Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-07-08
To the Editors of the Times


MEssRs EDITORS: Your correspondent sc" has a
perfect right propose any plan he chooses for the bet
ter education Of the Cty's children, and all the phan.
thropic will commend his zeal in so good cause.
But he disposes of the Lanea erian School in his
article OF to-day in very summary manner, condemn
ing utter humiliation because of some things which
he guesses, and some Others OF which he is but hall in
formed about Justice to that institution to the Board OF
Trustees who control it, and to the town which supports
it, seems require that its operations should be correct
ly stated; and prudence demands that they should be
truly compared with what the new scheme proposes to
accomplish.
To begin with the Female Department: A person
visiting it will find he enters the yard which
apperai to it, instead of the "hmri6le mud" of "C's
Imagination, brick walk to go upon-a we'll swept
brick walk-always clean, and adorned with pretty
flowers arranged with taste and carefully preserved on
this horoughare OF the pupils On the steps and in the
schoolroom he will be struck with the neatness OF the
floors, and their entire freedom from mud. Engaged
in their studies, under the direction of refined and
weeducated lady, and venerable gentleman, he will
find about sixty girls They attentive, orderly and
neat. There are classes in history, geography and
grammar as we'll as in spelling, and reading and wri-
ting; and addition to those branches the young ladies'
are instructed in needle work The salaries OF both the
teachers in this department together, do not exceed
$500. Will the Free Academy do as well for the in
digent girls of the city at SO small a cost?
The Male school is kept in one OF the coolest and
most pleasant halls in Richmond-the attendance
RACES $50 boys daily. They are OF all ages, from to
IT, and cassed according to their attainments in
the branches of plain education. Many good
All learning to write and many of them are fine
pensmen They instructed also, the girls,
in the facts and principles OF the Bible TT salaries
OF the two teachers employed in this department
amount to $ll00. When the Lancasterian school is
sold will the Free Academy take charge OF these boys
and do the same for them at the same cost
As to the horrible mud we have only to say that
there is dry brick walk leading from Broad
the school house. and stones laid across Marshall ST.,
to protect the feet against the sand that washes down
from College Hill. The yard in which the boys play
is we'll shaded in summer, and by no means remarka-
BILE for mud at any season as most OF the soil is Mixed
like the adjacent parts of Marshall street, with gravel
The pride of the poor of Richmond does not revolt at
becoming benefciares of this school, and tits by no
difficult to get them to send their children
Besides, when boy without other of education
has been akeu by this school and fitted for business,
one has ever vet discovered that his having been a
"chary boy" has prevented mis- making his way in the
world and obtaining by tie qualities as other men
do, the esteem OF his telow-men, as many have DONE
1t may be well to establish Free Academy, as &c"
proposes, but the Lancaseran school is to be abo-
shed in DOING cannot perceive how the poor of the
city benefited by the change, for is evident that
larger number will be sent to school, and these not
the children of the really poor for they are not able TO
pay anything.
if the plan were to convert the Academy into high
school, to which not five only, as now, but all promi-
sing boys in the Lancaseran school should have tree
access real advantage would be gained and some OF
the brightest inteects in the city would be drawn
from obscurty and cultivated for ennence and useful
Or, if the Academy made charity school, or
one OF the several additional charity schools which
are needed to the hordes Of idle and Ignorant
lads yet wand ring about Streets as well as
reduce the number of scholars at the
school, something substantial would be gained
The Lancasteran school suffers far less from the lmpu-
tatons OF poverty and charity to which C" fancies it
to give rse than does from the largeness the num-
Der of turbulent boys crowded upon the teachers. To
bring under The control OF virtue and honoi hearts that
have never seen the beauty of good principle, and to
introduce the first rays Of knowledge into benighted
mind, require intimate communication and constant
contact of the preceptor with the pupil. Yet how are
these methods practicable under such circumstances of
proportion in number of teachers that OF scholars!
July 3, 1851 +.