makes the first iew steps, and The enjoyment
consequent upon an ability 10 exercise his limbs
in a!ler-lie. The ear was formed TO hear sounds
the eve given 10 sec and, with the exercise 0. every
sense there is consequent pleasure. There is not
only pleasure in The exercise Of the natural facul-
ties, bn, with This exercise there is an improve
lnent in The organs, and an increased susceptible
~ for pleasure and enjoyment.
The existence of any organ or faculty argues
The design OF its being exercised. The existence
OF any member Of The body points out its use; so
the existence of mental and moral faculties ar
que. that The Creator designed their exercise, and
with this exercise their pleasure. Then, since So
cie,y is made up Of individuals, and we have seen
that Individual pleasure comfort and improve
mrnt spring from education, the conclusion is GER
tain, that The greatest blessings 10 society spring
from education also. With these PREDATORY re-
marks paving The way, we may lay down the
great proposition, that cdicatio1 and The eonse-
qaent diffusion Of knoplsdec, only can improrc 50
eiriy. This must be understood and appreciated,
before we can with much hope expect the adop-
ton OF any general system Of education. To The
illustration OF this, we shall devote few numbers.
GULIELMUS
L,a,0rU {. HruyU COliror JTastta ton C6uuiu