Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1846-08-25
fr,ou the indianapolis Common School Advocate.
.npraI, TO THE PEOPLE OF INDIANA.

Oar appeal 10 you, follow citizens, is in behalf
10 Common Schools of tho State. Could we
- zen, to you faithful picture OF their condi-
p r.. or could we pass before you in review tho
.hroe hundred and twenty thousand children, for
"hor, YOU n no bound by every principle ct right,
18th human and divine to educate. and let the
~, neglected. unlns,ructod children, among
r., MEAD their own causo-we know 1t would
~, hs in vain. We should see this Ark OF hope
I'D ,romisc-the Common Schools, lifted up by
- SPONTANEOUS effort, and borne aloft upon the
-. of nopular fccing-Jus as the mighty swell
g ,bo oceon lifts the stranded vessel from the
I.ocb. bearing it proudly along upon her bosom.
D., ,h,s cannot be. We must be content to make
100 If those means, which God in his providence
has placed within our reach.
Hy the last census We learn there were about
10000 adults in Indiana, that could neither read
a, write. We have been visiting Tho schools for
eighteen months past. and from tho ihior"a''""
We have gathered we believe those between tho
ores Of five and twenty ono, who can neither
read or write, will swell tho number to over ono
hundred thousand. And :, vast amount OF those
who have left the schools, have barely education
Sufficient to transact tho most ordinary affairs OF
life.
II j. generally known that the district schools
in tho country, arc kept only tho length OF 1ihc
the law requires them 10 be. TO ontitIe them 10
the public funds, three months IN each year
These schools embrace large amount Of tho
children Of tho Stato-not less than two hundred
and twenty thousand. They are kept open the
three winter months, when the parents can best
do without tho services of their children. A new
teacher is generally en- loyed every year, and
the frs, SIX weeks IS consumed IN unledrnlug
VIVA, ttlo the scholars remembered through a
nine months vacation. by the tmo they have
become acquainted with the peculiar manners
and customs of the teacher tho school IS
closed for tho next thrcc-quartors OF year
IL VIC tahe into consideration the crowded
state of those schoos-thc utter unhtness OF
ntwentleths OF tho teachers-tho great
deficiency of school books--tho shameful and
criminal neglect of parents TO visit the school or
take my interest in the instruction Of their chIi-
dreu-thc number tina! do not attend school at
all-wc ask you in the name of these two hun
dred and ;wontv thousand child w nat are
their prospects of being fitted and prepare for
the great purposes of htc! And when these be-
come heads Of families and rulers Of tho land
Nha, will be the character Of tho State! Look
abroad over other States, and YOU will sec deep
and holy feeling awakened to the interest of com
mon schools. Massachusetts has her three hun
drcd. Connecticut, her two hundred, and \. York
her thousand visitors, compelled by law TO visit
ard regulate thor common schools They SEQ
that THEIR funds, which have been consecrated 10
tho sacred cause of lnstruclIng their children,
are most roligiousy applied. Manc, \. llamp-
shire, Vermont Rhode Island, Georgia Ohio and
Michigan. are aroused 10 energetic and efficient
action. Thoy have discovered that the tounda
ton of their prosperity. and tho corner stone of
their future greatness, must be iad Ill the Com
School.
Although money is tho shows of education rs
well as of var, We arc fully prepared to show,
and in our next number viii do so, think to
tho satisfaction of every intelligent man, that the
School Fuad of Indiana has been productive OF
more evil than good--has proved a curse to the
vital interests of tho cause 1t was designed 10
bless. Strip this illusion of lis covering, take
from you thls couch upon which you have. from
year 10 Year. slept so quietly. and have been so
much at ease. and Won wiil lth unveiled VS.
on the wrctchcd and dcpIorabic condition of the
Common Schools. and tho necessity of prompt
and energetic action. And now ask you,
trends and icllow-citizcns,-N nat havo you
donc-what are YOU doing for tho Common
Schools OF your State! " g have heard of your
charity, your bcnCyoCncc. before we came :
mong sou 10 I've. The children Of }lindostan,
ana CeN lon. and Burmah, and China will rise up
and bless you for what You have done for them
but, has YOUR bcncyolcnco ever gaddcncd the
hearts OF tho poor, the uneducated and
daughters OF your State. by providing means
10 have done, and not leave the other undonc."
We ask YOU 10 think of tho sixty thousand chill
dcn who can neither read write, and that
great number yearly leaving the schools whose
education is little better than va'uclcss, and then
resolve Individually that You VIII cooperate with
us, and pcrsorerc with untiring energy, until the
common schools of Indiana shall become temples
Of virtnc, intelligence and refinement, and all
your and daughters from the least 10 tho
greatest, mace rich in intellectual wealth. ..that
neither moth or rust will corrupt. or thieves break
through and steal" When the people of n rich
and growing State like yours, turn their attention
to the moral and mental instruction of YOUR chill
drcn. no matter what may be your pccuninry
condlljon--it VIII be hailed "a "a sign of the
times. and tho wise men Of all nations will look
npon u rs the star of promise. that will guide
vou 70 prosperity and greatness. Let the people
OF Indiana commence this work in earnest, and
prosecute 1t with energy. and they will soon see,