Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-12-09
To ns Editor. Of "A, WA,,.

Ia.
Addressed 10 the Members Of the Legislature and
OF me COnneniion upon Education about 10 as.
sembie al Richmond.
retired and humble individual d.eply impressed .h
ne importance VI sustaining good system ol Common
schools among and fearful Of failure in the .,emp,
ABOUT 10 be made 10 establish takes
y 70 present Ia you lew suggestions hastily thru to-
a"'her but the fruits Of long and careful reflection Som.
investigation OF the subject. personal observation, upop
Schools, and general Acquaintance made in hi, travel.
with the really efficient and well sustained though confess,
Guy imperfect School systems the other States
gives hn u confidence. he could otherwise feel in the
correctness OF his views and conclusions.
very generally taken for granted, that the true and
'"p proper oIeei 10 be aimed A. system Free Schools
such rs arc fully supported by public fund. To n-
sumo 'h'' may prove fatal error. is least bold
aud an unnecessary assumption For besides the basis of
an support there another for sustaining On
system, namely: adequate by the State
and tins advances grave preiensons be considered good
practical basis. because, upon it, ALL or nearly oil The
school systems in our land originally founded Thor.
inc most OF them still rest Tor support after century or
two OF excellent practical operation The result of the
winters inquiries ard reflection, the firm conviction that
Tree Schools however desirable. absolutely
by u.s. To this concuson hc persuaded that mature r.,
hection would bring other minds
IL grand idea-hat OF public schools every xb,,.
Kept up through the year. AMI fully supported the State
wherein oil her sons and daughters may be thoroughly
ea"u nut always wise in govennents Us in psrents
TO take counsel Of their ability in what they unJe,tak. o
thosc who look up TO them. The msgnifeence of ou,
State projects has not unrequenty stimulated even strong
minds among beyond the point Of sobety and
Judgment. Is it 10 be 80 in the present easel
Let cilcul,iion be made of th. aetual eost of so
school system, and then, with the TO be raised by
taxation before you let DO considoted. that We in vr
gnia, have hitherto borne Of that sort, that we foI
heavily taxed already for other purposes and no sobc,
Judgment doubt result OF an aempt TO r,se The
necessary sum- IL ever il should be practcablc il will
be- when alter years happy experience the people have
been brought 10 and feel the inestm,bs benefits of
general system Of education But at the outset Ia il con
eeNaoe that SO great burden should he undertaken and
oorne year Aer year, by bare possibility the people.
brought under great excitement might 10 hes,
the expense; but who doubt that IL would soon h.
xven over and the system share the Of many sp.n
did scheme OF the past, devised by generous hearts and
advocated by eloquent tongues.
That the people would take up the burden
may be gathered with certainly from the fate of an
ehot lately made IN one of our enlightened we althy
aud liberal eounties-Albemsrle. A noble scb,m, for
free schools there devised and MI act of the Legisl,
ture obtained Then the subject sgtaed excellent
articles were written and published and ingenious ora
tors harangued the people, and proved TO every ones
siacon that the benefits of the schools would be nealcu
aoy great and more than this, that the expense To the
county would he less than that paid for Ii
was true. But the people to the polls and cast thcir
votes against the scheme by majority They shrunk
back from the burden So would any other coun
TX Al am
nes The failure OF any scheme attempted would be d.
sasrons and postpone the subject Vi general education
perhaps, half q century.
Let US now what be done by founJioo schooi
system upon the other basis ttai OF ADEQUATE
meat Tho present writer is profoundly impress sed with
the conviction that the only feasible scheme OF common
schools hnds ITS foundation that basis Instead of Tree
SS@oos "t be proposed establish those whose tuon
shall be reduced entirely within ability OF The no- To
paJ The ideas desired be nv u,;np.
be best developed by sketchng plan for schoos-not
theory concocted IN the WRITER'S aud never tedbut
plan every portion o which successful operat in
one or another OF the school systems established in ON,
country, ana sustained least to admiration Let ne ann
pose the counties divided the necessary school
nher by geographical lines better perhaps by
hoods; couy committee designating points for school
houses not 10 be nearer than certain distance of each
oiher Thea let II be- proposed give these d,.rcts
from public fund, annually for support OF TEACHER
moderate sum; say S75 100, Or al most Sl2i and
this upon conditions like these
lst. That tho District build School House
indy That Teacher be employed specified num-
Der Of months nnnnSy-say,s male Teacher Tor
o. ut least iouf a. months; aud either male or female
Teacher Tor second session of least three 81 months
and that ire~ood be furnished for the school house.
3dy That the Distinct snnuslly, VI at set periods
and elects School COMMITTEE OF three persons from among
themselves, 10 attend school sair-engsee Teacher
receive and pay their salaiy Us stipulated and gen
orally, the Teacher, the house, and the School,
18th. IL might well be added IA fourth condition Thai
the District should have lis male Teachers examined and
PSssed by County committee appointed (by the Governor
cour) To his qualif atoms for inucng IN the com
Then, IN case District should neglect 10 com
ply with these conditions. the intended for IL l. To be
divided among those Districts OF the County which shall
have complied with them.
lst A Pari would be supplied by the interest Of the
State Literary Fund appropriated the counties
The remainder, easily ascertained in amount by the
number of Districts:
ID. by County Tax. The amount drawn from the
State and county should be gwen three ours perhap.
- the male, and fourth the fema. Teacher II sc
IN one were employed
The residue OF the teachers salary to be assessed equally
upon the pupils as tuition fees and collected either by
the committee the teacher as stipulated before hand
The assessment would be small The poor could bear IT,
aud would feel higher interest in the School, than II
were free. They would feel Also respect TO the School
on the same independent footing with their richer neigh.
bOurs.
The county levy would bo too small TO be over.burden
Ii would be. at least the htes possible to attain
the great object IN Niew aud should be made obligatory
the counties.
These Schools might OF cosrse be continued the whole
year, and the teacher be classical scolsr at the dcre
ton, and IN the ability Of the District. Or the weather
portion might continue the School as private one alter
the public district session had closed This Is elsewhere
often done. committee Of the Legislature might to ad
Vansse, perhaps recommend school books, aud
study; but nothing more.
These Schools might he rendered free for portion Of
each session. narnoy 50 long The public fund would
support hemi but would be Of very doubtful policy,
since would create Distinctions smonR the scholar and
suggest the idea Of charity. otherwise entirely and happily
excluded
Seven months schooling during earlier el,lJbood and
four winter months afterwards, (when 10 summer many
must be employed IN abou would be sufficient to accom-.
plish the utmost ends u Common School. more IL
beTs provision u not made IN country aud would not
be useful to the any where. When board was found
the teacher, which might often DO convenient with per-
haps some other privileges, the public allowance Of money
especially the largest allowance suggested would IN ma
ny cases, nearly quite pay the teacher Would he be
too poorly paid Very likely. II faithful he deserves
noble salary. Bot you do Tor him. or Tor that
poor neRhbourhOod; and he accepts the salary because
s better for him, thsn sDy thing else that oilers You
thus benefit him. and give the foil blessing Of instruction
To the people Tie system has higher generosity than
this 10 commend H.
But could the necessary teachers be pocurcd Not pro
es'onal, permanent teachers. These are supplied no
where for Common Schools. Such a class of men how
ever desirable, will be found, while so many other
pursuits are lucrative, not to say agreeable ALEC YOU
must therefore, be content ~i occasional teachers; and
SUCH would offer themselves under this System II under
shy one possible 10 Their salaries msy be liberal
"' we no 'bey are employed, under any other Sys
em 10 very many School Disircs there would be found
9uahed person on more than one who would be glad for
Ihe compensation That might be offered 10 tesch during
Tour or i've months 81 The idle, nccuen sess,n 81 winter
An1 Tor The summer session, female teacher could be had
~ the poorer districts and the more wealthy might com,
mand the services Of Every c.,unt, al s,.t
would supply many and the State multitude al willing
instructors Tor the common branches uC On Eog,.b Fd,
cation Add 20 attempt ihsn that su,ount of ,,rn
ing would be- ~ least, eleysOn aim and t,e,,,