Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-09-05
For the Journal.
Education--No. s.


ging the districts they thought most conducive
to the convenience of the inhabitants" of the coun
ty In the original formation of these districts, but
little care was taken to arrange them the law d.
reefs In fact. at that time but very little interest
was manifested upon the subject and the people
generally seemed to appreciate but very Indifferent
y the educational facilities of Free Schools Since
then deeper feeling has been exhibited, and
stronger desire felt by the people to have the districts
arranged that the school houses night be reached
by all Much excitement, confusion, and unfriend-
ly feelings have been engendered because the dis
trcts not laid off to answer this purpose This
neighbor will not send because the district is not laid
off and the school-house located to suit his conve-
nience; and that neighbor is mad because his chill
dren have to walk little farther than those of some
body else-and so on in every neg hborhood until the
inhabitants have become disguised with the whole
system, and declared " that the Free Schools do
more harm than good.' All this jarring and wide
spread confusion in my opinion can be easily RENE
died. The Superintendent often induced to act
without proper knowledge in the premises. Sc
lected they promiscuously from the county it
is impossible for each and all of them to be thorough
ly acquainted with the wants and peculiar localities
of the different sections and in the absence of this
knowledge have to depend upon the information of
those living nearest where the alterations are sought
to be made In some instances this advice has pro-
ven interested and selfish, and led to the arrange
ment of districts only to suit the convenience of
few men of a neighborhood.
In my opinion a school district she uld embrace an
area of ground at least four miles square. Then,
with the school house in the centre it would place
them only four miles apart, and allow every child
the convenience of reaching the school by not walk
ing two mles-supposing even that he lives
near the boundaries. This distance where there is
no bad creek to cross, short sufficient for any child
The sckliest urchin you can find in any neighbor-
hood, if he can walk at ALL will ramble over more
than this distance any day, and if he does not pro-
per regard to exercise and health should compel him
TO It, There are now some forty districts in this
county The arrangement have suggested would
greatly reduce this number, and, believe, con-
duce more to the convenience of the people" Cal
culate the habitable portion of this county, and see
if it amounts to forty times four miles square. If,
then, the number of districts can be reduced the a.
mount drawn by each will then be greatly increased
Each district receives about seventy dollars not
quite enough to pay for one quarters teaching
equitable arrangement be made :! Let me tell you
The Legislature has time and again refused the APP
pointment of general State Commissioner of Com
mon Schools; but has given the authority to the
County Courts of appointing one for each county.
with salary not to exceed $3.50 Now if the Coun-
ty Court would exercise this authority and appoint
Commissioner, his duty would be to visit every dis
trlct and schoolhouse in the county--deliver lee
lures on education-get up ibraries-suggest i'm
provements, &C.; and while attending to this bust
ness, if he be competent, could very easily acquaint
himself of the wants of the people in the several dis
tricts-map out the geographical outlines of the
same, and present this to the Superntendants as re-
liable and disnteresed evidence upon which to act
By this means believe an entirely satisfactory ar
rangement of the districts could be made
Great benefit would result from this appointment
in other respects. We need some one charged with
the interest and management Of the whole system
with general supervisory powersto report progress
&C., to the Superintendants or County Courts
here present you with an extract from the report
embracing forty pages, of the Visitor of the Schools
in Craven county:
6 In laying before you report Visiter of Common
Schools am too sensible OF my liability err to believ
by the reflection have to discharge the i'm
duties that devolved upon me-
ted by strong desire to promote the educational
of Craven county Believing do that the valuable
interests of North Carolina are, degree hand
of those who have the management of Common Schools
who have any authoritative influence them beer
urged to the discharge of duty by of deep and lasting
responsibility.
" In my different through county, every fam,
on which it was fortunate lot to CALL received
welcome visiter here could say much in favor of thu
inhabitants of Craven county, but would depression
from the subject of Common Schools, will only thei
hospitality and kindness will be long gratefully
bered In almost every neghborhood there to be
lively and growing interest felt the subject Common
Schools sufficient justify the belief that the
will far exceed the for with increasing
ing effort will prevail 1t lamentable fact that there arr
yet parents in the county who do avail themselves
great advantages afforded by Common Schools, this
tenn has to contend And will these parents neg
ect important duty to their children their coun
try and thereby incur such awful responsibility God
No answer for them, no J! verify believe they will not
and do sincerely hope that my in this parcua
part of duty have been in van that the mex
teachers returns will show larger number of students
" have visited all the districts twice. ny of them of
tener and can say that the advantages of Common
schools IN Craven county cannot be tOd-they incacu
liable Hundreds who otherwise would have gro ped thei
through life ignorant the ordinary ru uents
learning by the aid of Common Schools have ma de consd
rable progress In literature and of them
way to receive a liberal education.''
J Mr. Lewis then goes on to give succinct .accoun
OF the condition and operations of the forty-fou
School Districts IN his county, and concludes fol
lows:
ought to have stated in the proper place that numDe
OF the Districts have heretofore purchased and
selected Library, consisting fifty ume containing
tory, Biography Moral Tales &c &C.: from the perusal
which the children have received much benefit and the
Establishment of Common School Libraries Dis
trcts cannot be too strongly recommended In
would remark that when the present of education
this county compared with that existing previously tn
of the system of Common Schools (when Their
were but small schools the county the town