Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-09-26
WORTHY OF ATTENTION.

CATION, W no IDS IilduC HihiSS''
jecl, merits the full anG serious attention. u
ViyriniaD. for The valuable facts and su@-es'o"'
presented. ard the lucid and interesting i's'N
in which they are set forth. lakes up some y
The most prominent objections 10 The ih'fouue,
lion Of q system Of general Education, and feiu'es
hem mosl concusively 10 cur minds. On one
roin,. in particular, the following Is worthy %
examination We re.cr 10 the discussion " w
subject Of Education at The approaching m'''''a
mus,ers. where, with great convenience, NE
friends and opponents OF the system can '''ee'
each other in debate, and the people be ena'e' -
render their solemn and binding verdict. Lo' '''c
musler.days be appropriated to such deveioIe'
ment OF nublic sentiment, and they will indeed be
prolific of benefit and honor 10 the Old Dominion
But We conclude by warmly recommending 'ne
whole ar,icle-i,, useful statistical table ana an
Far he Enquirer.
TO ALL CANDID MEN.
is objected that the population Of Virginia
i, loo ,pa,~ for any more eiheienl system u
rular Education The validity Of this o'lee'ion
can best be decided BY a comparison win "nS'
has been effected in other States IN proportion 70
the comparative sPalscness OF density Of 'le'i
nonulaliop on a ic.ner occasion table aF-
neared in the ENQUIRER based upon The compara-
tive density OF The population Of the states ~
cI,tj;np The slaves in the Southern Slales ms,
i NAV I've objected was no, lar comparison
since he blacks here occupying The place OF the
whites in other States would render our popu'd-
ZION sill more sparse. The following table care
tnly complied from Professor fuckers excellent
and accurate work, entitled Progress OF he Z NJ
ted States in Population and ealih ana III
which The 7raiics alone are included IN lhe cacu'
la,ion will he admitted 10 be lair a. eass oy
the most capious. Here We VIII see, maj WIN
only ,hir v-iwo per cent. more whites 10 The
SQUARE mile Than Virginia Maine has seven
lines az many al primary schools, and only one
twelfth as many who cannot read. New llamp-
shire and Vermont, with less than three times as
many 10 the square mile. has nearly iour tunes
az MANY in pfinary schools, and New ltamp.
shire only one twenty -four h, ard Vermont one
tenth as many who cannot read. MaSsachu-
sets, with seven times as many 10 the square
mile, has more than four and hall times as
MANY al primary schools, and only nehiIleenh
as many unable 10 read. Connecticut, with I'VE
times as many 10 the square mile, has more
Than four and a half times as many in pri
mary schools, and only oae-f@ins'ath as many
upable 10 read South Carolina, with only Sc
ven-.enls as many 10 the square mile has about
the same number in primary schools, and WHO
came. read Georgia, with less than slN-en rs
Of The population 10 the square mile, that Virgil
Tia has. has eisht-,enlhs "a many IN her primary
schools and only nine-ienihs as many iiliieTaie.
Alabama, with less than sx-ienhs as many
whites 10 the square mile, has between 0ne AMI
tiro pea ont mo,c at school. and only eighteen per
cent more who cannot read, LOUISIANA, with
only 8 100 as many whites 10 the square mile as
Virginia has has nearly hall as many (l1l00)
al piimafy schools and little more than -ghiTL
as many unable TO read. Michigan, with only
29 lC0 As many whites 10 the square mile, .as
neatly three times as many al school
Thus. We perceive, thai Virginia, in proportion
10 The comparative density OF her white popuia.
iion falls very far Short OF proporticnaIe num-
Der Of scholars al primary schools, ana very lar
exceeds propoiiona,e number oil iliieraie.
when compared not cniy with Tic New England
States. IN, with Hc .Sontiera st0reio'dias Suites
n!so. Thus Maine would in proportion 10 The
comparative density OF her population have only
90 per cent. instead OF 700 per cent, more scho-
lar in her primary schools han Virginia; and
Connecticut would have one-fii,h, instead oil 10Th
as many who canno; read Alabama would have
| only siX-;ehhs as many scholars at Primary
schools as Virginia, instead Of between 0ne and
fr0 per crnt more; and Louisiana would have
kNpN,
carno; read
The number Of students in grammar schools is
not considered in This calculation hrcause, in
these schools called IN The Census academies
those only are taught, with few exceptions, WHO
would receive good education in The absence OF
any State establishment IT. nov, We make any
ms, allowance ior The number Of those in the
slave huldin. States, WHO occnpy as mcnials ana
aborcrs a corresponding place in society 10 hat
,i.D
disparity between VIA, they have effected towards
the education cf heir people, and what Virginia
| has done for hers
Ii is believed that a comparison Of The density
or population OF Il e ditlereu, counties of Nrsi-
MIA and Of the state OF education in each, would
lead to similar results bnt Tie difficulty Of ascer.
tanning The number 81 square miles in each coun.
Is prevents our entering al present upon that in
vest2aon.
In view Of these facts, and Of The dark page
Of our history, which records The number Of
10000 Cor more-protably 50 .000) OF our citizens
OYER twenty years of age, unable 10 read, and
80 600 INDECENT children, without one hours in
| slruclion-how must the cheek OF every Virgil
Man burn with shame 1T The picture Of mental
degradation which his native Stale presents 10 the
civilized world How should his bosom glow
with ardent zeal 10 remove This hideous disease,
which makes her the establishment and by-wo.d
Of other States and nations!
Twenty. four years ago, MIR. Jefferson, in let
lei 10 Gen. Breckenridge (sec 4th vol Of his cor
respondence) says
"The experience Of three years has, lpresume.
LEFT no doubt, that The present plan Of primary
schools, OF putting money into the hands Of 1900
persons, acting for nothing and under no respon-
sibilily, is wholly inefficient"
| And in his letter 10 Joseph c. Cabe Esq, No
vember 2Sih 1920, (same vol he SAYS:
o1,, IL.
gigantic efforts of New York towards the ed
ucation OF her citizens, will stimulate The pride
as well as The patriotism OF our Legislature, 10
| look 10 the reputation and safely 81 our country.
/ TO rescue il from becoming the Barbary Of Tie
| Union and of falling into The ranks OF our nc
grocs 10 Mct condition IL IS fast sink3ng!-
| We shall be, in The hands Of the o'hcr States,
| what our indigenous inha biants were, when IN
vaded by The science and arts of Europe. The
mass OF Education in Virginia, before the Revo-
luton, placed her with the foremost Of her sister
colonies What is her Education now7 Where
is il? The little we have We import. like beeears,
| from o'hcr States; or import their b-ggars 10 te-
STOW on us their miserable crumbs"
/ And this was written twenty-five wears ago.
! since which time, rs The reports OF The Super
intendent Of The Literary Fund will show the
amount OF ignorance in The State has in
creased with fearful rapidly. Shade Of JET
!! fers0n what Wonlc Ce Your emotions, had you
/ lived 10 witness the condition of yonr much
| loved Slate at the present day Truly j, was in
mercy thai an all-wise Providence has saved you
/! from a spectacle, which would awaken such >or-
row and humiliation in your patriotic breast,
such gloomy toreboding> in your truly prophetic
mind! And has The spirit which prompted his
great man, al The close Of his lie, 10 Ii>k all his
we'll meri,ed popularity in unwearied and pcrse-
verng efforts in The cause Of Education and The
University, against the deep-rooed jca ou>ies and
prcjudices OF the people and the arts OF designing
demagogues-has Ibis spirit OF liberal phanhro-
py and manly Independence all nrd forever from
our land 10 be supplanted BY narrow-mindet sell
flshness or cowardly tmidity? God forbid Yet
where are the evidences given BY our public men
Of their willingness 10 follow the example of the
great Apostle OF Liberty of person and Of MIND,