The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1853-09-21

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land female edacation 81 the highel
kind. Is the fact that many 81 III,
Schools have been founded by the en-
ergies. o. are under the canfrol Of na'
tive born and home educated ladies and
gentlemen. In short. our progress in
fhe multiplication Of male and female
Colleges and Academies. is without .
parallel in the history Of any State o.
country; and il is no essggeration g
say that while our population has IN
creased but little IN seventeen years,
the number Of male pupils attending
Classical Schools has been more than
; > trebled since the year 1856. and that
J the number OF girls receiving an edu-
: cation Of the higher kind is at least Sc
ven times. and perhaps ten times as
great as il was at the period designat-
ed, while the ratio of increase becomes
considerably greater each year. What
Is the cause Of all this | answer.
without hesitation, our system of Com
mon Schools. Much is due to the in
fluence Of religious societies. but in
former years religious societies made
exertions in the same direction without
much success. While a number Of
these societies have been undoubtedly
stimulated by a spirit OF progress which
seemed simultaneously and almost sud
denly TO pervade all classes and sacie.
ties IN our State, il was independent
OF particular men or particular bodies,
and yet il was Of course not mere in
spiration. but was, under the direction
Of Providence. born of some previous
cause.
In the first place. the mere establish
ment OF our system of Common Schools
did much TO awaken new spirit of
Education in all classes. Itplaced the
subject on higher aud broader ground
than il had ever before occupied in
North Carolina Ii gave to it the dig
nifty Of a fundamental political institu-
tion among people where every man
IS part OF the government ard takes
an interest in il. The people all view.
ed II in new light; and Churches and
benevolent societies availing themselves
OF thisnew step. and Of the feeling awak.
ened BY II, began a generous competition
10 see which could make itself most ac-
ceptable BY assisting most to help to :
chieve that condition Of things, that uni
versal intelligence which was consider
ed as inevitable, some day, from the ac-
ton Of the State. Nobly did they re-
spond to the call Of that government
pledged to the sanctity of conscience !;
and a glorious reward is before them,
with the hope Of political and religious
freedom for ages to come!
Again: Before the era Of Common
Schools in North Carolina, large and
somewhat Influential class Of our peo-
pie maintained their social position By
being merely able to read and write.
This was an advantage not enioyed bv
all +; and girls SO accomplished, il not
boys. could hold a somewhat aristocra-
. tic ,ank. When our system of Com.
mon Schools was established, il was
supposed that oil classes would sooa be
up to this mark and hence the middle
ranks very generally began to move fur
Their forward so as still to hold their re
lative position,
But lastly, the Common Schools have
acted in this matter By shedding light
on minds that otherwise never could
have been awakened, aud thus starting
on an upward career persons who have
struggled through Academies, aud then,
without resources outside Of their own
energies, and feeling, from practical
experience, the true wants nf the coun.
try, have made profits for themselves
and Benefited the country, by bring,
ing down classical education frnm its
arlstocratic perch and placing il in the
midst of the people. Thus new kind
OF Academies has sprung up; and men,
beginning to recognise the Importance
to themselves of Common Schools, and
to feel their dependence on the masses,
have flung open their doors to poverty
and rGsticity, and educated and bnard-
ed children on their promise to repay,
and thus multiplied new teachers, ma
ny Of whom, as the readiest way to re-
deem their pledges, have taken tempo
rary employment in the Common
Schools
But | must conclude this interesting
subject. which. bv itself. is worthvof
treatise. Suffice i, to say, our Common
Schools have been mainly instrumental
IN giving prodigous impetus to the
cause Of education OF a higher kind in
North Carolina have multiplied Col-
leges and Academies, maIe and female
have created and fostered spirit
that is universal, determined and irwin
cible-a spirit Of progress, which, in a
very few years, has advanced the Edu-
cational flag of North Carolina from its
humble and trailing position to proud
elevation over those of her Southern
sisters, and which promises even to run
i above The topmosty streamer Of the
Union! All hajlteythat rising flag.
all honS1 Gs that have run il
up! e proudly cuntem-