Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-12-12
For the Spectator.

.Mesrs. Editow:-Your promptness in the dis
charge of your editorial duties has placed your
numerous readers under many obligations to you
at various times, and they all have renewed cause
for thanktulness in that you have furnished them,
at so early date, the Message of our Governor.
say we are thankful, for, notwithstanding all
that may have been said of Gov. Johnson's acts
and words, we think all sensible persons must be
pleased with The general tone, subject matter and
good sense of this executive yaIedictory. Of
course no one Will agtee with the Governor in all
his suggestions and arguments, but all must ac-
cord to him the meriIed praise OF having exam
ined carefully all the great interests of our good
old commonwealth, and of having bestowed much
thought upon them. But, it is not our intention
to enter upon criticism of the message we only
desire TO call attention 10 single feature Of it
we leave the discussion Of its subjects as whole,
10 ADLER pens and to those having more leisure for
that purpose.
We-wish TO notice briefly, the educational part
Of the Message-and we think the friends oi pop
ular education will concur with the Governor in
his views upon this subject in the main; foE thew
are marked with foundation of good common
sense-which is more than can be said of the
views Of many men that enjoy the reputation of
having more ability than Governor johnson.
hope all will read this portion of the Message, at
least, and bestow some thought upon il, for the
Governor truly says, 1.-The cause OF education,
and especially that Of primary schools, is second
to no great interest of the Stale. ] should be-
derelict in duty if failed to recommend it in the,
strongest terms to your favorable consideration"
He speaks encouragingly of the University,
and recommends additional encoufagements for
INDECENT young men to seek its deep fountains of
learning; and well he may commend it,, for our
| NIT oil hair
thing with more regard than that central sun of
Staie-yes, and OF national education, but we are
sorry that he did not suggest some needed reforms
in it, the identical ones you 50 ably advocated in
your last issue Though the University be our
educational idol. we should not be blind 10 its de-
tects and the true way 10 continue its prosperity,
increase its usefulness and place it in a still high
er position, is TO elevate its standard OF honors,
and gather within its halls those only who are
capable OF approaching lis advantages, and re-
aecng credit OF. its instructions. You say truly.
"the University is the rival of every College and
Academy, and odd field school, in The State !"-
Why should this be 500 Let justice be done to
all. Let the primary school be one, let the Acad-
envy be one, let the College have IFS own sphere,
and in like manner let the University be content
To be the centre of our SYSTEM and give light and
heat 10 all our educational interests, without at
the same time depriving the secondary systems of
the power OF rejecting the light she dispenses
We hope some qualification will be required for
admission there, and that the students now there
unqualified to receive benefit from the elevated
course OF study there pursued, will be sent back
10 swell the numbers Of the schools of lower
grade, where they belong and so aid those schools
and enable them from the increased patronage to
elevate their standards, and become the perma-
nent sources for the supply OF well qualified appli
cants for University instruction.. The Legsla-
lure has the power to confer lasting benefits on
The cause Of education in all its departments, bya
lew judicious reforms there, and il is well known
that none would be better pleased than some Of
the able Professors of the University itself.
But we are leasing our proposed subject. The
Governor speaks in high terms Of the Military To-
sttule, and the benefits that have resulted from
the education of the INDECENT there, and requiring
them to teach for limited time in the State, at.
Ter leaving the Institute, and recommends that
the same privileges for State students, with the
same provIso, be extended to the Colleges. Now
this is all well enough, but Will submit u to the
observation of any one conversant with the schools
of The Stale, if this State patronage would not be
more generally useful if extended to lower grade
of schools than Colleges and to a lower grade Of
teachers than those furnished by the institutions
TO which he recommends the extension OF aid.-
And why? The profession of teaching schools of
a NIGH order, in this State, is esteemed highly
honorable one. and schools of this kind abound In
all urls OF The State, engaging The lime and at
lenliun OF gentlemen ably qualified 10 oil any STA
ton in life. This Is as II should be- and II speaks
volumes Of praise 10 The good sense OF the people,
aud tie refined COED SENSE OF the teachers them
selves. Bot al the same time il must be confessed
that we have no primary schools, as general
thing and for the good and sufficient reason that
We lave 10 primary school teachers The grad
yates CT the University, the Colleges, and the In
sltute all find ready employment as teachers OF
! high schools and Academies, while the humble,
though ii anything more important Urinary
schools, are utterly neg ected or etl to unsL Dlful
hands; and the artist, well skilled TO bring Oul the
brilliant points Of on unpublished gem, tuO Oflen
finds lis finest faces fractured by him that first
picked ii up THIS is subject that demands at
tenlUn, one that comes home 10 the hearth-sones
oi all That pay The capiialion tax, that forms the
largest part, 1t | mistake not, Of our "liierary
fund" The children az home are the ones inter-
esed i'll this; The children in all The homes OF the
! Commonwealth; and the influence Of This portion
OF education is greater on the mass Of the people
| than any other. We say ia this case as in all
others, let ample justice be done 10 all lei the
'lilerary fund" be expended Tor the benefit Of all.
Furnish INDECENT young men the means OF acqul-
rlng educanons To lit t'eln ~ becOme the teachers
of high schooIs, by aiding the University, the
Colleges, and The Institute, but at the same time
permit other INDECENT young persons Of both sexes.
that do not aspire 10 collegiate h0nOrs, ~ enjoy
The benefits OF our high schools and Academies.
in educating them " teach the primary and CON-
mon schools of the State, and let the proper pro-
portion of The "llterary fund" be divided among
the Academies to aid them in doing this, and we
NAV res, assured that the same benefits Will result
to our primary, that have resulted to our high
schools The Academies would be benefited by
having increased numbers, and The disgrace Vi our
present system removed, BY having conf etent
teachers Tor our common schools
It seems that The General Assembly has at this
time over SO 100 which it may appropriate 10
Colleges, Academies, or Intermediate schools, by
law oil 1921 and 10 addition 10 this, there is a
fund oil some $37 100 at its disposal over and
above the So UUU heretofore disbursed.
Now we ask why shall not a portion Of this 60
to the schools that educate the teachers for the
children Of the people9 Why shall not portion
OF this be applied Tor educating those in the hum
bier walks OF lite, for the highly important and
honorable positions of common school teachers
Let some one of The members of our Legislature
bring forward, and carry through, bill " elect
this object. and he will have taken step forward
in the cause OF popular education, that will eni-
tie him to the gratitude Of The people more than
any single measure or pulley that he could intro
duce " them at this time.
He would make general education popular,
sooner, in this way, than in any other, and help
to realize the blessings Of general diffusion OF
useful knowledge, So well set forth in the Message.
But enough for this time. We shall have
something 10 say hereafter on our school system
IN general, and the manner in which it is applied