The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-03-20
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Improvement o, +" Common Schools, at Pcaclam
Februny2 20, 1877.
The duties ofyour correspondent seem 10
be similar to those ola sentinel TO give M
note of alarm in case OF danger, and Oh
struct as to the movements not only oftlFg.
envy, but also, as TO the various divisions
his own army. The dates Ofrhis officerab
pear almost useless, since the means ofcom.
muuicalion are now so complete thatit wou'
seem a vain attempt for one TO herald the pro
ceedings Ola year. We can hardly plan ON
own private concerns so secretly in one ctr
but struitway they are conveyed with light
ming speed TO some distant land. How hope.
less, :hen, the attempt to instruct an audience
like this relative to public movements. One
feels as If tellinga story TO those who hH,
heard it often, and is fearful lest he shall i'm
poverish lis merits by destroying It's fresh
ness. Yet, your correspondent would hope
that, upon the subject of Education you arr
aware of the importance OF keeping it con
stunlly in agtatiou-of giving it forth as the
clergy do the gospel, dine upon linc-hcrn
little aud there a iItlc."
Il is not then, with the expectation of giy-
ing you Il report ddnctic in It's nature, That
come before you, but simply 10 speak sug
gcstINely of the interests which appear Na
to our cause.
IF is remarked by late American writer IN
England, tina; he is aslonishcd nj the read
ness with which tie English carry any re-
ligious precept into the every day practice
OF their lives. An. idea is not considered
with them as Il thing Of merely spiritual cN
stencc There it is true, thnt ''us II man lhink
eth so is he" A dauery This, upon tie Eng.
Iish--yet ifuuc, how pleasing. With us lhc
complaint is, that there IL I'M apathy upon The
public mind, which places it beyond The rcacI
ofauy argument. Our cNhortcrs upon wIi
gous subjects complain. that the imcligicus
admit the truth Of the Bible abStraclly, lC'
deny its consequent binding power upon
theul. Our temperance speakers complain
that the liquor seller and the liquor drukcr
both will admit the business oftheir pleas, yet
refuse TO he controlled by the voice ofrcason.
There is here in the men of the world, an e.
farming contest between self interest, luStar
passion OF the one hand. aud truth aud rCa-
son on the OTHER And it is fair 10 infer if
our writer's remarks are correct, that here Il
moug educated Americans, passion is the vic
tor: among the acoGy, W-iniormcG, English,
reason couQucrs. Is there no remedy for This:
Is there no way in which we can create au.
Mon between thought and GCtion--hctWccn
briefaud practice? Must every man in our
community he akaaue,- preaching one thing
and practising another? Cannot our teachers
us i, not their duty-conStautiy to ot6rreUn-
on lheir pupils the practice of those pr.lrI
pies which the pupils know to he cor-rc.
Tits can he done without tres passIrgon any
religions creed. The influence otihewaclc
is vast when compared with that Of oornm
listers, or our Sabbath Schools, and slovN1n
not he exercised for good?
'I'hi. .rl.pa,,.l,Irip,r to t,plf
existence. Il thcoretic importance, and prr-
ticaI impotence, is we'll fitted TO the charuce.
of our institutions. The paths to public o.
fee are open to all, and there are muIUtud"
who will readily advocate the truth, if by 50
doing they can win to themselves admiration
leaving its practical application TO those who
arc more honorable, and less aspiring. II
they anticipate that the public is ready TO A.
ccpt beautiful theories, and will not ask for
their bearing upon every day life, they aTC
ready to bring them forth The voice oicon
science is easily stihed 10y the fla,tcry ofscIi
love, and they, believing that "ror PoPuF est
uor Del" assume, if the public compliments
them, that surely they are good and the pub
lie is ever willing to apply the term goodness
to snoothness, soundncss 10 apparent fairness
ii ere there is need Of circumsrcction. lhc
public paths when viewed by those out Of
them appear like fairy land.
"Distunce lends enchantment to the view.
They know not, cannot dream OF hall the
thorns that heset the way. The access 10 them
appears easy, and the attempt TO reach them
is made; and once committed in the cndeor
or, every principle of our nature TO WhcH
pride can appeal, is brought to bear upon TIC
contest TO ensure success. This view VIII
press home upon us, from the very nature"
our institutions; the necessity of cnItW"s
the moral qualities to predominant o''
the passions.
The importance of the public press mU M.
advocacy of any reform, is admitted ny AZ.
and the winning Oft to the side of virtue +
undertaken by some, with success. Ho"
great benefit might accrue TO us in the causJI
of Education, five could find some chaIu,
ofcommuncation with the mass of the ey
pie. The mass is at present uninteresteu !"
the cause of education. 1t does not ieeIuI'o"
the subject, because it has never been ",
scented frequently and earnestly enough
cause independent thought. There is leT W,
sty for this, aud how can it be done' W,
need some organ which can express our NIcN'
upon the subject, which can speak Vernon
like,--calmly, dispassonately, decidedly au" ,
education. Yet by this alone we could uO,
approach the mass-the people. Werg
journal now in operation, doubt II un"IJ
any circumstances it could secure 3OUo r'"J
ers;* and although this would be OF grco. SS
vantage, there would be need ofstlll iur'"~
effort This aid might be Obtained from o ,me
country papers. Fortunnte! torus III V ,Ee
respect, our Newspapers profess to nc , %
echo ofthe public mind. If therefore ,H
friends of Education would only consul,
themselves part ofthe public, could tn,f
not in part form the echo of this pubI'c "'"'