The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-20
THE SOUTHERN PRESS.
For the Sesthern Press
Education at Home.

| For the Southern Press.
Education at Home.
Among the marked differences observable in
comparing the characters Of tho Northern and
Southern people OF our Confederacy, that which
is Of perhaps, the greatest practical importance has
been least dwet on.
individuality is the predominant Feature Of the
one, while the other is distinguished by strong
tendency to association. The masses OF the denser
population of the Eastern and Middle States are
fond of combining, OF acting in copcert, of bring
| ing to bear upon any purpose the concentrated
energy of numbers. Hence arises tenacious
esprit de corps, which is not found equally eff
cient among Southerners. With these, freedom
of sentiment and Of personal conduct not
readily surrendered. 1t is difficult TO bring them
to unite upon any movement
The effects of these peculiasities are obvious
enough. On the one hand, combination gives
rise to large and frequent establishments, mechan-
zeal and manufacturing numerous and easy
modes of intercourse; and fourishIng institutions
ofearning, from the free school to the university.
The absence Of it, the other, leaves the country
TO be traversed by i'll made roads and announcement
ferries instead of canals turnpikes, railways and
bridges; schools are few and far between, and our
colleges and academies are neglected. Some por-
| ton of all these results must doubtless be
crbed to the contrasted density Of population of
the two sections but this is clearly an effect IN
part well us cause. Improvements tend to at
| tract numbers and retain them.
| At the present moment, it seems TO us that the
Southern community is imperatively called on for
an entire change OF course in regard to this mat
ter. We must stand shoulder to shoulder. We
must sacrifice to the general interest something
/ of our particular love of freedom of choice and OF
action. We possess all the elements of independ-
ence. We can do all that is demanded in the
progress of civilization, all that's done elsewhere.
We have all requisite material among ourselves
O. hr,tnar n
bther in exchange for the wealth that we enjoy.
We are awakening to the Importance Of supply
| ing ourselves with manufactures and mechanism,
with all the physical comforts and Injuries
which were formerly content W purchase
abroad.
But we shall still lie tributary, and disgrace
| fully so, while we continue dependent for the
education of our children upon our friends and
brethren--or, rather, must we so call them upon
our enemies and caumniators nearer the pole.-A
parent with us, advocating the principles of free
/ trade will carry them out even in the choice of a
college for his son. IL educated himself, he is a
graduate of some foreign school, for our country
is n new one; it may be Oxford or Cambridge; IT
is probably Harvard, Yale, or Princeton. He
has no prejudices partialities in favor OF home
teaching-nay, all his leaning is in the opposite
direction. Hence it is that Southern colleges
struggle on with so little encouragement, through
so much difficulty. And the evil tends to per-
petuate itself. A neglected school is doomed to
permanent inferiority. To improve and to ee-
vate it we must patronlze, encourage, and sus-
tain it.
Look at the catalogues OF the universities of
the different sections Of the Union; Harvard, Yale
and Princeton, have been named. In their classes
have been, are, and will be found many Southern
youth annually. II is almost ridiculously unne-
cessary TO affirm that there is no reciprocity, no
| exchange to be met with in scanning the cata-
logues of the university Of Virginia; of Chapel
a.. e II. AZ
tropolis Of her sister; of the Georgia college al
/ Athens; or Of the Alabama university. 1t would
be rare accident to discover the name of youth
/ from Massachusetts, or New York, or Pennsyl-
vana, on the lists of any Of these seats ofearning.
But it is to the Medical colleges that we would
direct special attention, most strongly lllustrat-
! ing our position. Whatever may be said of the
comparative standing of the academica insu-
| tons to which we have referred as producing
and justifying the existing state of things, such
dsparaging remarks will apply to the Southern
schools Of medicine. 1t is, we believe, undenied
and undenable that they are fully adequate to all
| the requirements of lofty and scientific profess
sional education. Call over the names of the
members of the several Faculties at Baltimore,
Richmond, Charleston, Augusta, and New Or
| leans, and apply any test of merit. They will
not be found in any sense, in any manner, in any
degree inferior to their rivals Of New York or
Philadelphia Yet the three great schoO Is of those
cities, the university Of Pennsylvania, Jefferson
| college, and the New York university sup
| ported in great measure by Southern students. To
the eldest Of them, the time honored Philadelphia
school, Virginia has so largely contributed that
her classes have long born the local soubrique of
"Virona Doctors More than half the income
of the whole three we doubt not, is derived from
Southern funds Hence, perhaps, it is too that
| the South has always furnished so large u pro-
portion Of the staff Of instructors WELL Last
winters circulars show that ten out Of the hcenfy
Professors constituting their Faculties South
ern men. This fact is full of meaning.
Let us reflect for u moment upon the evils in
Cured by persistence i'm this course. We send
yearly across the line, which not only geogra-
phicalIy, but politically and socially divides us,
not less than one hundred and twenty thousand
dollars to be spent by our sons! Can we afford
| to pay this annual tax, doubly impoverishng u.s.,
as withdrawn from our own resources, and aggran-
| dizing our competitors
| At the worst season for such change our youth
are transferred to an ungenial climate. Hardy as
| they may be, they very liable to be injured
| both by the necessary exposure and their careless
| imprudence. These risks enhanced by the
sudden and total alteration in their mode Of living
diet, &c. When they become sick they suffer
| from the want Of their accustomed attendants and
| from the contrasted coseness Of the rooms they
! inhabit.
These cities afford inducements TO expense and
dissipation only vastly greater than those found
! elsewhere III our country, put IN ueSIce Hot 10
be excelled or perhaps equalled ,even,in Europe
Such temptations fearfully efficient; presented
as they are at an age Of reckless thoughtlessness,
and to novice Of ardent impulsve Southern tenn
permanent
We thus throw out our young men among stran-
gers, whose principles and views upon most points
of common interest vitality opposite, nay posi-
lively hostile to our own; and the i'll feeling hence
arising soon becomes actively personal. No proof
OF this assertion will be required by the observing
and intelligent readers Of the Southern Press. If
necessary to produce the record, 1t would be but
too satisfactory. Let the question be put to any
student who has passed either of the last five win
tiers in any Northern school; and he will tell you
Of perpetual and angry discussions and disputes,
violent quarrels, nay open collisions, and encoun-
tiers the topic of slavery shareholders and slaves
The alternative is presented to our sons, thus ex
posed in the enemy's camp, of a watchfu and
naughty defiance on the one hand, or on the other
Of petite silence or peace-seeklng acquIescence.
Now these evils which we have carefully under
stated rather than in any degree exaggerated, are
incurred--for what 1t is not alleged that the
teachers resorted to of higher talent or author
itv. but much stress ia laid IDon n SuppOspd adj