Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-05-20
0ar CeMm0n School ST.: rem

f1to" ONhVVt ~ stUiH,
Perhaps no toric has = zen 4 more
fruitful source Of public haraneuc and
newspaper scribblirg, than that of
our Con- anon School System. From
the ablest politician down to the
the vcrTest demagoguc whose ana b.
ton ms pres him with azeal to serve
the dear peop'e, has this snl jet be en-
the foundation Of many appcals-for
political prelcrment. Who has heard
a political speech in Tennessee during
the last ten years, wi thoat being for
cibly struck With the spq aker's efforts
to impress the people With the belief
that his greatest aspirations TO serve
them, grows out of desire to i'm
prove, change, or get m an entirely
new Common School ystepl? This
is So proYerhial With public speakers,
that the subject has been aptly
dubbed a political hobby on which
to ride into office. Nevertheless, we
find much to commend il a spirit Of
this sort, upon the ground that if
nothing better than excitement can
be- accomplished towards the educa-
ton Of the yQatq of our untry, let
rs have that
We have, it. is true, q system in
existcnce-and many scrutinizing
laws have been passed TO secure its
successful operation-with fund set
apartfcreducational purposesamount-
ing to me- r two millions, and the in
tcrest acdruing therefrom which ex-
cecds one hundred and fifteen thou
sand dollars, distributed according to
the 1schoEl site, populat of the diff
ftrent settions of the State-yet,
who is willing to stop with this
Nay, who can point to any material
good DER Eed by the practical opera
lions Of ur present system? May
we not 60 further, and ask if it does
not tend 10 prevent proper effort,
limited though it may be, at educa7
ting our YOUTH Then, in view of
its inenicieney and total failure to
accomplish the objects contemplated:
why should We be surprised in,findlng
political aspirants astride of if for
the purpose Of riding into Office 10
A candidates dullness would be IN
tolo4able, we're he TO flil to see this op-
portunity for successful demagOgae-
ism. And, if we can 10 nothing
more, We propose to urge him on, in
The hope that some good nag "eome
out Of Nazareth A continual ad-
uIation Of Il nc subject will, per
chance, awaken the proper spirit
will engage the services of some
master minds, having a Just apprecla-
ton of the i'm portance Of an enter
rizc, the operations of which will
do av,ay with the necessity, which
come Of our citizens conceive them
solves to be nder, Of paying money
to a private teacher, rather than send
the claldren 10 shat are called 'our
Common Schools"
Without attempting to designate
what would constitute an efficient
plan. We will say, that a radical
change should he wrought in the
present system, in many respects
More than fo rty cents head must
be employed By ihe State before she
can hope to have ali her sons read
the New TcstaIne even much
less attain the material rudiments OF
desirable education. She must
furnish adequate means TO secure fhe
attention Of competent and faithful
;eacliers-a thorou gh organization
must be effected, and distinct. respQn-
s;b;,,fv rest upon al those engaged
in carrying out the objects fontem-
= .toa ere we are blessed with the
l,,,,4e &C . uropcr method fiitipfully
ana ijudieiously managed, o'p
present system is pcrhapS Al deieci-