The Washington union., 1857-09-24
EpucArroN m NoRrn cAnoLrNA.

We have before us a pamphlet copy Of the address
delivered in July last before the State Educational
Association of North Carolina, by William W. Hol-
den, esq, of Raleigh. Mr. Holden is favorably
known to the country as the able and accom-
plished editor Of one of the most influential demo.
cratic journals in the South, In the new character
in which he now appears he has not only laid the
citizens of his native State under obligations for his
gratifying exposition of the present commercially
liberal system of public instruction in North Carroll
ma but he has brought together array of startling
facts in regard to the school systems Of other States
the publication of which we think viii lead to the
most beneficial results. .....
A large portion of the address is occupied with
facts and figures in relation to the commonschool
system. and common-school fund Of nearly all the
dates. From those facts and figures Mr. Holden de-
duces the following results;
The average length of the schools of Maine whose sys
tenn is in highly aourishing condition, is four months
and three weeks of New Hampshire, five months of
North Carolina four months
Maine distributes about 10 cents to the head of her
white population New Hampshire about the same; Vr
ginia, cents Connecticut nearly one dollar North
Carolina about SO cents Pennsylvania nearly the same
as Connecticut and New York and Ohio fraction
over one dollar each to their total white population
North Carolina though her white population is 200 900
less than that of Kentucky expends nearly as much as
she does for educational purposes.
North Carolina has a larger school fund than Maine
or New Hampshire New Jersey (by 81 500, 900 or
Maryland Virginia, (by $780, 900 or Massachusetts
(by $500, 900 J or Georgia, (by 81 600, ,OOOD
North Carolina has many colleges as Georgia. more
academies by IO0 and 900 more common schools. The
two States are about equal in white population.
North Carolina has colleges than South Carolina
academies by l00 and nearly three times as many
children at school
Virginia has $40 900 white population more than North
Carolina yet the latter has quite many colleges the
former many academies, and five or six hundred more
public schools. b.
Kentucky has 200 900 white population than
North Carolina yet the latter has many colleges as
the former many academies more common schools by
10OO and as many children at school as she has. The
same is substantially true in the comparison between Ten
nessee and North Carolina.
1t must also be borne in mind that North Carolina
has large cities like Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia.
and Kentucky to build up and sustain colleges and high
schools
Upon calm review of the entire facts it is neither inn
modest unjust to assert that North Carolina is clearly
ahead of all the other avehodng States with her system
of public instruction while she compares avorably in
several respects with of the New England and North
western States
But though educational condition and prospects
thus cheering we have only made good beginning in
the great work There from fifty to sixty thou
sand children in the State ,oo 90 TO school, We must
reach these ALSO the most of them for in ten years
nearly all of them who males will be citizens and
will vote to make laws to govern you, themselves, oil
of What if they grow up in ignorance and vice. they
will not be the only sufferers The intelligent the vir
tuous and the of property especially all deep
ly concerned in this movement and behooves them
to do everything that can be DONE Justly and with re
son. to prevent as well as to diminish, vice and crime
Ignorance creates injustice and crime Injustice and
crime create courts of courts of law create taxes
and men of substance have these taxes to pay.