Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-12-10

From the Raleigh Standard.

u O. L.. +
To the Honorable Members of the Senate and House
Commons of NORTH Carolina: 81
] OF the many important subjects that will doubtless
engage your deliberations the present session, none
am is more entitled TO your undivided attention
than that of popular Education.
This subject appeals 10 the liberal spirit. APP
prova and hearty cooperation of every citizen of the
Stale, but its claims TO your care and patronage are
heightened by your twofold character Of citizen and
legislator. The full weight and responsibility of this
high position hope you duly appreciate Your au
thoritave influence the most valuable interest
Of great Sate-the primary education of her people,
invests your relations to this subject with ncreas
ed interest and with deep and lasting responsibility.
In addressing you few suggestions upon the i'm
portance of your early attention to this subject hope
not TO be considered vain by expression the belief that
they will receive your anxious attention. The mem
bers of the Legislature of 48-9 read with deep inter-
est the address of an intelligent and benevolent lady
of the North upon the condition of the poor insane of
the State, and manifested encouraging spirit by ap
Ipropriatng suffieiency 10 build Asylum. native
citizen in a more humble way, is now ambitious OF
contributing equally philanthropc object and of
pressing its importance upon the attention of The mem
bers of the present Legislature.
By education is meant the proper use of those in
struments OF knowledge which the elements of science
afford. for developing, strengthening, training, and
moralzing the mind of children, and of implanng
those great princpl of virtue, knowledge patriotism
and religion which guarantee their future usefulness TO
society," and happiness TO themselves This is OF two
more particularly to the instruction of the popular
mind, and hence comes directly under the con-
troll of the Government. By the constitution Of our
nature the beginning of education OF its IN
strumentaes, are ntrusted TO parents, who are ne
cessary the first teachers of children. Every parent
adopts system OF instruction in learning IFS child TO
sand-to wak-to talk, and TO distinguish objects by
Names which not only requires exercise OF the SEN
ses of hearing, seeing and feeling, but to constera-
bic degree the faculties of the mind are employed
These are first lessons in education impressed upon
the mind by the care affection and fidelity of parents
The government is here prohibited from any direct
parcipation except when divising public education
al SYSTEM the same instruction is not impaired by con
sdering and educating every girl attendant as flu
ture mother, and every boy eec1or, juror, Gil
zen and father thereby becomming the right kind OF
instructors in return This then brings the whole sub
ect matter OF primary education under the supervls-
ion of the government and for this it should be held
responsible. Every child has right 10 claim an edu
cation legacy from the State government, and hold
ii blameable for every of omission. and TO great
degree responsible for the misery degraton and crimes
Of ignorance From the time, therefore, the Legsla
ture of North Carolina adopted system of Common
Schools, and burthened the property of her citizens
with taxes TO maintain it, should she be looked upon
as the foster mother OF evey poor child when her lin
! It's
You cannot but be apprsed that the system now in
existence in this Stale defective in its provisions
rules and regulations, that the distribution of the large
, fund to sustain it, is turned to but poor account and
ion with the public authorities. While our Lcgsla-
ture has manifested liberal spirit upon every other
subject and obtained for the State already gigantic
growth in the facilities OF public improvement, our Com
mon School system has not received that attention
which its merits and claims your patronage deman-
ded. AS continued Indifference the part of the
Legislature has not only checked its gradual improve
ment as public system, but actually paralised and
rendered hopeless the efforts of private enterprise to
promote It's Obtaining perfection, its eXs
ence only 10 excuse ind vi1ual eXertlon and
prevent the encouragement of private Schools. Alive
to every scheme of speculation where wealth or per-
sonal interest be advanced people have never
been sufficiently interested in cause OF popular educa-
E ton to induce them TO lay hold with appreciatlye
spirit and obtain for their children substantial
legacy in their mental elevation. Let them but feel
and know that cooperation with the public author,
ties and proper eXertion the part of both would
remove all the obstacles operating against
the efficiency Of the system, and exalt our primary
schools 10 rank among the first in the State. il pub
lie sentiment could be awakened up to the subject
new light spread abroad-the Indifference of parents
+ removed. and all who interested in the promotion
of education engaged in the work, then might soon
and appreciate the adoption of udicous system
o. Of Common Schools to the wants and condition OF our
people. 1t is for the Legislature TO begin this reform
and it is to your intelligence and patriotism ap
n peal in its behalf.
: A very commendabe spirit OF Improvement has been
exhibited by nearly every county in the State in the
:, erection of new Court Houses, Jails and commo
This is should be; and although betokens some
{ county pride. much more might be shown by the i'm
provement of District School Houses scattered
l. they through the several Counties and showing
by their condition that heyare overlooked dllapldated
and uncared for. Let them begin 10 exhibit signs oil
improvement and it will lessen the necessity OF
having finer houses for trial. punishment and suffering
= By raising our taxes TO build more suitable schoo
houses and to further extensive amendments tc
our School system would soon lesson the amount
f. now pay in the aggregate by diminishing the
e of crime and paupersm, for which sc
heavily taxed The statistics of Other States and coun
tries where udicous systems of public instruction have
been devised, prove this statement to be true Says
= Mr. Cousin, in very able report the Prussian sys
= tenn of common Schools, After the School system
had been in operation fourteen years. the proportion
IS of paupers and criminals had deceased 3S per cent?
e We may boast of our splendid Capitol-the elegant
Recommendations provided for the Deaf and Dumb and
Il the poor Insace of State; but unless exten
If used for improving the morals and ia
cating the education OF people, these monuments
of State pride, like the pyramids OF the DESERT will
ly attract attention because they tower in contrast tC
the darkness, crime and suffering that surround the
Re base. Their brightness will but to reveal the
deep gloom of ignorance beneath. Cold and lofty
s buildings will exhibit little evidence of State pride
unless surrounded by the School House mark alike
the progress of science and taste for architecture
ID Better that every valley should contain a plain bu
comfortable District School House than every hffoE
lie a splendid edifce. LIE: say, in the language O
Epctius TO the Athenans, You will confer the great
y est benefit your city. not by raising roofs, but BY
y exaltng the souls of your fellow, citizens; for it il
better that great souls should live in small habations
r thar abject slaves should burrow in great houses.
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