Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-02-18

times that of Henry, while i'm commerce and man.
ufctures ii is far ahead, and no is taken OF
the income derived from sources ofTevenue by sale
Of stock, and various smaller items.
Now we pretend not to know why the Commits
sioners of Henry chose to make their School Dis
tricts cover no more than about 10 square miles.
We have generally considered 25 not too large
we mean an average of IS. Nor is it necessary
TO suppose them actual squares. Rivers, ridges,
large creeks, &c, will modify any such artificial
divisions. But even reckoning the inhabtable area
At twice that oil Henry, and supposing we should
then have forty-iour School Districts we see that
with not more than twice the number of Schools to
sustain, we have quadruple the population and five
times the ability. Again, why Henry county
chose to be at the expense Of erecting q School
houses at about $l60 each, we do not know. We
are confident that III School houses can be found in
Augusta which, it not in the proper location could
be taken down and removed at not more than an
average of one-tenh the expense in money On
the basis OF support for Schools presented in the Pc
titlon II may be observed that the compensation of
Commissioners for mere than their expenses, is not
contemplated in the general law; that the Teach
ers' salaries instead of $500, may be averaged at
S2UO and beard, which can be furnished, and that
eaclers Tor months in the year can be procured
ior That sum. 30 that on the largest allowance,
even IL we should initiate all the indiscretion of the
fienry Commissioners Gas it appears to us,) we
per cent. and by the economical plan we propose.
would not increase 1t more than so per cent Then
I must be considered that the State supplies us
nearly $1,000 to begin with, and that the friends of
he measure purpose, if the law shall be adopted TO
elicve the mass of the people from nearly onehalf
II the proposed increase of taxation, by having the
aw amended 50 as 30 require tuition fee that shall
e made chaIgeable on every child, and TO adjust
his in such manner, that real insolvens. who
ot as paupers, shall yet never be required to pay
more than they are able.
! cannot tUrbear, Mr. Editor now that r have
hown that this 'Pet,ion for repeal'' need not
care us from our propriety farther TO observe that
do not know how TO put very charitable con-
'rucon on It's large publication by the Legislature,
nd the evident effort TO give currency to It's dis
ouraglng views Here is system adopted, by
lie evidence Of the petitioners, in hot hase-under
he influence of the decided support of the "late
Delegate" and '.Other talented gentlemen" while
ne mass of the people did not understand it, and
ldeed. how should they, except by hearsay. when,
y the late census Onc-hird Of the adtdts an The
1unfy can neither read mar ,crite, DO Cos cut of
$40 white adults over 90 years of age y SYSTEM
70, winch instead OF proposing some simple begin
ing, hereafter TO be improved by the Intelligence ii
ou!d increase, proposes TO effect at all that
erains to plans, which are the result of a half cen
Try of prudent enterprise and carefully considered
Experiment. j do not wonder al lis result | only
ondcr that the ''ate Delegate and other talented
entlemcn" should have given il any support under
lch circumstances. In the fuitiess attempt 10 do
very thing at once, even 10 such an extent as TO
ropose the introduction OF classical instruction.
N not surprised al the signal defeat. But is the
tPcrlence of Henry county for l-2O0th part of a
entury, or that Ut other counties, (for see that
her counties are petitoning in like manner to be
1t against system which is working well where
cr fairly tried, and which. in North Carolina and
cnnesSec with population like ours, is doing
pod beg to dissent entirely from receiving in
ructlon from such case To all this, add enc
her consideration. The Petition represents chat
D county in the Commonwealth is less adapted 10
! experiment of this sort than ours" | was aware
this. The monopoly of land" by larre owners.
'nders some districts very thinly populated with
lie elements OF School, while TO the same fact is
'cr5abc the burdensOme character of the requisite
Xation twenty five or thirty men paving about
le-hall." On the principle here animadverted ON,
only remark, that while property tax is levied
lese inequalities must exist in the support of the
tate, civil list OF the county, aud SO on But i'm
ugusta the case Is otherwise, BY reason of the
ore equally balanced estates of the great bulk OF
1T citizens Heading over the Petition, | find ii
'eaks OF mountainous face of the country in some
ris" 1hisiS, doubtless, correct, but not incon-
stent with our statement in the comparison above
or by calculation it will be seen that % Schools,
Ito miles TO district, cover area OF $50 square
larger than the area OF the county
so that the districts of small size not except
20, we would except, our mountain repiun
heir mountainous face of the country" rescm-
les rather the Eastern part of Albcmarle than our
,gion.
have taxed you, Mr.. Editor, more than in
,nded. beg, however, if possible, the insertion
this communication entire Our citizens are
skiing for information. When the Legislature in
nds to retard rather than advance public senti-
lent by such a publication of a state of things,
'hch the petitioners themselves aver, and which
now, to be very peculiar, it is highly important to
xpose the fallacy Of the position Of Henry county
an instructress of her sisters. Your &c.
a TEACHER.
The above communication supplies some Stats
cs, and other information, respecting the proposed
Jaw and its adaptation to this county. Inmy next
propose 10 discuss the Importance of Education to
IT welfare, as the basis OF answer to the objec-
cns to the School Law connected with Taxation.
Yours. sc.
.NC SrI,ED