The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1856-12-20
Letter from w z. n. Army to Gov.
GearY.
IAu-prrcr K II -Dan 9Th ,RR

G0V. OF KANSAS I.--DEAR Dir
Feeling, in common with many others
in the States, deep interest and So
licitude for the future welfare of the
Territory of which you are the hon
ored Governor, and being favored
with position as member and off,
Ger of the National Kansas Commit
tee, which brings me in contact with
the suffering settlers of this beautiful
country. Whilst seeking out those
who require food and clothing to sus-
tain them during the present winter.
so that they may be supplied from the
liberal contributions of those whom I
represent, my attention has been call
ed, at various points, to the subject
of Education, and the necessity for
efficient provision, Immediately, for
the establishment of a good system of
Education in the Territory.
AS / anticipate becoming citizen
of Kansas, and have had, in the past,
considerable experience in Virginia,
Illinois, and other States-being at
present a member of the State Board
of Education of Illinois, take the
liberty of calling your attention to the
views / have formed, in relation to the
educational wants of the people who
are now, or may hereafter become, set
tiers of this Territory, and to solicit
from you such suggestions as you may
think proper to make, and to ask you
for such aid as you may have in your
power as the Executive of Kansas, so
as to begin to lay the foundation for a
system of instruction adapted to the
country, and which will bring forth
and develope its resources in every de-
partment, and prepare the way and
furnish the means for the establish
ment of institutions of learning, in
which all classes can receive instruc-
ton with reference to the avocations
in which they intend to engage.
There is no argument required to de-
monstrate the advantage of good sys-
tenn of popular education. All relig-
ious and political parties take but one
view in respect to this. The advanc-
ing civilization of our great Republic
is directly attributable to the broad
and liberal views taken universally of
the importance of common schools
Our people are generally what their
early instruction has made them: NOR
ally, intellectually and physically a
blessing to their age or, wicked, de-
based and destructive to the general
welfare. Hence every State should
have the very best educational system
which an intelligent government can
provide - and that system should be
adapted to the development of the
country and its people, agriculturally,
mechanically, and with reference to
every other department and avocation
in life.
There is no denying the fact
that it is folly to establish and furnish
means to maintain teachers for COM
mon schools, without simultaneously
establishing institutions, one depart
ment of which should be "NoRMAL
ScHooL" school in which TEACH
ERs are taught the art Of communicating
E1soaOLedgs.
1t is self-evident proposition that
sc the teacher must erist before the school
can be taught" and that therefore the
teacher is not only the foundation, but
also the only motive power of the
whole system. Whoever would be-
gin at the foundation of any sys-
tem of public instruction, must be-
gin by providing the means for fur
lishing the requisite supply of compe-
ent teachers. And without these it is
equally self-evident that any system
Of common school instruction, how
,ver wise in its laws and details,
ample in its expenditures,
prolonged in its sessions, or free and |
both to rich and poor, will
prove only an onerous and useless tax
% the one, and waste of time, if not
! positive nuisance to the other. This
great fact has been admitted and acted
lpon not only by all educators,
md educational conventions, but |
Ilso by the Legislatures of several
states.
You are aware, Sir, that there is no |
country in this Union which possesses
greater agricultural facilities than the
Territory of which you are now the
Executive officer. The development !
# the agricultural, mechanical and
aanut occurring resources of this great
country, l am assured you will agree
With me, should receive attention in
he adoption of any system of instruc-
ion for the people under your govern
nent.
One of our greatest statesmen has
aid =
No man is so high as to be Independent
the success of this great interest no man
so low as not to be affected by its prosper
" or decline Agriculture feeds US to a
Fc2b degree III clOtnec US NIiuVub IL VIC
ould not have manufactures, and We should
OF have commerce. These all stand to-
ether, but they stand together like pillars
4 cluster, the largest in the center, and
nat largest is agriculture. We live in
ountry of small farms and freehold tene-
tents country in which men cultivate
18th their own hands their own fee-sImple
Tres, drawing not only their subsistence,
ut also their spirit of Independence and
Iaaly freedom from the ground they pillow.
hey are at once its owners, its cultivators,
nd its defenders. The cultivation of the
nth is the most important labor of men,
IAN may be civilized, in some degree, with
ut great progress in manufactures, and with
tile commerce with his distant neighbors
ut without cultivation of the earth, he is, in
1 countries, g savage. Until he gives up =
Re chase, and fixes himself to some place,
nd seeks living from the earth. he is
,auling barbarian. When tillage begins, {
her arts follow. The farmers, therefore,
e the founders of human civilization"
Hence the necessity of institutions
learning, in which there is establish
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