Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1847-05-28
Spirit of Jefferson.
Friday Morning, May %. 1917
rnE nIsrRICr SCHOOL BILL.

THE DISTRICT SCifOOL BILL.
On Thursday next, Sd day of June, The citizens
OF Jefferson County, will be called upon TO vote
yea or nay, on the District School Bill, as Tassed
By the last Legislature. We have published,
heretofore, the Bill entire, and the people have
had ample opportunity Of making themselves ae-
-. quaintcd with its details. There may be, and
doubtless are, provisions which Objectionable,
even 10 the advocates of general system Of
Free Schools. BUTT will be impossible TO frame
any billa first that will be altogether uneXcep-
tonable. We want starting Point--and nov,
and only, is uIstiule 10 secure it. All n1an
arr willing to admit that Virginia needs, and must
have, some more efficient system of public schools,
than she now possesses, or ignorance will forever
be found within her borders. The present bill
is only applicable, it is true, to the counties OF
Jefferson and Frederick. But this, surely gives 10
the bill stronger claims for support. No coun,
tie in the State are so well suited as these, for
the experiment, iii we may so call it, OF Free
Schools. Our population is somewhat dense
the liberaIity OF people Proverbal--their abti-
ty to support the system, literally, unsurpa ssed
by any other portion OF the State. The bill OF
last year was carried by decisive majority
The pres sent one is certainly more equitable in lis
p-ovisions-more just in all its bearings, than the
one for which you have already recorded your
votes Let not then, the present ono be lost, by
supinencss on the part of its friends, and mar
row. or Liberal estimate, as 10 its cost To eGn-
cate your children any where, must necess arily
incur heavy expenditures Of money. If the PFC
sent bill is carried into operation we feel satisfied
that the blessings Of education will be eXcrded
to all, the poor well as the rich, ard at great
saving, in the aggregate, to the county at large
There may be some in our community, whose
fortune it is to possess larger proportion OF this
world goods than their ncigLbors, without hay-
ing a like number of children to be educated, upon
upon tao Hiou-the tender point with all who are
opposed to the bill-may fall heavily. But this,
surely, can be no valid objection, FOR oppos ng
measure so necessary for the public veal, SO i'm
portant to the rising generation, and so anti
mateIy allied with the future honor sind glory OF
our county as well as the State at large.
We have no desire at this time 10 enter auto
any elaborate discussion OF the School Bill to bc
voted for on Thursday As we said in the begin
ming OF this article the bill has been made public
its principles have been commented on, and We
hope every man in the county will he Mt his post
on the day of voting, prepared to give fair and
honest expression OF opinion. The editor Of the
Richmond Republican makes the following up.
peal III favor of the District Schools, which,
though intended for the State at large is peculiar
ly applicable to Jefferson and Frederick at ih's
time -
The District School system, so far as il has
been tried, has been attended with the ha1piCst
results enough al all events TO warrant its gene
raj trial as an experiment, which must be more
beneficial than amy plan hitherto tried, and which
may prove itself fully adequate to ali orr wants.
II ought never TO be forgotten that we cannot
by a temporizing course, avoid the responsibility
OF action Of some kind, and that OF very decisive
character. The enemy occupies The field, and
while, from year 10 year, we are discussing the
best plan TO meet him. nc is advancing with every
hour, and adding, year by year, to the number al
his captivcs and the extent OF his conquests.-
Ignorance is increasing in the Commonwealth
with fearful strides. y few years ago, the as
founding fact was revealed that Siriy MloWSaHd Of
our white population unable TO read or write!
Il is probable that even at the time this fact wa
demonstrated, the number moderated We
believe that thorough examination at this mo-
illent would swell the uneducated host to EiGH- |
TY THOUSAND men and women, who, living
in the heart of civilization, and in the bosom Of
a free CommonwealtF, are in the bcnighted s;tua-
ton of the serfs of the middle ages and are de-
pendent even for their knowledge Of the word of
God upon the oral communications of others
Virginians, ought these things to be 2 Ave
speak not OF the mere reproach upon the name OF
the State, humiating as it is, that, while in Con
necticut, for example, there is not n citizen who
cannot read or write, this proud old Common
wealth should be overrun with an iiliterate poPu
lation. There are those, know, who tlink
thaS, il the people arc provided with plenty OF !
''bread and meat" their situation IS comfortable
enough, and that they will be contested with heir
lot. This is miserable theory for Christianand
for Republican Legislators. The people, even
the hnmblest. have higher wants th,n those OF
animals The poorest laborer ha9 spiritual ne
cessities as great as the Hottest son of rack or
title, and we should not seal his eHes 10 the3ight
of Revelation. The people of a Republican CO.
verument TO be free must be intelligent, and ihe
statesman who debars them from the oppoTtuni-
ties of knowledge. aims deadly blow at the OK
istence of liberty"
THE END TO BE ATTAINED.
The Washington Union has an article suggest
ing the means it will be necessary for army TO
resort to in case the Mexicans desert tieo?en