The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-08-30

EDUCATION IN VIRGINIA years 7SV-
fifteen, perhaps-M-. Wise, then q member 81
Csogrsss from Virginia, bad a severe alteration
in the House with gentleman from New Eog-
land In the course of which Mr.. Wise thanked
God that there was cot q COM mon school nor 9
printing press 70 be found IN the district OF Ac-
conac, which he Represented Times have
changed since then; Mr.. Wise IL now Governor Of
Virginia, under new constitution, which pro
vides tina: tie capitation tex. amounting to about
quarter OF million per snram, shaA be sp-
piled to educational purposes and We find Gov
ernor Wise taking an active part in a convention
held for the purpose Of recommending TO the lie
gis'ature the best means of appropriating the
fund This is step in the right direction, and
although it is only small sep, yet we nail with
satisfaction any attempt to remedy the condition
of the poor white laborer at the South. Com
pared TO him the slave is priacc, and the down
ttodden millions of Europe" happy, comfortable,
we'll lodged, we'll informed, we'll fed people.
But our Virginia philantbropists have still
great deal to learn. We give elsewhere the scvc-
raj speeches of Governor Wise at the convention,
ard it will be easy to see that the worthy chief
magistrate vas talking al random. He SACRED
at the common school System of the North which
he evidently does not understand, and appeared
particularly distressed because grammar was no.
taught in che primary schools OF New England.
Now New England primary school, strictly
speaking, is one where pupils are taken between
the tender ages Of four and eight years, aud they
would hardy be prepared for the nitric acies OF
LEdley Murray or GOold Brown. The
common school system of New England
is not perfect, but it is the NURSERY
from which she has sent forth her greatest states
men. Der mo.t eloquent orators, her most skilful
mechanics; and it is in her old red schooihousss
that she has fitted the men and women who teach
the first families of Virginia, and the merchants
who send the cotton and the tobacco Of the South
into every open port on the globe. When Gov.
Wise sba!! give to Virginia laborers the educa-
ional advantages enjoyed by their Northern
brethren there will be no need Of Commercial
Conventions 10 deyciope the resources OF the Ola
Dominion, or to attract 30 her ports the ships Of
all the commercial nations Ct the earth.
The goint, however, which is most striking
placent manner in which the appropriation of
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for com
mon school education in Virginia is spoken of
1t must be remembered thAt this sum Is considered
sufficient for the education of million Of people,
whsn we pay eight hundred thousand dollars in
The city of New York, alone, for seven hundred
thousand people, and our system is not nearly so
good az il ought to be.
The fact Of the matter ia, that the persons call
ing themselves the aristocracy of Virginia have
moropolzed all the education, and arrogated to
themselves oil The talent in the State. They are
rapidly deteIioratng, and the State, by conse.
qocnce, is going backward, while it, despised
Northern sisters are steadily progressing. Gov.
Wise and bis coadjutors see this as plaia!y as we
do, but they 20 to work in a very clumsy @ay, if
ii is really their intention to remedy it. Let US
however, give them the credit Of good inten-
tions and hope for the best.