Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-02-16

ucation in this State, we copv bv renuest
The subject is one of deep interest to our Deo-
pie, and it is TO be hoped will receive the con-
sideration which its importance demands,
Address to the Friends Of Education
Fellow CITIZENS AT recent meetino
Of the friends of education held in Augusta. It
was voted that the Executive Committee of
the Maine Educational Association prepare a
short address, in the hope that it might have
some influence in calling the attention of the
people of this State to the great and important
subject of education.
All will acknowledge that education and
general intelligence are the basis of our re-
publican institutions, and that all the children
of our State have an inalienable right to edu-
cation, as much as they have a.rinht to enjoy
the air and sunshine of heavet his being
admitted, duty devOlves on YIle State, the
duty of providing for every child just share
Of that education which ought to be provided
as freely and literally as the air and weather
We are told that Cadmus was wise man
who came from the East. He came into Boe-
otia, to people the most unenlightened Of any
in Greece. He brought with him letters, and
thus became the teacher Of the alphabet in
Europe. What mighty results flowed from
Hs
The letters of Cadmus were the starting point
of the present civilization and learning Of the
world. AS the alphabet is connected with
, the highest attainments in science and knowl-
edge, SO the school for teaching the alphabet
is the beginning and foundation of every high
er institution of learning. Without the high
er instruction the lower will decline, and
without the lower, the higher can never be
reached.
In our country perhaps it would not be well
for the State to exercise unlimited control
over education !; such as is exercised in some
, countries in Europe, for instance, in the mon
archical governments of Austria and Prussia
; But ought there not to be some unity in our
public instruction, some control, some head
d over our system of education to make it eff
/ cient and available to every child in our State
Ought there not to be a Board Of Education,
or something equivalent to 1t, composed of
men able and well qualified by their learning
, and fidelity TO awaken and keep alive an in
| terest in the whole people on the subject Of
education. We believe it to be Of great i'm
portance that there should be such Board
Massachusetts and other States are sustaining
e such systems of public instruction, which are
! generally regarded in their respective States,
: as of great use. Ought our own State, the
SO vital to the interests of the whole people
E In the last census we find that the total
number of those over 20 years of age who can
! neither read nor write, in this State, is 6282
persons. The proportion Of such persons to
; the whole white population is one in 94.6
e one in 1853 native population, one in rs for
: eign population. The proportion is consider.
ably larger than in several of the other New
England States, in respect to native popula.
ton. In New Hampshire, for instance, the
e proportion of those who cannot read or write,
TO the whole native population is only one in
Az; in Massachusetts one in 4I9; in Yer
mont one in 438. Thus we are quite dis
! lance behind these States. Have we not an
r ample field before us. upon which we can be-
stow any amount of educational labor and en-
ergy Who will not say that the time ought
to be rapidly fastened when there shall not be
an individual in our State who cannot read
e and write,
1t is we'll known that the educated mind re-
ceives far more for its services, than the man
who is barely able to use the spade or perform
the mere drudgery Of physical labor. And
r why! Because the former performs more
efficient part in the actual creation of wealth.
Bare labor is but small source Of wealth to
a State. Labor to be productive must be d.
: rected by intelligence, and the higher the de-
4 gree Of intelligence the more productive gen
orally will be the labor. And in general, the
4 wealth of any people will be in proportion 10
the prevalence among them of intelligence and
accurate, scientific and practical knowledge.
This might be amply illustrated by the vast
results flowing from the scientific attainments
of Newton, Davy, Fulton and others.
1t is then matter of public policy and in
> terest to have every child in the State receive
e good education. 1t is the duty, the privi-
e lege rather of the State, to afford ample means
for the instruction of all, and then to exercise
such supervision, and bring into operation
y such laws as shall require every child to reap
}, the benefits Of that education which the State
d provides. The one of these is as much dut,
: or privilege of the State as the other The
State ought to provide the means of education
and then permit no parent or guardian to in
ure the public interests so far as to suffer his
: child to grow up in ignorance. No parent
f or guardian has moral right to do this.
: We say, then, that the State must not only
= throw open the doors of the schOol-roOm to all
e the children within her borders, but must pro-
e vide the various means of rendering the school
efficient in its operation. A system Of public
instruction in State like ours, many parts OF
which are yet new and thinly inhabited, re-
4
in order that its benefits may be dffused and
properly improved by all. 1t requires the
consideration and paternal care Of our govern
ment, in fine distinct department Of the gov
eminent, with properly constituted powers to
e give all the provisions of wise system of in
structiOn, efficiency and force.
If every parent or citizen took deep inter-
: est in our schools and were studying their
+, wants, and the modes in which they might be
. improved, there would be less necessity Of a
. general supervision of them they would in a
manner regulate themselves. But is this the
easel We lament to say that it is far other
: wise so far as our observation extends.
e Our educational wants as State then become
manifest. We want thorough and efficient
system of public instruction; Board of E.du-
cation or something equivalent to it. We
. want Teachers Institutes, some provision
for teachers where they may acquire a thor
ough qualification for the duties of their office.
We want these at least, not as mere expert
: ments, but as fixed portion Of great system
Of education. Shall we have theml Shall
e education stand still in our States or shall its
march be cnwardt We believe there can be
:, but one answer to this question, when the
whole people bring back the answer
Lord Nelson once said in trying hour,
D and on an occasion quite unlike this, England
expects every man 10 do has duty. 1t is still
more true that our country expects and needs
to have every man do his duty. If the cause
of EoDular education is to flourish in orr State