The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1857-11-26
TERMS --$l,25 PER AMEUM.

earnestly wishing that you may be
Christians. Before you can be such
teachers as you need to be, and such as
the world so much needs, you ought to
become earnest, devoted Christians Will
YOU be so? VIII You love and serve
God, and then labor for the salvation of
your pupils?
Moral culture is the great lack of the
Common Schools at present. THY are
Goddess =" without God and without
hope"-for / have no hope of nation or
people except in God 1t has been
thought to be enough to train the intel
lect of youth. / used to think so that
this intellectual culture and refinement
alone, would eradicate error, and prejudice,
and partisanship, and quarrels, and dis
sensons from among mankind | don't
believe a word of it now. The heart
needs cultivating. Train the head as
much as you please, and you only are
placing sharp weapons in the hands of Il
madman. To be "smart, cute, "good
at bargain, is not enough. We have
already had enough of this, and far too
much, in bringing about the present fl
nancial crisis "Smartness," "shrewd-
ness" and the like terms are only another
name for dishonesty and dishonor, and
those who practise them have already
brought our country to the verge of ruin.
Extravaganza, license, lust, infamy, aud
perdition belong in the same category.
know smart people" think Christians
fools, stupid, unidentified, tame. sus-
pect even Thackaray and Dickens think
SO; for these writers so describe pious
people And hosts of their readers and
those whom they instruct, think so. But
Christians, alas know and lament, that
they, and such as they, are indeed fools
and blmd;" and that the world can never
be substantially benefited, but always
made worse, by them and their efforts.
But | pass to inquire a r
". Hho really are and ought to 6s
Interested IN the loeyare Of the CommoH
Schools ....... ........
Teachers are so Us matter of course,
as we have seen. So are our County Su-
perintendents, as they ought to be. So
is the State Superintendent and the Gov
ernor of the Commonwealth. So are
ministers of the Gospel. None have done
so much for the cause of education in our
land as they have from the first. So are
editors and authors of good books. So
are lawyers and physicians generally IN
terested in education. Upright judges
and legislators, all truly pious persons,
and philanthropists of whatever trade Or
calling, are interested in the welfare and
instruction Of youth. Every wise and
good parent can but feel that solid learn
ing and discipline, knowledge combined
with virtue, such as good education I'M
plies, is the best inheritance that he can
leave to his child. All men in fine, every
where, who think; all who love whatso-
ever things are true, whatsoever things
are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things arc
of good report; if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise, all who think
on these things, the entire commonwealth,
take interest in the Common Schools.
You will not then, 0 teachers, go forth
to your posts alone and unbared for this
winter. You go as our representatives.
We repose such confidence in your fidelity
and ability, zeal and integrity, that we
propose to send you out as those who shall
rightly represent us and our interests in
this matter of educating the people and
their children. If in the prosecution Of
your work any of you should meet with
opposition or injury, the whole body of
US, your friends, will suffer with you, and
we shall feel bound to see you rlghted
Or if any of you is honored for your
faithfulness and good deserts, we shall all
of US rejoice with you, and delight to ex-
press to you our satisfaction whenever
occasion may offer US to do SO. is-'
! You are not then sent out alone. The
hearts of the good and the true go with
you to your field Of labor From the
Governor of the State and the President
of the Republic down to the humblest
virtuous citizen, we all feel interested
in you, or ought to do SO and | am but
the mouthpiece of the whole community
when | make you this assurance. sst
/ | know many are apt to overlook their
duty in this matter, or to leave it to be
done by others. | call upon all in this
county to reflect upon the importance of
educating the children. Let the neglect-
ed be. sought out, the destitute be aided
and encouraged. In borough like this,
we need, as in the city, three quarters Of
the gear at least, a good public school. it
is not sufficient that there is a good
Academy. We must have this; but We
need to have still more. A host of little
children cannot attend the Academy, and
would do better in the public school for a
while, if they could. And in the country
: we want more schools, and larger ones,
and better ones. No child should be de-
prived of education for want of a school,
non Gay+ ho,,o Nben ho haa m