Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1846-01-15


We are indebted 70 A. New man. Esq. for
copy OF the journal ofthe Education Con.
vention We copy lrom IL the following
extract OF q letter deferred To the cotnmit,e, on
Common S,hools, from Horace Mann. Esq.
dated
BOSTON. Nov. Is, 1915.
r. b. Goocn. Esq.
Dear Mir.
Within the last two COT three months have
received several letters OF inaliry r.SDecting
our school system. Us mod. oiadminisimtioa
~r.' from gentlemen in Nip.iuin. who arr
members of the Richmond committee. or del.
egatcs 10 the cOnveniicnso Toe held az that
place. Having rcplied iothos, cnq Iiric, ith
a. much particularly a. could conveniently
b. done by letter deem il unnecessary to 90
over the same ground ia answer 10 yours.
certainly should uui volunteer an opinion
OF the questions YOU posent nor should I
even express one very confidently. where the
circumstances 20 which il applies are - i'm
perfectly known: bat unless very strong rea
sons can b. shcwn 10 the contrary. I should
urge the measure OF state. rather Than county
taNauon, Tor the support ol schools II lrit to
I the counties, should fear that those that
those which iced an improved system least
would bc ihe only ONES which would adopt il
while with those who need IL most. their i'm.
b difference would b. proporiiunste To their
need. hs in the bo1N, AZ the healthy parts 90
not oid the diseased, tbc la,,cr will soon ran
/ to corruption.
I IL s'cm> To me. that your co.ntics shoul,tpr
diNidrd into districts. but she eo,scral admins.
tn'uon cot oil the districts in each county
should bc lodged in ths same hands. aud all
the schools b. supported. and the -choolboiisa,
buiIt 10y the stius funds. otlrrw -. You may
/ "a - IA Il H.. "A -
The place, while all which surround i, arc
poor. II schools aud Schuolhousss AZ, main.
tanned iiom common fund. each will insist
on having a. good a one a. IT. neighbour. and
all the selfish feelings viii b. enlisted on the
side p' improvement. II each one i, tn sun
port ils own. all selfish considerations of \
pecuniary nature will b. auayed against i'm.
proyement.
Although your ucXt question has been sub
sianialiy answered above. yet | ,ay again
'hdl II YOU submit II to the option of each
comfy iu adopt thc system 90 not. IL will bc
rejected b' the counties lhat most reauir. IL.
some phases may bc - ignorant that the,
nave already ceased Co b, alarmed al their
ignorance. How will they ever be raised but
by tbc aud oi other,i You nav say. the. CON
tihuaiion OF their Ignorance l. "a inst punish
mcut Tor their Indifference: bat /, not this
punishment inflicted upon the innocent quite
a. much a. un the guill' What YOU want
la put an end TO, j, both the offence aud the
punishment.
A. to the relative importance of primary
schools ou the one hand. and colleges and
academies on the other YOU may depend upon
u as law OF nature, tlIt colleges and acadc.
mics never Will act d0THUards 10 raise ,he
mas, of the people los education. hut on the
oonimry common schools will ired aud sustain
common schools. Heat asccn3~. aud IL will
warm upwords, but IL will not warm down
wards
Permit mc 10 say hat YOU need an agent
who shall devote his whole time Ia the sub
Jeci' who shall writ all parts of the state
collect statistics. call conventions. adhrcs,
the people, send abroad circulars. maintain
CORES pondcnCc, Sc. &.
Another thing which YOU must have. before
YOU will ever make any SYSTEM flourish. il
Normal school. All thc money In the world
without higher gradc OF teachers than YOU
command, Will never raise your schools to any
elevated standard
4 periodical devoted To education, will he
a highly Important auxiliary, ii Won can get
On able editor IA the ir,' pacr. aud sub,cti.
bers Who will pay Tor IL aud read it in the
second.