Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-12-10
How shall Education be made availablel

How shall Education be made available?
THERE is a greater effort being made at pres
ent to educate the masses than ever before.
All over the land, colleges, seminaries and
academies are springing up and schoolhouses
dot hillside and plain. Parents are awaiting
themselves OF every facility, in some instances
even deprlying home of some Of its comforts.
in order to give their sons and daughters a
polished education. We arc fast becomipg
an educated people. We may yet rival the
elder nations of the east in science and letters.
How shall this great mass of knowledge be-
ing engrafted upon the living mind be made
available and instrumental in efect;ng the
greatest good? Too many seem to think
that after the routine duties of college have
been traversed and the diploma in hand, that
ffe's harvest has been gathered and the great
purpose of creation consummated. This is a
sad mistake into which TOO mary fall. An
other great error is the regarding of all out
side of the college walls as undignifed and
plebian. Too many regard a college course
as the only thing necessary to insure position
in society. A good story is told of Judge
} Ii. lie was one of the leading jurists in his
native State and was selected by the gradua-
I ting class of the College at-to deliver
the annual address before the M P Kappa
t society. By vote Of the class the Judges
theme was to be the Divinity of College edu-
cation" The day came and everybody was
; expecting a great gun. The following was
the address:
- lnTd1Pe EoUflo,,9o u13 Yam, n, rgT.
Graduating Class: You see before you a man
who never experienced a college education.-
lie was born of poor parents he grew to
&c boyhood on the plough handles, and to man.
hood a-foot and alone. His education was
cleaned from tOmb-stones and sign-posts. and
his first honors came in the shape Of a two
dollar fee for pleading the cause Of a negro
=. who had been Knocked down by a College
student. From that day | have entertained
a contempt for 'college-bred' boys, college
requirements and feel happy, on this oc-
:, %casion, in testifying of my thankfulness for
the poverty which kept me out of college, and
threw me back upon my own resources and
energy for a living. They have not failed
~ me and trusting that you may profit by my
- SANh PSS u Y nAoi VilUl bOd Lbul iii h
your first lesson in common sense by going
va to the plough handles, and working your way
!, up to the defence of a negro: then you will
be fitted for some degree of usefulness, ac-
cording to the degree of brains God has
endowed you with"
There is something more required than a
item mere course through college. There must be
the a subsequent education and a home and
cas- heart tutorage, to render what has been learn.
elu ed available for good. Without a high toned
eau moral principle as a guide, education will no
In be profitable to the individual or the com
a munity. Indeed it may prove most disas
over trous in consequence, by affording greater
they facilities and incentives to evil. The educa.
ting ted mind without a correct moral principI,
t be as a guide and mentor, is like the richl,
deed freighted ship in a dangerous sea without
wing helm or pilot. 1t may float away into a de
sert of waters, beyond hope of port, OF b
every dashed suddenly and rivep upon unseen rocks
them The great wealth Of letters that is now bt
one ing given should be rendered available. 1t
G, by fruits should be made manifest. A grea
their good should be received. The tree so care
She fully titled should yield a pleasant and pr,
emit to ftable harvest. This cannot be unless II
CHI educated learn that something more is r
Ger quired to m axe the perfect man besides IL
GER collegiate routine, and that a high tone
bscri- moral principle is the only safe pilot on life
q new great sea. Let these truths be acknowledgo
and p~racticed and we shall see the riches
e gal the great mine of letters distributed and Il
It the nation mace better ana wiser.