Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-05-25
ADDRESS
vi the State Central Committee to the Friend. of
Popular Educat,on in V,ryi.;.

IoPuhr Education IN virginia
o~Citizens: At the Eduesioa Convention held In
Richmond las, December, the following resolutions. were
unanimously adopted: ..- u. r..
is'- he'0fred, That this Convention deem the united
and systematic, and continued support and care OF the
Trends Of Popular Educ atom of the most yital
70 the pa seSsnon Of any system which the
ssiaine may adopt. and for the purpose Of securing it,
ana OF awakening and keeping alive the interest OF the
people IN the subject:
I'd. R.solp<d That This Co,x.,,;o, a. .,,o;, -
ra O'mmiiiee u thirteen, resident seat of govern
men whose duty IL shall be To collect and dif,,. infor
.uon upon the subject OF Popular Education and BY
correspondence and cooperation with the several county
and town Associations, her recomme To watch
over and promote the sneeess OF such rysem may be
ADOPTED by the Legislature a.ceanng both
ana oe'ses ior the P.rPe-s ot recommending such
sues a. may improve the former and remedy IN. latter
Sd Resolved. That this Convention do respectfully and
earnestly recommend To tho people Of county
and town IN the State the early Of
sssoeiaion OF the friends Of Educson for IN. purpose on
protecting It's ntereres promoting the State
se anu OF observing It's operation and amend
ent' That II be recommended To such 10
Keep up correspondence with the Cent al Committee nd
oa~ superintendent, obtaining from them didasng
sueh ihofmAuon ~ they afford and lose oppor-
uniU OF exciting and preserving the interest of IN.
PIE IN the cause oiPoPular Education by frequent public
addresses, Lectures and discussions
4th Resolved, That the Central Commiree be .,pp IVY
e'eo 10 appoint Commuters IN each county and borough
win power To add Ia ihen numbers in th. Common
Ne VINO 'ha De charged With the duty Of urging upon
IN iheir respective dict the pro-
Po-ed IN the Sd resolution WIN shall perform IN, du
hes Of such As'oeaiions until the shah be formed
th Resolved. That the delegations from the counties
and boougns represented in tbs Convention h, requested
10 dep'se With the chairman Of the Central Committee
% nsnes OF suitable persons Ia compose the committees
IN lher respective counties aud towns.
oth. Resolved, That the members of thu. eonv.nio,
pledge themselves to use all proper To carry out
u's objects proposed in the foregoing resolutions
IN ulsehaging the duty assigned u.s. deem IL proper
to invite attention the importance Of IN.
proposed by the Sd resolution.
history not les than common experience. impresses
u L. nj raFr
raj Efforts To repfess evil establish good Wherever
pubic wrong dangerous te liberties of IN. p.oo. or
70 the well being u society. has found existence
wherever political Il moral revolution dem. oded nv
the patriots OF the land has been medtaed or
mere The conviction that individual efforts avail hat te in
so great work has led hem one important IN, a,s az
efficiency, 10 form themselves into ent soe-ti.s
BY such me ans formation has been received aud
calculated 10 stimulate, guide and control their action and
united strength obtained sufficient TO remove the mo.t
formidable obstacles and often 10 the happest sue
10 the want OF such permanent union OF the friends Of
Popular Education Is 10 be attributed no doubt in sumo
uesee the barren result Of the frequent efforts which have
been made by them in Virginia From the period " bsn
M herson devised has OF general education to
the present day. many Of and best patriots de-
Piorne the deep dgsce which the ignorance OF So large
portion OF our people brought upon the State have a, d
ieren mes resolved to ssce III blot from her other
wise TAR lame With that view popular assemblies have
been appealed conventions have been held resolution.
adopted, plans proposed But sooner had those assem-
ohes dissolved those conventions separated than each
less to accomplish their object WthOui the Of ma
nay communicating information unless At great abornd
eRPense-withou union Of thought action their str pp
was gone either to authOrity their suggestions
10 execute their plans. Had the best system of ouhic
schools ever known which could be devised been pro
posed by them and enae'ed by the Legislature IL could
never have been put successful opera ion without the
NgiiAnt, united. ~ell-inOrmed and directed efforts Of
Its inends, TO protect from misunderstanding peue.
and eaN The experience and PTscee OF other State. at
test the importance Of such and fully eon,
the views We express Ia the States o New York Mas.s
chusetts Connecticut, and Rhode Island which have
orough' Their school systems 10 higher degree OF psree
uIn h1h have any other SIaes Union an orJani1,
on OF the friends OF eduoLOn similar to that proposed by
Us has been found eminenty conducive to the admirah
success they have there attained.
The convention which we have referred deaol, il,
pressed with the Importance OF this as one me
81 ensuing permanent success devolyed upon their
Conmiee the duty Of appointing in each and county
OF the State. Committee who might procure in their
raj towns ana eounie the establishment OF Assoc M in
connection wilh the Central Committee and intmatsIv Il
lied with each other In performing thu duty dHicultie,
nave been experienced which VIII suggest them
selves 10 every mind. Some have en- appointed Of VII.
sentiments We were not well informed. Other. have
doubtless been omitted, whose ability zeal and in Hu,nr.
would render them most desirable members of saeh en-
mitlees We hope, therefore, that while none who may
De lndlsposed 10 serve these committees will rseeiys
uniaVorab!y this testimonial of desire 10 have Their
corporation, all who would bsVe been willing to do so
bat have been omitted will consider ,hem YES thor xei
BY gher authority than aPpoinimen-their own ma
rioism and the pomptings of duty-o all in
and maintaining permanent Education Associations
The benefits 10 the of Education resuItinq from
sueh oodes can scarcely be fully estimated BY their in
suumen'Ay public meetings will be held, and public speak
els engaged to interest the great body the community On
whose support public schools depend Uno.tun.t.v
even IN the lev counties in which the experiment has B. en-
made, experience has shown that faithful service ON the
part OF the ends Of this necessary 10 give il us
protection IL Is not TO be denied that many good ard
ueal men are opposed TO general system Public School.
Al ms Time IN Nr1inia-as many perhaps warmly
nehed To the existing sysiem-ohers find objection 10 the
particular schemes which have been sent out by the eg
iauIe for the adoption OF the people But Others again
through ignorance OF prejudice, interest," have loaded the
esUse OF Public Schools wi misrcprr ntton The mos,
unworthy motives have been ascrbed 10 tho. who .dyo
cate 1.-THE requisite amount Of taxation has been
hed-h' object and character of the schools themselves
have been distorted Such attacks will be best met b. dis
cussion io be had IN the manner We propose
IL IL not our purpose desire urge any one particular
system OF schools chief benefit drrvabls from b. con
iemPaied organization. consists the facie Is IL oftd.
Tor collecting aud dlhusng infonsuon net only concern
ing the school systems oi other States from which ~ na,
choose good and reject evi but also concerning the a.
ina condition aud peculiar wants OF every portion Of our
state, 10 which We mar Sdspt system From the
mutual communications which oud be received by IN.
Central Committee aud the several county associations A.
veil ss from the Reports. Journals aud Statistics published
elsewhere unquesuOnaby much that useful IN this respect
might be obta ned. The of tiose who hay. g,p.
before Us msy be and will be svojed the workings Of our
own system will be scruunizej is Objectionable features
will be brought 10 the nOce OF the Associations teuedi.
VIII oe suggested smendmen's Prupo-ed improvement.
sngraedits bensEt will be seen aud felt and b,v ,gI
l
" operation viii be e1enjt d. anj ignorsIce We hope will
nnaiJ give place TO knoSledgei knowledge II true will
bring Nirivc. sud virtue happiness.
There ere other advantages less beneficial which
may sud We have doubt will How from the gsnizsuon
proposed. smong bse will be the establishment OF Li,s,,
Societies sud Libraries. by which the sources of kno
edge Wi BE- "Pened 70 thousands who deprived of
such advantages b DIS and 1T concerted scton
We are awtre ths many eniclments Tor the prom,.,p
OF Education inscr bed upon our statue bsok We
Know ihat the last Legislature devoted considerable share
Of %, time the SUBJECT snd that passed vsr1u- sets 4,
ensbe the people IN their seyers counties 10 mske Prov
sion of general education. Some Of these status
proved acceptable whilst others have been warmly opposed
snd finally rejected BY the communities to whom bsy sp
ply There are laws enough existence. however dsfse
tive many oi them may - IN Their details Bot the ed
ucs'ou movement" has been termed not Cot mere
aws s object is 10 fsno aud iashioa the pnb,e pinJ
TO appreciate The importance and Necessity Of general edu
cation IN the Suite
This accomplished, and even laws TO hinder cannot i'm
pede ~ prgrcss However strong and emphatic ssnc.
non msy b. gwen - Education, a. measure Of STATE
policy, by the Lesislatufs and will not be bene
bealJ encouraged unless by the fixed spptobaon of tho
people themselves, who source al ppwer snd WIN
II uHfrn - LAT IN. a