North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-11-12
from the Wilmington Journal
EDUCATION-No. 8.

EDUCATION-NO. o. -.-...s.
A.. EDITOR Another subject Of importance Is me
M oment of proper School Districts. upon !he
alrahg dants was imposed the duty of arranging
ouSstricts as they thought most conducive 70 'Ie
the uanience eff the inhabitants" OF the county IN
orginal formation of these districts, Oh! .e care
the olS IN arrange them as the law directs. In
was time hut very little interest was manlIes-
tac'' The subject, and the people generally seem,
FED uPon -iate but very ndifereny the educatlonal
c;Iities of Free Schools. SINGS .nen "a. 6
aciL hoen exhibited, and stronger desire ieit oy
ing mas Uee Lvo the districts so arranged that the
the people " ,Gbt be reached by all. Much excite
schoolnS 's,ons and unfriendly feelings have been
meh Locanse the districts were not laid out TO an
engendereo pe0 This neighbor will not send be-
swe TINS R,l;ct is not laid off and the school-house
cause 70 sut his convenience; and that nelghbor IS
Iocs Isnse his children have to walk lille farther
Indu hose 'of somebody else-and so on In every
thah t ~ mill the inhabitants have become dis
nele ,v;,b the whole system, aRd declared I" that
s e. Free Schools do more harm than good" All
~ ~; i.rrnp and widespread confusion, In my oPIn-
~: Gan be easily remedied. The SuPeTlntendants
I ofen induced to act without proper knowledge
:" tho premses. Selected as they are Promlscuousy
Fam the country it is impossible Tor each or all OF them
70 he thoroughly acquainted with the wants and Pc
Liar localities Of the different sections and in the
.bpnce of this knowledge, have TO depend upon the
;rmatcn of those living nearest where the altera-
lions are sought be made. In some instances this
dyce has proved interested and selfish, and led to
'be arrangement of districts only TO suit the conve
nipnce of few men oil a nelghOoTnooo.
In nv opinion a school district should embrace an
,ea of ground at least four miles square. Then,
nth the schoo-house in the centre, it would place
them only four miles apart, and allow every child the
convenience of reaching the school by not walking
aver two mes-supposing even that he lives near
the boundaries. This distance, where there is no
had creek cross is sufficiently short for any child
The sickIiest urchin you can find in any neighbour
bood if he walk at all, will ramble over more
than this distance any day, and If he does not, pro-
tn nd ShOuId
IL it, There are forty districts in this coun
~ The arrangement have suggested would great
" reduce this number, and, believe, conduce more
10 the convenience of the people," Calculate the ha-
btabe portion of this county, and if it amounts
TO forty times four square miles. IT, then, the num-
her of districts be reduced, the amount drawn by
each will then be greatly increased. Each district
now receives about seventy dollars, not quite enough
To nav for quarters teaching.
Now, you may inquire, how can this new and equi-
table arrangement be made2 Let me tell you. The
Legislature has time and again refused the appoint
ment of general State Commissioner of Common
Schools; but has given the authority to the County
Courts of appointing for each county, with sal
ary not 10 exceed $3.50. Now, if the County Court
would exercise this authority, and appoint Com
missioner, his duty would be to visit every district
and school-house in the county-deliver lectures on
education-get up libraries-suggest improvements,
&c.; and while attending to this business, If he be
competent, could very easily acquan himself of the
wants of the people in the several districts"aP out
the geographical outlines of the same, and present
this to the Supernendants reliable and disinteres-
ted evidence upon which to act. By this means
believe entirely satisfactory arrangement of the
districts could be made.
Great benefit would result from this appointment
in other respects. We need some charged with !
the interest and management of the whole system
with general supervisory powers-to report progress,
&c., TO the Superintendants or County Courts.
here present you with extract from the report, en-
bcing forty pages of the Visite of the Schools in
Craven County:
" In laying before you report as Visitor of Com
mon Schools, l am sensible of my liability 10
err, TO beve that it is perfect in every respect, new
etheless l am consoled by the reflection that have
endeavored to discharge the important duties that de-
Voved upon me, and have been actuated by strong
desire promote the educational interests of Craven
county. Believing as do thatthe most valuable in
teress of North Carolina are, in some degree in the
hands of those who bave the management of Com
mon Schools who have any authoritative influence
over them, have been urged to the discharge of du-
y by a of deep and lasting responsibility.
60 In my different tours tn rough the county, every
family on which it was my fortunate lot to call, re-
ceived me welcome visitor; and here could say
much in favor of the inhabitants Of Craven county,
but it would be a depression from the subject of
Common Schools, | will only say their hospitality
and kindness will be long and gratefully remembered.
ln almost every neighborhood there seems TO be
lively and growing interest felt the subject of Com
Schools sufficient TO justify the belief that the
years will far exceed the past, for with in
ceasng interest increasing effort will prevail 1t is
alamentabe fact that there are yet parents in the
county who do not avail themselves of the great adj
Vantages afforded by Common Schools, and this l
consider the greatest impeachment with which our
System has to contend. And will these parents con-
unue 10 neglect important duty TO their children
and to their country, and thereby incur such awful
responsibility before God No! ] answer for them,
no! verify believe they will not, and DO sincere
y hope that my exertons in this particular part OF
my duty have not been in vain, and that the next
teachers return will show larger number of Stu
dents.
IL have visited all the districts twice, many of
them oftener, and say that the advantages Of
Common Schools in Craven county cannot be told
they are incalcuable. Hundreds who otherwise would
nave CROPPED their way through life ignorant of the
most ordinary rudimens of learning, by the aid of
Common Schools have made considerable progress
In literature, and many of them in fair way to
receive liberal education"
Mr.. Lewis then goes to give succiBct account
Of the condition and operations of the forty -four
school Districts in his county, and concludes fol-
lows:
~ ought to have stated in the proper place that
number OF the Districts have heretofore purchased
neat and well selected library, consisting OF fifty vol
uheS, containing History, Biography, Moral Tales,
&C.. from the Perusal of which the children have re-
ce'Ved much benefit, and the establishment of Com
non Schoo Libraries in the various Districts cannot
Ne 100 strongly recommended. In conc usion, would
ie!hafk that when the present state of education in
III n's county Is compared with that existing previous
70 me establishment of the system of Common
schools, lwhen there but tIuo small sckOoEs in
ne county out OF the town. every child which has
received education has abundant cause to be grateful
s9 every parent ample stimulus for future exertion
mere also extract from the Elizabeth Civ paper
notice of the management of the sve,o i; ,ha ouo,r
of Pasquotank: - INV oO'
GOOD MOVE. The County Court Of Pasauo-
S S9, deslrous of bringing the blessings of good
and 70 me door Of every citizen in the county,
Sfohth offh