Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1846-12-31
COrrcspI ndcncc Of tie yirginian.

RicnMoNp. 18th reccmber. 1876.
You will perceive Lat the General Assembly las pass
ell bill 10 provide fr the payment of the interest upon
the James River and kanawha Company debt This
has In done with grea, unanmiiy. and without debate
aud II Is probable that the whole &, aranteed debt will be
funded. and the bonds of the State granted in exchange
for those Of the company with the state endorsement
The Appropriation 10 pay the interest was made from
the surplus remaining in the treasury after meeting all
the charges tip n it provided by law and you will OBJ
ton Ike that Of last wntcrto appropriate
of the primary school system the of fifty hou
sand dollars. These with other incidental appro
ratitns such $1,000 TO provide pay and subsistence
for the vounicrs will nearly ats b the surplus report
ed by the Auditor.
The school Appropriation will lie popular Proposition
and will be in rdaEcc with the recommendations of
the SUI crintcndcnt d the Literary Fund.- who reviews
the raons ii the primary school system and develops
striking facts in regard and asks that the APP
preparation that object lie increased In this he is borne
,ut by the reports Of the commssi from the several
countl,s who concur with renal .able unanmty in a
firnng that the usefulness Of Ire system merely linn
tied by lis scany I he position taken by the
Superintendent is. that the education of the INDECENT may
be better provided for Under the Virginia SYSTEM than
under any other. and for the purpose of comparison. he
takes the System Of New York, undenaby the most Elf
clent, and the model system Of the Northern States if
not If the world After just tribute to the merits of this
general system he showshy the folio wing statistics, that
the education OF the INDECENT is far from being efiecu
i'll New Y ork as is generally supposed:
Whole number Of Children school during the ycar-n
GLIDING city Of n. York. 7O,74l
2l63sO children, nearly 80 per cent of the Whole
Der taught attended school less than 2 months,
that is to say average of one month";
81 ,225, than 25 per the whole number,
tended less than months,
l1I22l or twenty per cent. attended less than 3
months.
Is9.sS5, aenct d an average of s. months.
Thus ii will be that three -fourhs of the children
III
2. months.
hen it is considered TINT schools were established
and teachers provided, that any and all might with
out question and without charge, il demonstrates that
there must be in every community, however awake 10
the Importance Of education, avery large number Of per
SONS, whose circun sances very limited that they
cannot give up the time and services OF the child,
though grautous instruction is offered. The Virginia
system. indeed. originally resembed the New York in
this. that the INDECENT child entered for the whole
session, and not by the day. but met with
partial success. uu the principle introduced of ma
king the compensation of The teacher depend upon the
that daily attendance 1He pupiI-lhus interesting the
teacher IN the regularity OF hls attendance
So far as can be observed. the Legislature
to have distinct perception Of the difficulties of
providing ian uniform system Of education" for Virginia
1t is to tie hoped that prnc pie may he developed.
which will adjust itself To the variant local interests of
the State possibly by leaving TO each county, Gas
in Pennsyv to each district, to adopt or continue
the district system. The cost OF maintaining general
system from the treasury would present the question of
taxation and distribution upon large scale, 10 be
productive of great sectional excitement and in many
counties. small majority might by It's vote, either I'M
upon large minority rate OF taxation which they
were UNIV ling 10 lear deprive them of system
which they were willing pay a tax to support. In Ell
ther injustice would result and though subject 10
the same objection, in principle. single district could
better consult the interests of the payer, and adjust
more neghborly plan OF paying the expenses OF free
L., [nSI
the in slave holding and sparse popuation) there
ceased for time To be necessity for a school, the taxes
could be discontinued in a word. the communities
which wished to pay for free school could have it, and
those which did not desire it could not complain that 9th
adopted il at their expense II would spread by
example without the clog OF undue prejudice is not
however appropriate to this communication to enter up
extended explanation of any theory of education.
and you will of course merely regard it exposition
Of the unsettled sentiment Of the Legislature upon the
SUBJECT and Of the various Views which will no doubt be
presented during the session.
The arrival of the Cambria is announced to day hut
the news seems not to be authentic might be dcs
red. Cotton has advanced sths and flour Is. with a
downward tendency This rather Inconsistent,
that slight advance should be announced, with
tendency TO decline The ports moi yet opened, and
The English extracts show immense estimate of the
bread sus of America. and the condition If Ireland
seems tranquil, we need scarcely expect any material
advance in brcadsiuis, or any immediate relaxation Of
policy upon that subject.
The Legislature yesterday passed bill which has
been for some days banded between the Senate and low
House, 10 provide appointing the officers of tie
Mexican regiment of volunteers. This is 10 be done
der the present system of ecc,iny all officers, except
field officers who be elected by the Governor and
Council with casting the Governor in Of
tic; the vacancies be filled when i'll service by Of
the officers
The whole proceeding seems 10 he anomalous.
and under OF ,or circumstances would have led to
cnucd d s:ussion. It is deemed however 80 important
that the legislature should aid with promPti'ude and u
nsnnity prosecuting the war, that any examination