Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-06-11
RICHMOND DAILY WIG.
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
WEDNESDAY MORNING, JUNE u. is.s

THE uNIvERSITY-EDuCATI
While few perhaps have more decidedly thought
than ourselves, that the benefits derived from the
University have not at all met the Just expectations
Of Virginia, corresponded with the original cost
and the annual appropriations, yet are we far
from concurring in the reasoning Of our friends Of
the Star, that the Institution stands in the sway Of
Common Schools" That Journal says:
"a JsW pords more ssest ths U.sssrsity.
ave have considered that this Institution stood in the
way OF good common school system. In this way -
When the Legislature is taxed with doing nothing for
cation they constantly refer the appropriations made
the University, evidence that they do neglect this
great interest They point the appropriated to IT,
and thus silence the complaint Aud the given to il
made the ground Of plea Of poverty the part the
State"
We do not remember to have heard this plea
urged in defence Of Legislative parsimony but if
il has been, it is shallow and unfoundcd. Tho
true cause of Legislative hardness in providing
more effective common school system, is the Viz.
ginia habit of annual meddling with federal poll.
tics and spinning out that time in long wndcd
speeches, preambles and resolutions, which would
have been more wisely appropriated to domestic
subjects. Among many minor causes, this we
are satisfied, from long observation, is the most eff
hcicnt cause Of Virginia rctrogr Adalion in Educa
ton, aud of her continuing at fixed point in I'm.
provements, while contiguous States are advan-
cling with gigantic strides, surrounding her with
enterprises which conduct the commerce that
ought to centre at her ports TO their own and cut.
ting off her resources. Not to advance nor, is to
recede. Our Central Improvement thirty years
ago. would have been the wonder Of the Union {:
now it holds an altogether inferior rank.
The University thea has not stood in the way
Of common schools in the point Of view consider.
ed, and we think it an equal faacy that because
1t IS inaccessible to the many, that therefore the
many have received no benefit from it. That
benefit might have been much greater, by a more
energetic and economical administration of its
very liberal appropriations but stl it has been
great in assisting to stock the country with educa.
ted men-and in forming teachers for the CON-
mon schools. The argument that what is done
for the few is so much taken away from the many,
is Parson Fisk's argument in another form: and
is no more nor less than this that because Collie
ges are inaccessible, from their expensiveness to
the working classes, and TO all the people, that
they are therefore anti Republican, and ought to
be abated as Aristocratic nuisances! On the other
hand il is susceptible of moral demonstration that
by no other means can common school education
be promoted, and the entire people brought within
the reach of obtaining instruction the cheapest
terms: For, TO confer instruction there must be
instructors, to have instructors, you must have
learned institutions TO iorm them, and TO produce
them in sufficient numbers and on the cheapest
terms, you must multiply colleges taking care, by
the liberalty of their foundations, to enable them
to confer true learning many whose own re-
sources are inadequate 10 acquire it. We have
little question that the first wisest step the Gen.
eral Assembly could take for the promotion of
universal education, that is, we mean, the educa-
ton Of ALL would be to stimulate the energies of
all the colleges, by a sufficient appropriation, and
even 10 found others. Let them be enabled 10
multiply teachers, now so generally incompetent
| in qualification, and insufficient in number. Let
them by this means be enabled to lower their
rates OF tuition below the rates of surrounding
States, and thus invite not now, a few students
OF wealth from the South, but youth of humber re-
sources, from abroad. Having provided teachers
in abundance, and they well fitted for their grave
and important task, the glorious cause Of educa-
ton would advance rapidly, and our Common
School System somewhat modified, the brightest
hopes Of the christian, patriot and philanthropist
would be realized.