Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-02-25
FOR THE SPECTATOR.
THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS.
No. l.


MR. EDTroR,-T'he Cbr;s,;,, ,h, ,,,;..,.
Pist, the patriot, are all anxons .,,, an'.:"''
,"Sois' !" See the cause OF education rr,,sno, ~,
P', oP's', VINO himself enjoys the Measures ~
WISHES 10 see his fellow man nartic;
Pa'e III us pleasures and benefits The Christian
49, ,, "T E"oisnce Is not ''the mother OF deyo-
'his, the permanency of our free nsti,nt;on
upon tue intelligence and virtue Of the comn,n;,
IL Is gratifying then to see the awakening sn;.;.
the Old Dominion on this subject. 'e"'' Va
ne Primary School System is a matter of ~.
greatest Importance. A proposition is made n mo-
10 change the present system, and we arc =, 10 -"
called upon possibly at our election in Anil nov, -,
ue'eImine whether we shall in this County adopt
'''e Dis'rict SCHOOL System. Il behooves the yo-
'ers, then, OF the County to understand what this
system Is, what are its advantages and what the
injections to 1t, and whether upon the whole il
would be wise to adopt it.
L understand. then the plon ,o h. sr,,I. a.;
That there shall be raised bv n t,x ,,an H.
perry now taxed by the State and upop all ,h.
"."eao'es such n sum as will be sufficient together
WIN ,he Pltiance heretofore appropriated 10 Primo,
ny schools, to erect school house in every no;.ri
oorhood where one is needed pay for the site. S,r-
nlsh the children with books, &c, &c., and to nav
me whoe or part of the salaries of the teachers.
ana that all rich and poor alike shall be at berty
10 SEND their children to these schools without anv
additional charge writer in your paper. Ian
caster, has undertaken to shew us the adyantaoes
OF inns PLAN Now, Sir, | do not say that have
decidedly made up my mind on this subject. b,,t
permit me to mention some of the objections tn thu,
plan that occur TO me-
In the first place, then, we are startled with tho
iuea mat This system is an encroachment upon that
perfect liberty we have heretofore possessed. The
coiunfa'y principle is that which suits best the
character OF Tree people. Ought we not to beware
now we depart from it2 Would not the ARGUMENTS
IN favor of a compulsory support of Schools apnlv
Wi'h equal force to a compulsory support of the
Church In some form or other? And who will cav
!nat the teaching of the truths of our holy religion
Is not as necessary TO the good of the community az
/, Urinary SCHOOLS And yet we all most wisely
leave the support of the Gospel among us tn ,,oI,
td,y contributions.
AGAIN, II the sum raised is not sufficient to nav
e salaries OF the teachers for the ,rhoic wear The
SCHOOL VIII often be too large while it lasts. for
every body sends, and it will stop entirely when
'nis 'und is exhausted; for many even Of those
VINO are abundantly able to school their own chill
dren, get into the habit of depending upon the nub-
Tic iund, and cannot be persuaded. when that ;s
eAhaus'eu' TO contribute any thing from their pri-
'a,e IuhuS TO continue the school. believe this
!" DC 'he almost universal experience i'm those States
where the District School System is adopted A
few individuals then who are able. and who s,fi;-
clentiy prize the advantages of an education n, ,ha
children, and Of continuous course of study must
wi'fout the aid OF their perhaps equally wealthy
neighbors, continue the school at their own eX
Pense: Perhaps the neghborhood is deprived Of a
school entirely by the operation of these causes A
teacher may not be willing to take the school ot all
unless the salary for the whole year is guaranteed
TO him; and there may not be, after the habit Of
dependence on the public fund is formed, a suffi
cient number of the wealthy sufficiently interested
IN the school to give such guarantee This objec-
llon, MIR. Editor, is no mere bugbear; these diff
culties do, at least sometimes occur. Bul find
must defer the consideration of other objections to n
future number COMMON SENSE
o. Augusta Democrat please COPY