New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-10-07

Mr. Randall concludes his peEspcuOus, well writ
ten and extremely valuable epi;ome o! our School
System with the following remarks
such is condensed view OF our present systern OF
CoM3IoN SCHOOL EDUcATGoN-a system elaborated and
natured 70 - present state b. the exerUns Of the hg
cat minds among during period of nearly forty
years system compromising the best and dearest
Interests present AID prospective, O enlightened and
free people, full OF promise for the future and
ing within itself the germs OF the most extended ndi-
vidua social and nsonal prosperity system identi-
tied with the highest hopes and interest. OF all clascs
the community, and from which are destined 70 iOw
those streams Of intelligence and public and private viz
which alone enable worthiy 10 iula the
bic destinies involved in free institutions. EsTo
PERPETUA
Sincerity of purpose is an excuse for a certain
degree OF respectful holiness and ii we are guilty
of the one in making few suggestions on a
subject which has received the earnest at
tention Of so many superior minds, we claim the
full benefit OF the other In reading the his
tory OF our Common School system clearly set
forth by Mr.. Randall one cannot help being struck
with the slowness and extreme caution with which
reforms in the first imperfect and crude idea OF the
system have been slccessivey introduced The
history of these reforms is repetition in little
of the history OF Progress throughout the world
Slowly and painfully cropping this side and on
that stumbling here. ianting there driven back at
one point and abandoning another always amid
doubt and gloom and darkness, has the cause OF
Human Elevation struggled onward. Man, born IN
the niaCc OF the Creator and but little lower
than the angels vet walks forever in shadows dim
~ seeing the light afar of and painting after it with
slow and doubtful steps. But time must come
when he viii have acquired his full growth-when
his energies shall have become entirely developed
and when his faculties, both intellectual and ma
terial, viii be ready to orego the iatcring timid
gait of infancy and leap forth in the i,dl strength
and confidence Of manhood When is this period
OF maturity TO arrive and are we not surrounded
with the tokens OF It's speedy approach
Although we are ready to admit, and hope We
know how highly 10 appreciate, the good that as
already been done by our System OF Education
yet We feel deep conviction that all thus far has
been but the flying clouds tiuged with light which
oreicli the rising oil the day. We cannot drive
from our mind the belief that we are soon to see
our system of Public Education SO reformed aud
extended as viii give it power to dsenchant the
world of the horrible spells which Ignorance has
laid upon IL
BY the little table have printed above it
seems the sum expended annually by the great
State of New York upon her boosted aud as times
20 truly wonderfully system oi Public Instruction. is
Sa75OOO This is distributed among 900 schools
and 65O,o0O children-S25 per annum to each
school or little over forty cents TO each scholar
And yet behold the mighty results which have ol
lowed this insignificant expenditure in good
cause Now the single City Of New York paid IN
ISIS for the support Gifts Aims House Department.
S269 67s is--tor which Were regularly educated
1853 persons male and female white and black,
Young and old-some IN vacabondlsm some IN
petty larceny, some in robbery. burglary forgery
prostitution murder, insanity aud pauperism we
put the heavies; crime last 10y way OF climax y
besides winch cold yctuals and stoops and alleys
sleep in were provided for about 500 more. This
is dear schoonc-amounting as YOU see TO some
thing like Se5 per head. almost much as the
State provides tor the educating OF whole school
district in such tame and cheap accomplishments as
reading and writing, arithmetic and spelling.
Now let MS suppose that a sum equal to that
which New York pays annually for her Prisons and
Almshouses We're to be judciously applied IN actis
alIy ,ducat.As the children Of the poor families in
the City And by actually educating We mean
that children shall not merely be taught sufficiently
to read lcentious shilling novels, TO calculate
game OF seven sp or to forge name at the bottom
of note-separated only for lew hours each day
from vile and pcllutng associations, a.d gong home
every night to walow among filth, 10 be beaten BY
drunken fathers and mothers 10 inbibe all species of
obscenity profanity and blasphemy with every
breath, to see enacted around them daily and hour
" nothing but scenes of proAisacy brutality and
crimc-aud az last sent adriit from school az the
very age when the spirit Of emulation is stronger
than all other impulses i'll child, and when he VIII
strive 70 excel in whatever field OF exertion he
finds himself But we mean that the child shall be
rescued from the impending horrors OF his situation
ere We, they have had power TO taint hnl-to turn
his blood to poison and his heart to FIRE Let HIM
be taken in Youngest infancy nom the wreiched-
ness and degradation in which he Is born and given
70 the care of gentle hands ana tender hearts-Sur
rounded by pleasant aud soothing influences and
patiently borne with until the hereditary disorders
OF his system both moral and physical. have time
~ become absorbed in the healthtul and nsigorat
inc atmosphere he breathes Then. as his faculties
begin 70 develop themselves. LEI his organization
be carefully watched and such n course OF mental
culture adopted as viii bring into service the more
active tacuties-which it is pleasure to exercise
in developing and strengthening the weak ones,
and thus laying the foundation for general equil
ibr;um OF al the faculties, Let HIM daily have
freedom OF access to the most perec, nusic both OF
all wonderful instruments and still more enrapsur
inc voices-to the highest efforts OF Painting where
Genius s,oops from the canvas 10 haptize the
heart with calm vet inextingrishablc fre-to the
silent, unhreathiusyet immortal world Of sculpture
where the Beautiful stands palpaby like The glory
il is before the yearnins, wondering, worshiPlnss
soul. Then we would have HIM taught all things
that his mud thus melted would desire 70 Learn
making what some people term education merely
the means By which the Soul. thus put in posses
sion OF herself and made acquainted with her wants
IAa.i,. MA oil thnSn