Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-02-25
What man costs-value of Education.

ln a recent number of Hunts Merchants
Magazine, there is an interesting calculation
on the subject of raising and educating men.
1t presents new and striking argument in
favor of education. 1t is to be regretted that
there should be any necessity for using such
an argument; but as there are in the world
great many men who measure all thinys-
eVen their professed religion by the al
mighty dollar" the article will do good
Aside from that, it is one of interest-srom
Its calculatiOn-and will be read with pleas-
ure. We have only room for a brief extract.
which goes to show how much a man costs
what he Is wOrth-what is his real money
or commercial yalue-and what per centage
an education, IT given him, pays on the ORR
ginal inJ Jestment. Mr.. Hunt saws:
6 The average cost, with interest, of rais,
ing any person to the age of 81, will equal
$1,000. This is invested what is the in.
vestment worth? 1t will cost 500 a wear
to support him. To this add mind, and in
what an extraordinary ratio has the persons
value been raised ! He can now earn, sup
pose $500 year-that equals S400 above the
idiot, which is to be set down to the credit
of mind.
"Now, add education, perfecting him from
birth to maturity, and what can he earn p
Is 81 900 year too much to sllow? That
is $500 more than the uneducated man is
allowed; and how highly must we rate the
expense of education 1t could not average
500, which therefore yields 100 per cent
People usually count the cost of growth and
sustenance of the body as part Of the expense
of education but this should never be done
clean distinction should always be made
between the expenses to be charged to the
body and those to be charged to the mind
nd or ooln dao+,w l. i
case of the credits for at once some verv
practical truths would be exhibited. Per-
haps the following table will present the
truth in a CONSPICUOUS manner:
Body costs up to 2l years, $1,000
Mind costs up TO 2l years, 1000
Education up to q years, 700
Body costs after that [per year) 100
Mind gains after that (per year, 500
Education gains after that (Der year, 1000
1t is also to be noticed, that the unedu-
Gated man IS more valuable in middle age
than in advanced years; but the educated
man grows more valuable as years increase,
so that if be begin life with sum repre-
setting the interest of $4,000, he will fnd
his income to double quite as soon as if his
capital were in gold.
These figures are not fanclful they are
of course, certainty given for an uneer-
tainty, and merely for Illustration they may
be exchanged for any other to please any
caviller: but any fair test of the truth will
prove that education will pay more than
100 per cent. upon Its cost.
= 1t would appear, then. that any man who
would reckon up his investments, must, to
what he has in lands, CATTLE, implements,
&,., add at least 81, 900 for every mature
child he has raised and if he has added to
the child good education, he has changed
this otherwise improbable investment into
fortune of not less than $4,000. Now. every
principle of commercial economy would die
tate that we should add little investment
if we can thereby save the whole, and much
more readily should we do it if we can turn
the whole into the most profitable of all in
yestments. Aud what investment is tbera
which will pay as will brain, mind, and ed
ucation combinedT