Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-12-06
1851.
Popular Education

-0uCdCl0Q.
WINE our Legislators are busiIv engaged
In devising ways and means for .Io oaoonr-
agement Of the Agricultural and I.5-o..;aI
pursuits of our people, it is to bo ho.o5 th.t
the Educational interests of tbo St...-;u
not be overlooked and neglao.o1
convinced of the incalculable imno,tanna
disseminating light and knowledge
the masses of the people-of astoAI"I.
Schools and Colleges within the 49,"
means OF all classes. To this end on c.
mon School system was devised. and i,
Owmen of Colleges by the STATE entered ~
on by our lawmakers; but has all beon
that can be? Have the means emnloN1
been promotive of the ends contemplated
These are questions upon which we nroro..
submitting a few reflections.
First, then, as to the Common Scboo1s.
At the last session of the Legislature. the :;
efficiency of our Common School system wa.
universally deplored-vast amounts of moner
it was truthfnlly said, were annually distrib.
uted among the counties for Common Scboo,
purposes, but it was admitted on all hands
that a commensurate advantage was not be.
ing derived tlrerelrom. The enquiry at once
arose, how shall the remedy be Effected
That means sh1fI % r~sployed to doFelope
those advantages which ought to result from
this system. The general conclusion was.
that the system needed q head to direct, as
we'll as a body to concentrate-a general Su.
pervisor appointed to give practicability and
usefulness to the system-and no one rejOiced
more than did we, when such an Office wa,
created, and the present incumbent placed
therein. But has the Office met the expecta-
tons of the people, or answered the ends for
which it was created?
In investigating these questions, we are
reminded that during the first week of the
session a bill is introduced, proposing to
abolish the Office of Common School Superip-
tendant. Does this arise from opposition to
the Office itself, or to the administration there
of? When the establishment of the Office
was debated in the Legislature, it was adyo-
Gated on the ground Of the practical influence
it would exert upon, and the reforms itwould
institute in the Schools themselves, with teach
ers and pupils and not simply dry disser-
%tations, suggestions and reports to County Su-
p~erintendants and the Executive of the State.
Has it exerted any or all these influences
1t is an easy matter to point out defects in
the system and make long harangues as to what
ought to be done, but has any information
been communicated as to hOU these reforms
should be brought about? Has the General
Superintendent visited the Schools, conversed
with the teachers, examined their systems O
teaching, rectified errors, corrected abuses
! and seen that the benefits of his enlightened
! knowledge, judgement and experience were
communicated
= II such have been the operations and effects
of the Office, then it is accomplishing the end
: for which it was established, and ought by
Z no means to be discontinued But what i
a There are men in North Carolina who ca
make the Office what it was designed to be-
! ! let their services be called into requisition
and the Educational interests of the State b
e advanced by all and every judicious mean
e and agencies that can be employed.
J We had intended saying something %relativ
to our Colleges-but the space We had allo
d ed to this article compels US to be brief. w
know that provision has been made, to son
|, extent, for providing INDECENT young me
VI with a classical education, but it is not su
fcient to meet the necessities Of many WI
r. are unable to meet the demands for boardin
and other incidental expenses. Could not
stipulated sum be set apart from the Literar
fund, an equal amount to be allowed sue
students in our University and each of OF
Colleges? Might not other means be ado
va ted to foster and encourage a liberal systeI
of education among the young acomen of Il
he State also :?
ut. These suggestions are rudely and hurrie
" thrown together, but we hope they W
give rise to deliberate reflection and result
permanent and great good to the importa
interests of Popular Education.
nd