Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-04-20
AiigrRllanruug.
AN ADDRESS,,
Delivered By John II. Graham, at
a late session Of the Washington
Co. TEACHERS dissertation.

eration for the brief hour allotted me
at our present session.
Education begins with the cradle
and never ends. 1t is the primal
aud supreme desideratum of our ere
alton to which all else should be
auxiliary aud subseryient.
II i, the thcue Of themes which
as Far lranscends all olhers,a las the val
ne, veal, and destiny Of the human
soul transcends the value Of the
senseless clod.
We recognize as axioms which
ought 10 be regarded as postulatcs
IN the halls Of legislation, that every
child, by virtue of its existence, has
as indefcssablc right TO an educa-
ton as To the air or to the sunshine
an inherent right TO its Just share
OF the vast estate of knowledge,
thought, liberty, religion and tappI-
ness which the Creator has thus far
ia the course Of events, vouchsafed
to the human iamily--lhat 1t is the
paramount duty OF the State 10 ed
ucaie its sons and daughters. That
public education is the Ultimate end
Of State existence.
In no other department has pro-
gress been more palpablc within the
past 200 years than VI that of Uni
yersal Education, aud If some able
pen would give history Of educa-
ton, comprising especially the peri
cd mentioned, 1t would not only he
fraught with deep interest, but would
give new impulse To the cause.
More Advancement has been made
in Europe Than could have been an
tlclpaicd while ubsoluuon lords II
over that fair portion of man hert-
age, but the glory was reserved for
America Of making practical en-
bOdlmcni OF The IDEAS Of free gov
crnmcni-a Free Church aud Free
Scholastic three Oiyinely appoin-
ted agencies for the fullest develop
mcnl aud highest progress Of man on
earth and while we have too often
talked as If the experiment of free
government alone had been depend
ing on the fate of the American Re
public the solution Of the greater
problem of free schools--unlyersal
education, which Is the subsiraium OF
Rcpuhlcanlsm and without which II
could not c1ist-has also been sus-
pended on the fate of this empire
and now a model exists for the iml-
tiiion of all nalIuns-ul free pco-
pie governing themselves because
Ihey have the knowledge To enable
them to perform the duties of cilizens
Of free state.
The minimum, then Of State pub
lie instruction must lie Universally
conceded 10 be such rs will fit all to
perform well their duties as citizens.
Am thing less than this would eyi-
IDENTITY be fraught with ruin Ia tho
Ropuhlic-hul rs lhe highest inter.
csis of the State demand the highest
culture, II becomes tie imperaliN {
duty of the State to provide tho
means for such development and cul.
/ lure, and hence We arrive NJ the IN
conference.-the postum, that publ,
instruction begins with the pFlmar,
school and ends only with the Star,
University, and TO assist in carryin.
nut, tn lis fullest extent, this heaven
born icca of American education
should be the acknoN lodged dui,
and constant aim of every citizen.
In shor, mans whole duty may be
said TO be, to educate himself and tC
assist in educating others.
If tins is The high end to which
we oush, TO dlrcci all our efforts, II
is to us, a question of The greatest
importance.
What has Vermont done for its ac-
complishmonl
The civil fathers of the State laid
brond and deep the foundation Of a
State system Of public education in
pulling in effective operation oul
district school system, the lundamen-
tai idea of which must form the ha-
sis of all sure advancement and wll
with tho nrcrS safy adaptation To cir.
cumsianceS, furnish ample means fv'
an adequate common school educa-
ton, and while il is acknowledged
that the district schools Of Vermont
are very far from being what they
ought To be, yet have but little sym
palhy with those who are continually
iterallng aud relteraling that we are
not only behind almost every Other
State in the Union, but even so iaI
behind the times, that if we should
start soon, we need not expect &c
take old Chronos again by the fore
lock even to the end of the lace.
Now with all Difference TO the
hackneyed assertions of this class o.
retrogrossionisls, and making due al
owance for what of truth they utter
we respectfully submit, whether there
is not an exirayagan, amount Of BON
bast in all this rant about the tota
worlhlessness of Vermont schools
and the consequent ignorance of hel
people!
! submit it as my firm belief thai
our Green Mountain State is the
best educated Stale in the Union
that she possesses more general III
telligence and fewer instances of en-
tire lack of the rudiments of knowl
edge and that she has contributed
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