Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-11-25
EDUCATION IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.
rnos THE crAnKsvrLIE (rrss.) CHRONICLE.

Inc Common Sch00t oyStent, as apphcuOie 10
Tennessee.
The following letter from Hon. 8. s. RAsDALL, late De
putty Superintendent of Common Schools in New York; will
attract the attention of the thinking reader Mr. Randall
nearly ten years Deputy Superintendent of the Common
School System in the State of New York; and such stool
the head Of the active managers of the institution in thai
State He devoted his best energies both Of mind and body
the duties of his station mpaied health supernduced
by intense application dictated his resignation and retirement
During the past year he accordingly resigned his office and
purchased small farm in Virginia, where he has since
| resided
Under his auspices the Common School System in the
great State of New York grew and pospered and his
dent intelligent, wedrected eoItst much Of the high
grade of perfection and usefulness which has already attain
ed As earnest, devoted advocate of the SYSTEM and
practically efficient superintendent he is perhaps scarcely
cond HoRAcE MANN, of Massachusetts,, whose al
ready inscribed high upon the list of human beneactors fol
the signal service he has rendered. both at hcme and abroad
the geat Of school education but his abors
have been necessarily less conspicuous before the world be-
in New York; unlike Massachusetts,, the Secretary
State the osenbIe head Of the school system, and
through him the Deputy (actua Superintendent communi-
Gates with the State authorities
We pleased 10 learn that single years respite from the
auous aors which he had been long subjected and the
grateful influences of genial climate, have quite resor
ed his exhausted health and snvgoated the depressed
powers Of his mind that he stands ready to embark with
renewed and buoyan energy the great TO which he
has already given the best years of his early manhood regard
ing the great States of the South and West the theatre
his future abo He writes have been urged to visit
the capital of Virginia during the approaching winter and
shall probably do At present am perambulatng differ
sections of the northern and portions of the State
lanbf off
be made take IT, place Of the chaotic anarchy which pre-
walls here in the matter Of elementary instruction" We
would be rejoced If the friends of popular education would
avail themselves if possible, of the advantages Of the enght
ening and energzng influence which visit from him, at the
city Of Nashville, during the present session of the Legisa
ture, would afford in this behalf
comparison Of the common school system, it exists in
New York and many OF the New England States with that
in Tennessee is humiaing indeed the latter. In New
York. with public fund little more than double that OF our
State, basis Of operations, and population dspo
portonately larger, she has established school in
ery school district throughout her Immense territory, and
is annually educating than hundred and f1y
thousand children the public expense whereas Tonnes
has, believe, not single school regularly
and permanently organized such within the bounds of her
territory though the dividends from her large fund, amount
ing to EIGHTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS per
annum, regularly draon ont ofe public treasury and
appropriated according 10 dc What wonder that with
all her boosted chval and pride of she put down
by the public of 1910 ner 10 b,cet IN the scale
ofmfegence? Somahing here must be sadly out of joint
The whole system, exists with US, noce pocer
That motire po,cer incline think will be- in very great
measure supplied by udicious system of direct local
ton within the school Districts to raise certain proportion
of money, condition precedent receiving the
dua from In
all of the Northern States this duty of vyng and collect
ing direct local tax within the school districts is made
puoy by the Legislature hence the great unanimy with
which the public money is called for and udciousy appro
pa,ed for share the fate and is made common
property with the money collected directly of the people, in
the immediate vicinity OF each other and is the impulse of
the natural selfnteest look most closely after in
sute the most vgiant supervision tina, which
most Immediately claim Thus do not, in
those States find tie people failing forgetting to elect
school commissioners school commissioners, when elected
failing attend to the duties assigned them. 50 true it is
that where thy treasure there shall thy heart be also
On the contrary, that which accustomed to regard
a public bounty we are apt to esteem too lightly
Another defect in present system is the want Of
tive vgilant faithful superintendent whose whole time shall
be given the work. and VINO shall in fact and in effect
in name be the head Of the system Kentucky has called to
this great work the Rev. Dr. RoBEnr BaEcKESgrpGE whose
energy Of character distinguished ability, and heart warming
eloquence fail TO tell avoraby upon whatever he
embraces. We shall regard his acceptance bright augu
~ for the moral and Intellectual advancement OF Kentucky
II Tennessee would keep pace with Kentucky and other
Saes she take the high grognd and adept
the like requisite means
Letter from The Hon. s. S. Randall Of Virginia, Int Ne
putty Superintendent Of Common Seh0cs IN New York.
PROSPECT Hill, FAIRFAx Cousrr, (VA.) lsi7.
DgAn Sra: Yours of the 2Stb ullno reached me only
few days SINCE aud avail myself Of the earliest practicable
opportunity respond far as Tan able the inquiries you
propose in reference the important subject OF Common
School Education.
With the history Of the various efforts arrange conso
date and the System Of Public Instruction which now
forms the pride and Of the State Of New York, and
QUESTIONS Of advancing knowledge will the permanent
greatness Of Commonwealth, my official position in
connexon with the department Of Common Schools for pc
Rod Of nearly years has rendered intimately familiar
Nor have been Indifferent unobservant spectator OF
the bcnecen operations the systems which have so long
prevailed in Massachusetts, and Connecticut, Of the progress
educational reform in the adjoining New England States
many Of the Middle and Western and IN various parts Of
the continent Of Europe Massachusetts, you aware,
very early period, recognised her obligation to provide
efficiently for the competent elementary instruction Of all her
future citizens without discrimination distinction and for
nearly or quite centuries her unnvaed free school ys
has dispensed the blessings Of education among all classes
Of her people, by Of cquaby adjusted property
tax annually levied by her municipal authorities upon the
Of real and personal estate Only since 1884 has