Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-05-28
[Tor the wheeling Inteulgsncsr.l
EnnnAnTnM

EDUCATION.
MEssRs. EDTToRs:-A good education is the
richest legacy we can leave our children. In
order that education may become universal. Il
Is necessary to have q general system of Free
| Common Seh0OIs claim that by education
the property of the State is enhaneedi in value;
/ therefore It should educate the children Of the
State The interests of every citizen are pro.
NOTED In 50 many ways, and to SO great an ex-
tent by educating the mass of the people, he
can well affnFd IN hn taxed to defray the ex.
pense OF education, whether he mas, ~ has no.
children Of his own to send to school, II is
cheaper to educate the people, than tn pay the
/ expense Of crime, which will exist where edu-
cation is not enjoyed. There is much evil
which wholesome education will, in a ereat
wealth, the intelligence, the virtue, and the rep
utation of the Stale. A general system of Com
mon Schools, common to all, will succeed in ed
ucating nearly the entire mass Of the people,
It promotes fraternal feelings, and social equal
lty among the entire rising generation. 1t pre-
vents thecnltiVatiOn Of aristOcrntic feelings and
the formation of separate distinctions in the
community 1t has an important influence in
moulding the character of society and the Sys.
tenn of social intercourse. Common Schools
should be raised to such grade that all classes
will patrOnize them from self interest. II re-.
quires the aid and influence of the wealthy and
/ the Vlrtuoua. Among the agencies employed in
giving effect to n system of general education.
are teachers of Public Schools They should
| possess not only the requisite qualifications but
should have good moral character. teacher
may be proficient scholar, and may possess
ability to impart instruction with success, but
If his instruction is Immoral in its tendency IL
is worse than ignorance. Profanity is not less
violation of morality than FdlsahOOd or
Drunkenness. person that makes use of
Prctdne language, or gets drunk, is not fit
person to be entrusted with the instruction of
youth. Such vices beget recklessness of
thought and acton-a moral vacuum, where ev-
| cry EVIL may lind a sure receptacle; and in ten.
der youth, person entrusted with their charac.
ters, their prospects, and their usefulness,
should not be guilty of such immoralities An
instructor OF youth should no more be guilty of
such vile practices, so degrading and debasing
to the mind, than the minister that occupies
your pulpit Children learn very much from
example, more than most people are aware of
therefore, their instructors should be persons
pure IN principles guilty Of no debasing prac.
tees.
But have we not teachers, even in Ohio coun-
9, that make use of prOfane language, and
think no harm to take "spree" on Saturday
afternoon or eveningY This is not as It should
be. Such vices should not be tolerated in a
person whose business and occupation is the
teaching and training of the young mind A
school should be place where nothing of de-
oasing character or influence could gain admit.
lance; 1t should be place capable of inspiring
cheerful, sound and pure ideas and thoughts
which ever springs, and springs only, from a
pleasing association of objects. The people of
Virginia should wake up to their true interests
The friends of education and the people at urge
should feel an interest upon this subject It is
to be hoped that at no very distant day, the
people of the "Old Dominion" will awake TO
their true interests, and the standard of educa.
hon will be raised; that she will establish gen.
eral system of education, so she will not be sur
passed by any of her younger sisters of the
Republic, in the Morals, Intelligence and Edu.
cation of the masses of her citizens and this
can only DC done by adopting a general system
OF Free Common Schools We believe that
well regulated and efficient system of Common
Schools is the basis on which rests the perma-
nency of our Government, and the centre around
which clusters the only hope of the Patriot,
Phllanthropist and Christian, for the perpetuity
of our civil and religious privileges Every
child IN the State should be taught the duties of
ODtcers aud the law of Grimes, and the general
principles Of civil government, including the
constitution of the State and of the United
States, Let public sentiment be aroused, and
this cause be made the patriots cause. Let
PhilanthrOpists' efforts be ceaseless and let all
classes OF our community be impressed with
the truth, that call is sounding for their advance
in that cause which demands that the children
OF 1.-THE Mother of States" without distinction
OF sex or condition, should have unrestrained
access to fountains of Public instruction. in
order that our free government may be trans
mitted to our posterity. Let this be done and
we may look for results greatly augmenting in
dividual prosperity and the greatness of our
State, in the Wealth, Energy, Enterprise, In
au'try and AaetIigsHee..Of the people.
II. WILSON.