Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1853-08-03
COMMON SCHOOLS


cupied my time in travelling, in corresponding with
the friends and subordinate officers of the system,
and in the study of popular systems of Education In
| other States and countries
desire to go into each County in the State to
anime the records of the Common Schools to see for
myself what has been DONE, what doing and what
the difficulties in the way of greater success and
while travelling in the different Counties wish to
diffuse all the information l well to obtain
the views of other friends of the On this
count have made appointment to deliver dis
course at the County seat of each County visited;
plan which very materially impedes my motions,
but which nevertheless deem best to pursue,
if but few persons should attend my appointments,
and if should as often do have to expose myself
good deal to all kinds of weather to fulfil engage
ments made without the power of foreknowing the
contingencies of the future.
My object, in making public talks, is to dfuse in
formation, correct what conceive to be erroneous
opinions and to stimulate to renewed efforts the
friends of popular enlightenment and improvement;
and to give to the substance of these talks the widest
possible circulation, have concluded to address them
to you, as mark of respect to you the official
Head of the Sate-hopng also that your interest In
the success of our system of Common Schools will
induce you to lend your aid to all efforts directed to
its improvement. The least acquaintance with hui
man nature teaches that men will not labor hope
fully in the dark and slaves having interest
in the result of their labors, will soon tire and put
forth but feeble eXertOnS when they cannot see or
know in any way the effect of the blows which they
strike. To know that are making progress is the
great stimulus to human exertion and yet in regard
to the operations of our system of Common Schools
we have, for ten years and more, been kept in pro-
found ignorance The experiment being novel and
an arduous needed all the encouragement which
the fullest light could afford well to stimulate our
zeal to learn to avoid errors; but the curtain
has not been once lifted to give glimpse of
general progress. In such state of things 1t is
but natural that doubts and misgvings should arise
and among any people less tenacious OF purpose
system requiring so much light and so much nursing
care, would not have numbered decade of years,
enveoped as ours has been in almost total darkness
1t will afford me infinite pleasure to lift, by the
aid of recent laws, the veil which has concealed the
growth and development of the Great Hope of the
State; and although unpleasant defects may be
exposed, the necessary result OF circumstances
feel that every true friend of human happiness
will be grated at the progress already made, and
at the cheering prospect of future advancement.
On account of the ignorance prevailing in regard
to the general results of our system OF Common
Schools some persons have considered it failure;
and it is generally agreed that failure, if we have
failed, is to be attributed to the want of funds.
feel myself able to prove in the first place, that
our system of Common Schools has not been fail
ure and in the second place to demonstrate that the
alleged is not the true which has prevent
ed greater And trust that if your Excel
ency should see fit to have these views brought to
the attention of the public, they will be seriously
read and examined by all interested, whatever side
they take that the 1cts and arguments adduced will
be well considered, and if found to justify the con-
illusions drawn, be generally recorded in the minds
of the people, This is said to be stirring age-it
is certainly not remarkable for its memory of former
misfortunes blessed it is with many advantages
and glowing with antcipatlonS OF still better things
in the future
In the multiplication of Colleges and Academies,
we have forgotten former dearth of Literary In
sttutions; and having school, not perfect we
could WISH near every mans door, get easily IT.
rated at little difficulties and talk of falling back
our subscription system, as if we had ever enjoyed
such a system!
Sir, although you have reaped many popular hon.
orS it is neither improper dlSreSpecttul to call
you a comparatively young man; certainly am one,
and cannot we both recollect when there not
Schoolhouse for every twenty miles square OF terri
tory in the State? When in the most enlightened
country neighborhoods the leading heads of families
could not succeed otener than in two years in
getting made up a subscription school for the three
winter months? And when the "articles" of the
teacher often written by the chief men in the
neighborhood; and when Grammar, Geography,
bookkeeping surveying, &c., &C., were things never
heard of beyond the precincts of Colleges and Acad
emies ? / remember these things distinctly; and L
distinctly remember that though raisedi of the
best educated country neighborhoods in the Statea
moral Presbyterian community which has contrlbut-
ed number of distinguished men to the learned
professions had the privilege from infancy to the
age of fifteen, when began Latin at an Academy,
of attending just short schools of about three
months duration each, and at two of these was
boarded out from home And 1t was thought that
my neighborhood enjoyed unusual advantages in this
respect and in fact my acquaintance with the pro-
gress of things in this State satisfies that my
experience is much more favorable test OF our old
my contemporaries. L examined to test my quail
fications to practice Law with now distinguished
Editor of Raleigh* 1 think he told me he
a Grammar before he was sub-editor, and in fact
he picked up most of his education in printing of
flee. He is of a thousand all perhaps not equal
ly energetic; and the history of vast majority of
our most rising would put to utter shame the
present complaints in regard to the facilities of edu
cation. Sir till within the last few years. men in
poor or moderate circumstances had facilities of
education in North Carolina few neighborhoods
excepted, they had to shift, and scutfe, and work
with an enterprise and economy of means and
time to which the rising generation total stran
gers Men in the middle and humber walks, de-
string good education, had to contend against public
opinion, often against parental wishes and against
what would now be considered in view of the cost,
a hopeless poverty of pecunary resources The costs
were great always including board and high tuition,
at distant Academies and to raise the by teach
ing was then much more difficult than at present
there were few schools to be taught, and general
apathy on the subject and little sympathy felt for
such persons.
This is very faint picture of the former condition
of things of the Dark Ages in North Carolina of the
Egyptian bondage for return to which some are
signing Sir, had system of subscription
schools to speak properly-perhaps only five men
in six could write their bonds, and not one in
five hundred could understand Geography the great
science of modern times write grammatical article
for newspaper, survey piece of land, or demon
strate the simplest rule in mechanical geometry. To
be able to read plain text and write their names
was the highest female accomplishment of the middle