Washington telegraph., 1850-12-04
EDUCATIONAL ITEMS.
NUMBER vi.


Mr.. ErrER: The present has been
termed. not without propriety, ulllita-
rian age. lew.
No invention, Of art, or science, what
ever may be its character OF pretenslons'
can elicit attention, or receive support
unless 1t be designed to contribute, IN
some way, to our comfort OF wants. IL
is an investigating. s'rangeiy-cnrlous
spirit, this, that now predomiuates. II -
ever on the alert to devise some new
scheme, some very speedy process, ny
which its ends may be accompi,ssheu'
and the human species benefited. li,ne-
honored customs, and ancient institnti""s
receive but little honor, simply on ac-
count of their age. This same spirit eN-
amines very narrowly their claims 10 our
regard, and affixes the seal OF Its aPpto-
baton, or condemns as worthless, OIL 'ne
score of utility alone. The un'vefsa'
enquiry is, .catii bouo?" What profit!
Having presented TO you some SNORT
sketches Of what regard as the esse"'
tial characteristics of good school, a'h
disposed to yield to this predomlna'in,g
influence, and ask. with you. "cMt 0on0
What benefit is to be gained TO us, ny
hearty encouragement. and vigorous
and united support. Of our schools!no ~ 3
propose, then, to answer this imPor-
.ant query. without any reference to its
moral bearing or its socia! uhnences,--
simply on the basis of pecnniary gain
I shall here take the liberty of assert
ing, in plain terms, that, ''caeferss 2'art-
bus" any community which builds up
and sustans good school, benefits itself
to an extent much greater than the
amount Of money thus expended. Aud
this gain is felt in every department OF
business, falling within the sphere OF the
schools influence, whether agricultural,
manufacturing, commercial, or profess
soual.
Select me two portions of country.
equally favored by nature in every re-
spect.-fertile soil, salubrious climate,
fine springs &c. and let me establish in
one OF them good, well-sus;ained
school, while the other is lett without
any educational resources then
mark the result 1t does not require the
skill of philosopher to determine which
of these two communities Will become
the more populous, the more intelligent,
and the more thriving. While one is
making rapid advances in all the materl'
a, points that constitute hourishlng
community.-the other, with equal nat
ural advantages, is left far behind, conn.,
pletely aud hopelessly surpassed.
A stranger visits this country with
view to the selection of a future home.
He will, even if possessing no particular
regard for education, or literary insiltt'-
tions, manifest his preference for that
section of the country, in which he hnds
a fourishing school to exist. Ihe land
commands better price, country Is
better improved and more thickly settled,
the farmer fluids a ready market for his
productions,-the mechanic has de-
maud for his labor the merchant for his
goods-the doctor for his pills-and even
the lawyer for his accumulation OF legal
lore. do M. wish to be considered as
an apprcver Of humbug in any form.
either as pedagogue or writer. and |,
therefore, simply ask you If what have
thus briefly stated, is not. yourself being
Judge, wholly true, true in every partic-
ular. pc#s
may be permitted, then, to close this
article by repeating-so that the impor-
tance Of the position may be properly
estimated-that every community which
unitedly exerts itself to build up and fos-
ter good, substantial, institution OF
learning in its midst, establishes funded
capital of no insignificant value, which
will yield all annual and ever-increasing
interest to every species Of employment.
wholly independent of the other ines
TINA BILE moral, and social, benefits ari-
sing from the same cause.
S. L. S.