Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-10-16

Now, how far can our totsi Grpral means be MAD
to supply in the best way, this host OF cuaGry minds
To answer this question We must solve three pro
blems
lst. To abolish the charity feature altogether.
2nd. Begin at the head and 20 down to the foot o
en- Affiliated system Of instruction.
Sd. Place the cchools in the hands OF the schools
education in the keeping end under the care oil edu
Gated men.
All distinctions between classes OF citizens ar
odious in n republic. The public laws, providing
common benefits for the people, should know u,
classes - no rich and no poor. Distinctions "hici
raise Up enc class above another, are detestaole, ant
distinctions which IoJer and depress any class, ar,
more dstestable and intolerSbIe alil. The presen
system degrades the INDECENT, by doing OFT { mite o.
free tuition; it allows not the poor TO taste O.! t:is
more delicate food of the mind, and leaves them bu'
little o? the cOarser hualis which It provides. Now
We claim that whilst the bodies OF the poor may b.
content with scauty supply Of the coarser food and
raiment, yet the spirits and intsllants of those who
have spirits and iutelects, may righisully ci.Ta 10
feast on the more refined nourishment when TIE
higher schools alone can afford. The present sys
TEN brushes the poor down 10 inequality, and we pro
pose 10 raise them up to their ju1l proportion OF the
power Of knowledge. We wish to lnGhe tie hIghe!
and the highest schools bear a just portion OF tile
care and burthen OF ~elevating all classes alike &c
their true dignity in the scale OF popular sovereign
ty. The State must not allow any OF her children 10
lag behind tbs others in the means of mental and
ulOI al FulCh w u 30 hD HeS'S
concerned. The higher schools have noble charities
to perform az well as the lower, and the INDECENT
must have the advantages OF the highest as WelEs
of the lowest schools. Their numbers ought TO De
apportioned among all the schools, according 10 tneir
ages and progress and the grades of instruction. 1hls
the Door in means but not in minds have the right
to expect the State to do for them. A sIund, well
affiliated system. and q republican community OF III
struction TO all classes, would make all equally bene'
~fcisries, without degrading any.
And, sir, in the second place, you must begin H.
~tellectual exactly opposite to where you begin physi-
cal structure. The foundation OF q house is below,
but light must come from above. Physics Leair 10
construct at the foot, but mind and spirit begin at the
head and the heart. Of the material man we say,
"ex pede Herculem;'' but of the intellectual man we
YOU must have tsschers-to have teachers you mus;
have the higher schools. For the sake OF the COM
mon schools, we must cndOw and cherish orr Univer-
sity and colleges and institutes and higher schools.
And, in the third place, the schools must be in the
care and under the superintendent Of the schools
the teachers must be made their liduoiari6s. they
must be paid and be responsible for their superin'eil'
dence. No class of men are so Interested TO apply
the funds efficiently and economically, aud their
agency will ex'inguish the whole costs and commits.
sions Of disbursements. 1t is time that the funds OF
education were taken out, of the hands OF any body
and every body not most interested in their best ap
~nlication, and placed in the hands of those who are
responsible for sound instruction.
With these views, / have digested q plan which l
will in due time submit in writing. / have shown
YOU the defects and maladministration of the present
system; / have summed up the means aud pointed TO
The crying wants OF the children OF the Common
wealth. The only question reri0!n!ng is, What Is the
bee, plan Of u salutary reform!
The present plan don't pretend to provide Tor more
than II COS pupils, and for that number for only
about oaejffh of q scholastic year of 265 days. 1t ia
not equivalent TO a provision for 1921 pupils for Il
whole year. Every one knows that twelve months,
continuous tuition for tmo is worth far more than %
dsys' tuition for ten pupils. Time is required to
form q habit of study, and too short a time for in
struction ia just time enough to teach a child to for
pet. 1t is better, therefore, 10 teach Il few for o time
long enough to impress their memories and form
their habits, than the many for a time too short to
make any impression upon them at all. Forty one
thousand, then, for So days are not equivalent to
s 200 TOR one year. But admit it to be 30, l propose,
in the first place, with present means, to provide tor
a greater than than the present number for a much
longer period Of time than they are now provided
for. Thus
For the number under I and over IL years
of age, 100000, l propose 1,l4iD infant
primary schools, about So pupils to each
school, and $50 to each teacher, to be
paid by the State, in addition to the pay
Of pupils for tuition, ll3,2OO
800 high PRIMARY schools, for the number
over II and under 10 years of age, 5000
about 100 pupils to each school, and 800
to each teacher, 36JOOO