The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-04-04
cn11c, r1oN-coMMoN SCHOOLS.

state of The public mind in relation 70 Ca'''
fornia, have not entirely lost sight OF 'he
Importance Of education.
A, this enlightened age il may appear
unnecessary 10 endcasor TO convince TIC
people OF this country that education gives
"a lis possessors advantages which those
without j. do not possess. II IS SO wei
known TO our readers that il e'evaies man
above the mere level Of animal existence
that il harmonizas al! his thoughts aud &C.
,ions--giying him new principles ana 70.
s,inc,s ofexistence, laying the wide world
Of thought and all the creations o. "'no
open tohis view, that to them our talk may
seem to be dse!ess--but they arc aware
how many there are uniformed even o.
these advantages, whose observations aro
confined to the small horizon of the materl'
al world which they occupy--ihe range o.
whose thoughts have never extended De-
yond those every day matters which nave
rendered themselves palpable to their
senses. To such persons il may be neces-
sary to show, not tho necessity OF their OBJ
tanning knowledge, bu, the fact, that they
have the means Of doing so within their
reach. Heretofore, many have been de-
barred The benefits Of education by the
want Of opportunities or Of means 70 attain
to it. In Iowa, this difficulty is about 70
cease--and with the commencement OF the
next year, and wc hope sooner, with the
exception Of some defects which may be
easily remedied by The I.egislature) begin
a complete system 81 common school edsl-
cation. Il IS the daly aud should be the
great object 9th Legislature 10 perfect a
system Of common schools as TO give to ev-
ery child in the State good common school
education, thereby promoting the prosper
i,y and happiness Of the citizen, and the
welfare Of the State. Viii our citizens inn
prove the advantages already afforded
them? We trust they wiil--ior we have
often been struck with the great Importance
attached TO the possession of education by
mos, of our people, and not the least by
those who in carly life were themselves de-
prived of its advantages. How often We
have been called upon 10 admire the self
denying perseverance Of many poor men,
who have laid aside portion OF their hard
earnings 10 give to their children, that
which they considered Of more Importance
than mere worldly possessions. Shall the
possession of knowledge now be considered
less valuable because it is TO be attained
with no other price than the labor of acqul-
ring il? We hope not. We look upon ii
as proud day in the history Of our instilu-
tons, when the State adopts our children as
the sons Of the republic. and acknowledges
she will look to them hereafter as the sup
porters OF her rank and influence. We be-
lieve that the people will be proud to have
their sons educated by the commonwealth,
since by the uniformity Of teaching there
pursued, the minds Of all classes, the itch.
and the poor, the great and the humble, vii.
be formed upon an equal basis, and mind
will thereby become, as il should in all ca
ses, standard Of excellence.
1t certainly is not the least important
particular Of this system that il breaks
down all distinctions, and admits the chill
dren Of every citizen upon equal footing.
The value Of education is not 10 be Judged
Of b. the price il cost, but we do certainly
occasionally meet with those who attach
great importance to the expense incurred
in obtaining it. The tendency Of this ex-
ample is pernicious, in SO much as it leads
US on the one hand 10 under-value those
whose means are not equal to our own
and on the other, it leads those whose means
are humble TO under-value the small pos
sessions they may have. These disiinc-
tons will be done away ui,h-for il is the
intention OF this law TO give TO all the best
advantages which the State can command.
Another important advantage arises from
the fact that schools are brought into every
neighbofbood, SO that all may enjoy their
benefit. The means Of learning are only
10 be limited by the disposition Of the c,i.
zens to enjoy it.
This is only limited view Of the advan.
tages to be derived from well regulated
common school system, which we hope vii!
be the case with our system in shor, time
it is subject of vital importance to the
people.
We trust that all our citizens are awake
to the Importance Of the subject, aud will
unhesitaiiHsly embrace the opportunitie,