Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-02-01
THE H ENQUIRER.
FRIDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY
COLLEGES AND FREE SCHOOLS.

Colleges and Universities are the parents OF AcaI
s,nies and Common Schools. We must first produce
the parents, and then rear the offspring. Weregre
that some Of the friends of general education sho""
take a different view of this subject, for no one is Z
warmer friend Of general education, 50 Tar Us i
practicable, than ourselves. knowledge loves 10 in'
part itself, and thus finds its way down from tue
learned to the unlearned. Besides, IT IS tue rlch ano
the learned who fashion and give tone TO society," Il
they neglect education, the poor will desplse II; but Il
they properly esteem and cultivate it, the poor VII
emulate their example. The want OF a desire TO Cd
tain education, is a greater failing with our people
than the want of the means TO procure it. 1t might
be said that the rich can educate themselves 81
they may, in some sort. by sending their children
North, but the increased expense of such foreign
education would exceed the cost Of a system OF free
schools for the poor.
The Free School System, with Colleges, Universe,
ties and Medical Schools, aided by the State, will cost
less than such Free School System alone. a thou
sand Of either sex, sent every year to Northern
schools, land more than that number would be Sent
without legislative aid to our higher %schools,) would
cost, aud take out Of the State at least four hundred
thousand dollars per annum. The teachers OF Tree
schools and private schools, who, in the absence oil
high schools, would be employed from the Morrill,
would probably cost two hundred thousand dollars
Der annum. A small part of this sum, retained al
home, would enable US to endow sufficiently our COL
leges, and, in addition to the present literary fund.
enable u, to establish free schools, wherever the po'
pulation is sufficiently dense to command o good
school. As a matter Of State independence, and
State defence, a good system of home education is
becoming Indispensable.
We do hope that, on mature consideration, all the
friends Of general education will see that we must
commence by educating teachers and this can only
be done by colleges, and other high schools, aided by
the State. Do not lot US continue to drive abroad our
most influential neil to obtain Quotations, which,
when acquired. will weaken their attachment to their
native State. Let mme and manufactures, the
mechanic arts, internal improvements, the develop.
ment of our mineral and marine resources, aud our
common schools, colleges and universities, be alike
fostered and encouraged. Thus, and thus only, can
Virginia become enlightened, p%opulous, and indie
pendent. The new avenues Of employment will at
tract capital aud population. The new industrial
pursuits will incite men to acquire education to fit
them for those pursuits; and the series Of measures
render us truly independent, by enabling US to pro-
duce cheaper at home, what WI now obtain from
abroad.
a State employed in one, or a few pursuits, is ever
weak. ignorant and dependent. The State that is Ell
gagged in all the occupations Of civilized life has done
all that human agency can do to render her people
happy, enlightened, wealthy and independent. Home
education, of the highest order, can alone bring about
such desirable results.