The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-12-18

him. afsithful trusiee9 Weknow full well thai
there will be difficulties, great difficulties. en-
countered, in establishing an effective common
school system in Kentucky, owing to variety
Of csuses-tO sparseness of population In GER
tain counties, prejudices among certain classes,
&c, but these causes need not prevent the
Legislature from maturing, and commencing
system, from msnifssiing The niad, the pur-
pose TO 90 all an honest trustee could and should
do. There cannotbs two opinions on this sub
ject. The school fund has been misaPPlied;
great wrong sn<reby has been done to the people
of the State; and our Legislature in justice to
them and itself should remedy it at once. Can
a system Of common schools be successfully es-
tablished in ksntuckyi
Why not. Men point to this difficulty and
that, and shrug their thOulders, and answer
with responding no. Shame upon this spirit!
II 'spart of every freeman's birth-right to be
educated No State does its duty, and no pee.
pie do themselves justice, whore this is not os-
mandsd, and done. The common school fund
is ample enough. The Commonwealth says,
sever $4,000, with which, If paid promptly.
much real good might be Done" II! There
should be no such word on this subject. No
leg islatOr ought to admit Of for a moment.
Surprising this interest paid, the fand We repeat
is ample enough, with right legislation, to make
education universal in Kentucky. What, then,
is wanted A sciss and sfsetiue syst1n. And
TO establish this we must look around US, sse
what Europe has done, know what eur sister
States are doing, in this great work. When
Ohio began, or a short time after, she sent enc
Of her ablest citizens, RKv. c. f. HowE, to Eu-
rope to examine the Institutions Of Prussia, &s.,
and his report was published by that state. A
year or tive since, HokAcE MANN, the wisest sad
sblest defender of the common school system
went abroad, to see what Improvement he might
witness, in order that he might help perfect the
Massachusetts, system, confssseily the best in
the world. Our superints ndent, and our lsgis-
lators through him, should be well versed in the
principles and Details the practical ,eorkings Of
the common schools of other States, and thus
making such alterations as our circumstances
require, be prepared to adopt the very best. Az
for difficulties we must expect them. They will
come 10 US, AZ they have come 10 all, as n mat
ter Of course. But starting right we have only
to be patient to ensure certain and entire sue
cess. Ohio had great trouble in certain sections
Of the state, in inducing her people to support
her common schools indeed, her earlier efforts
proved seemingly failure. She psrseysred,
and what is the result Says Gov. Bib, in his
late able manageable common school system
firmly established in the habits and affectio NJ
ofthe people" And so will it be in Kentucky,
If Kentucky does her duty. Let us S,gin right,
and we shall end right.
But we protest earnestly and sOlemnly at the
idea suggested by the Commonwealth, and too
generally entertained, that the common school
is sort of "POor institution" "The State
has not dealt Justly by her poor children, - says
that excellent Journal, referring the misuse Of
the education fund. The common scheo is des-
tined TO be the great institution of every well
governed republic. The idea on which it rests
is, that il shall be open TO ALL rich and poor, snd
that the children Of all shall lock to it for in
structiOn. One noble feature of the system, is that
among its good results it will as it is perfected,
bring togsthsr in boyhood days, children of all
classes, and thus master the narrow prejudices
and artificial distinctions, which vanity, and a
miserable pride. alone create. Who thinks In
Boston Of sendiag his boy TO any other than the
public, the COMMON school, The sons Of the
poorest lsbOring men, and Of the wealthiest
merchants sit there, side by side, learn together
play together, and rise or fall they do well or
i'll! tits the great city school, So should it be here
and 'oil it be, -four people legislators if
the press, demand il from the first. as a common
duty we owe the State, and common right pos
ssssed by every citizen Of the State. Away
with all distinctions! Away with the idea that
the common school is only the institution Of the
poor. Let US perfect it, and, always bear in
nisd, always act upon the idea, in the Legi,la-
ture and out of it, that it 10 not what il should be,
until it offers the very best opportunity to every
child,
We trust the intelligent editors Of the Com
monwealth and the Gazette will, as they prom
Use, keep this subject before tn. people, and
press it earnestly until successful beginning 10
MADE.