The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-08-29
Have our Common Schools d be-As
mericabising Influences

merchandising Influences
Startling proposition. Iftruc it is Tho
tocsin of alarm,-the precursor of our
downfall, tho death knell Of freedom
and of the hopes of humanity.
That the general diffusion of useful
knowledge is essential to the prosperity
Of our that all the certain
ty we can ever have that it will be per.
pctuated from. ago to age, tinaer God,
must be found in the intelligence and vir.
tue of the, people, e,-that no youth can bo
accH fitted to perform the duties of an
American citizen unless he has received
an. american education, are truisms, too
palpable to be doubted, misunderstood
or denied.
From a personal examination of hun:
dreds of teachers and tho visitation Of q
large number of these schools, the appall-
ing facts become undeniably evident that
they afford but small fraction of that
amount of useful knowledge which is ac,
credited to, and expected of them, iior
do they inculcate that sound morality
and public virtue which is the only suro
foundation of the Republic. and that they
furnish instruction more peculiarly Amer
lean than the schools Of Prussia and Scot.
land is lie, as deceptive and fatal aa
Death itself. ..
In addition I'd the alarihing fact, we'll
known to every active Educator in tho
state, that the majority of scholars ir
these schools are lamentably deficient in
the ordinary branches of a common Eng
]sh education, there are very few schol:
ars, or teachers even, who have any defus
ito knowledge of the History of Vermont
or of the United States. Scarcely
scholar can be found Sho can give sy-
nopsis Of the History Of their own natire
oourtry.-The majority know nothing
about it ezcep. few random ideas. The
Histories of France. Great Britain and
others are read and studied moro that
their own.
Scarcely scholar can be found who.
has any knowledge Of the con5titrtion Of
Vermont or of the United States, and
probably not not one hnndred of tho
young men of he state, educated solely
in these colleges (l) of the people who
have even read the Constitution of the.
United States and the Declaretion Of
Independence much less history of
the Governtheut Of theit own State or
the United States.
As proof. in part,-it has been found
by examination that a large ajority Of
our common school Teachers know not
how the President of the United States
Is elected.
How then, in the name of Heaven,
ask, are the 100000 youth of Vermont
being fitted to assume the responsibilities
and perform tho solemn duties of citizens
of the State of Vermont aud of the Amer.
lean Republic
Since these schools are the only sure
foundation Of this mighty ttt:pits end
can be made her GROWING glory-,ohat
must be done'
How has RoMe, that arch fcnd and
deadly enemy of all true Democracy in
church and state, attained the sure 81;
premacy OF nearly all Southern and
Western Europo-the British Colonies
of n. America, Southern and Central
America and is rapidly securing large
and dangerous influence in the United
States
The answer is obvious. BY tontroll
ing that ilimitabl5 po7setful ard allper'
vading principle of our nature" Train
up child in the way" you rant him 10
70 and when he is old he will not de-
part from it," BY giving a complete
and thorough RomiM education to fctU
and keeping the mass in dark, depraving
Ignorance.
Here, in part, Is an example in a bad
cause worthy of imitation in good one.
Proetde he means and see that ererY
youth obtainsa true AncricaD Educo-
ti0n
But are not the Common Schools Of
Vermont, as at present. conducted pro-
viding such an Education
answer cmphaticslly," Ro."-tnfsr'
initely below it.
Uhat then, must be done!
Star Of Vermont. VERMoNrrE.