The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1847-07-23

IlO tuu lOiL III Olilc uDDul 4 " ClOCh III
the morning and it is supposed that he
either fell in accidentally or took this
method ofdestroyiug himself.
A Plan for u County Academy.
Every one is aware how deficient in
quantity and defective in quality is the in
%struction afforded by our district schools;
and yet these are the only schools that
are accessible to ninety-nine hundredths
Of the rising generation. These schools
may be, and should be so improved as to
afford full and complete instruction with
in their appropriate sphere. But this
sphere can embrace only the mere rudi-
ments of learning; for whatever may be
the requirements of a distric. teacher, he
cannot undertake to impart instruction in
tho higher branches to a portion of the
school, without noglocting the younger
classes. And, conversely, the higher
branches cannot be we'll taught by a per.
son whose attention is distracted be-
tween A, Is, G and Virgil; or between
the multiplication table and Euchlid.--
If, therefore, the children of the whole
community arc to DO we'll educated, we
must, in the first place, have good pri-
mary schools in which every thing strict
ly elementary shall be accurately and
thoroughly taught; and in the next place,
there must DO institutions of d higher
grade. equally accessible to all, and cal
%culated to afford such additional ~instruc-
ton as may be desirable.
Can this additional instruction be sup
piled to all by select schoolsl 1t cannot;
for though these schools might be ever
so well adapted in themselves to answer
tho desired end, yet they cannot he sus-
tanned in country places, nor in small vii
lagos. But oven in large towns where
select schools are partially supported,
they must, from their instability, and
from the absence certain indispensable
accomplishments, forever fail to meet the
wants of the citizens.
Can this object be effected by the or
ganization of companies here and there
to erect buildings which the founders
may bo pleased to dignity with tho title
of academies, though not provided with
a single item of apparatus. OF furnished
with tho first volume towards the for
nation of a libraryl This has been the
course pursued in a number of instances
that | could name but the enterprises of
course proved abortive. An ample sup
ply of apparatus, a well stored library,
together with a museum are essential,
not only to tho prosperity. but to the very
being of un academy.
Shall we defer tho education of our
children till the private enterprise of
teachers shall have established acade-
mics throughout the countryl Those
who have had experience in this way
can tell us that even under the most ia
vorable circumstances, tho c of
, Of an academy, so far from enabling the
t principal to dcfruy the expense ofbuild-
D ings, apparatus &c, win barely support
!. him and his family when the use of all
these things arc furnished to him free Of
3 cost.
We have within the state an abundant
y supply of colleges for the education Of
young men, together with a number oil
. excellent female seminaries correspon.
ding with the colleges in the grade o.
8 instruction afforded. But the expense
u incident to an attendance al these insti
stitut,ons, together with other causes, de.
bar nino hundred and n~inety-nine young
men and women in a thousand from {
participation in their benefits.
: The establishment, in each county, o
Is u male and u female boarding school, will
ample facilities and accommoda atoms
rs would place the means of a good educa
IL ton within the reach Of thousands VIII,
=" are now destitute. But for all the thous
D ands who would thus be supplied, al
equal number of tens of thousands mus
"a still remain in a state of destitution 70
;" there would be only here and there a fam
n lily who could avail themselves of tn,
county schools; and the period of atten
dance would generally be so short tina
= few even Of those who became member
n of these schools, would acquire anything
I, more than a mere smattering Of learning