Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-06-13

and three college, because they cannot by proper
mana cement elevate themselves high enough to de-
serve public patronage, shall present themselves rs
hcnelrares at the duors Of the Legislature, and beg
n few dollars To cngthen out their expiring moments!
| Shall the State already grooming under burdens0me
taxes he drained of its TREASURY {" build up lis tottr-
in. colleges No let them 20 down. The truth Is,
there too many OF these s"-caed colleges III 'r-
! ,iuia already 4 multiplicity "f inferior colleges
| tends to lower tn. standard of education AMI the
Legislature would do good service Ia be more ju
,iicous in granting charters TO such in>tiutIOns.-
Subnerge the ten colleges ot Virginia INT" five, con-
,-utrnte their efforts, and let Us have colleges worthy
of the name There in all the New England States
but four more colleges than there are III Virginia..
Com,,ar them with our State, aud what is the start.
linz result! Maine. New Hampshire Vermont, Rhode
Island. Massachusetts and CunneciIcut continued,
have only onesixih the number OF whit" adults who
can neither read nor WRITE thnt there are Virginia.
We fear that SUM. of wonderful educational re-
formers are prompted more by desire to advance
;lcr pecunlary interests imam by dlsih'cre't-
ed ,IeyuedrlcSs the of education. An ,tlot
was mnd. Inst year BY the Rev. Mr.. Walton. 10 ~
| -embr II convention of tcnclcrs. Nothing was SaIh
about appealing 10 The Legislature The consequence
was Z failure; the convention having been a;trntcd
nly by iew in the immediate V!ciiiiv. Let Us ste
# some rlimmering hope of getting money does NOT
prompt the attendance Of II g""diy number on Ia"
3I We trust our noble Governor, will not, on nc'
count his generous zeal III the cause allow himself
10 be- male tn. catspaw for these inpncy.lnvng en-
ihu>iH-is to ich uut ui TIE puDlc treasury /" i""
dimes for personal uses.
~, wnrd say Ia every man who shall meet III the
convention, depend uol upon such adventurous h'>'
Seek not 10 u yuursclve, 10 ease upon the charity
of others, but 90 10 work. Depend upon your own
ryerIinn- To build up your sch"nIs ana c"',rsesi
Let the annual acresSlDns 10 the school l'ild De ap
prnpria.d "a diffusion of knowledge Among Tile
masses, who have n" the means ot acquiring collie
gate education. Thus let 0N be taught TT least Il"
read their native language. Connected, his the writer
l,,t Tf r,,.
d. considered obnoxious To the charge OF prejudice
against them; his sentiments cannot spring from Suc
n source. Tie general endowmrnt Of these iusiItu.
tnns, might enhance our interests by an increase 81
salary, bur crave il not, for we newer expect nor
d,.-ir. To live upon the earnings ni others.
| In what have said We do not wish 10 be under.
stood as seeking Ia oppose the movement which Is
contemplated. Let conventions DO held annually,
and throughout the State let the people be ar"u,ch
upon this ali Important subject aud fresh impetus
| be given, which shall be felt far and wide.
We close this article with SIM IL rei 'cnE: Is II
| not humiIIatng fact TINT there are in Virginia
nearly eighty thousand white adults who can neither
read nor wrrl l. il not time for us To arouse from
this state of lrthargy aud lend individual efforts
dsp-l these thick gathering clouds 81 i;nar%n"c!
j; mprtItyng tn reject how Iar tho Sortii !: OUT
stripping III this respect. We may talk OF North
crn nbuitiunsm and Northern IGHaicirfn and every
other abDminable generated at the North, but
when we compare the North mad the South IN an cdu-
catnnn point Of view, it is ennug 10 cause the blush
Of Shame 10 mantle our checks. In Virginia, tor IN.
stance, where adr:t a., :" b.. .,gmd cCIH" ut the
best sciiG;i! uI l.alHHs., We Scr mere in: there
!nr cabin Dedicated to the causc of education. Mas
sach.Srlis i. studded With noble cdfc"s of learning
I'D WHIST i. the great cHus" of this difference Is II
MT u.is 10 iIlc art HIT W i4 not rs people, pro
pUrly appreciate The ii.pr.iEIc " iIIs saUrc ana
are not sufficiently interested III il hecaIse We mis-
appr,h-ld the ends tn bc answered well Us The
best ugcans OF attaining those ends! But we wal!
NJ, DIS ell 700 lorg upon the dark -iie OF the p'cure
It i; encouraging 10 know that cur State IL beginning
10 c.ert hrlsc,l. ..nI :-e confidently look forward
to the tine when ss shalt wip6 OF tho trlmua.n.-
Our people beginning 10 learn thai education I+an
AT, requiring skill and preparatory learning, and that
the riucatiuu OF their children caunot safely be- en-.
,r SIZED Ia zoe ukg.n mental deficiency or physical
iufrn,y have re, .dcre, unit cr osegy n,-. Vai.Us.
God speed the noble cause - MtA1MLS. i
Richmond, Va, May 29. 1916.