Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-03-05
QUIZ COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS.


awaken new and lively interest ON this
subject. We are sorry to be compelled to
record the fact that many persons seem
enormously to suppose, that the rudiments
of common English Education, compris-
ing what is usually taught in old field
schools including what is commonly called
reading, Oriting and ciphering, is all the
training necessary to qualify youth to
pursue mercantile, mechanical, or agri-
cultural avocation, alledging, as an argu-
mont in support Of such position, that
vcry many have succeeded in these pur-
suits without through classical education.
Now, we wish it distinctly understood that
we are emphatically dO'on upon any such
liberal views. We think the same argu-
ment applies with equal force to the learned
professions, for it is proud fact, that very
many young men Of ordinary English
Education have attained eminence as law
yers and doctors not so much properly
speaking, withou; these advantages of
classical learning, as IN spite Of The absence
of the cause and perhaps, if the same
amount of energy, industry and application
had been sharpened by thorough early
intellectual training, they might have at
tanned to much greater eminence. We
are very far from advocating the theory
that all our young men should desire to
become la,oyers and doctors, for we think
these professions are likely to be filled well
enough, and that it is as crcditable to a
young man to become an intelligent n,er-
chant, mechanic or farmer, as to be pro-
fessional character, but we are unable to
perceive any sound sense or practical rea-
son why our merchants, our mechanics or
our farmers should not bring to the prose-
cution of their several pursuits, as much
general intelligence and promise ous in
formation, as is ordinarily brought to bear
upon strictly professional pursuits. To
argue any other way would be to admit,
tn It ignorance is recommendation to those
who select these pursuits, and that the
arbitrary term of the "learned professions"
as they are generally called, is not so much
the result of a general error as to the
amount Of learning necessary to carry on
these pursuits as just and inevitable dis
elimination of casts. Ii judicous mer-
chant, an ingenious, and industrious me-
chanc, or scientific farmer, are to be
condemned, on account of the nature of
their several pursuits, to a lamentable
ignorance of everything outside of mer-
chandise, mechanism, or agriculture, then
in truth is the nomenclature of the "learn
cd professions" fairly and justly to be ap-
piled to lo,eyers and doctors forever. But,
we repeat, we don't see any sense in it,
and there is, to our limited understanding,
no good reason why these several pursuits
should not be filled with learned and in
telligent men, or why merchant, mechan-
ic or farmer, should no, be as much dis
tinguished for general intelligence as a
lawyer or doctor Experience teaches
that when very great learning is combined,
with talent and judgement and energy,
in any pursuit, it directly tends to enlarge
the sphere of usefulness. and to qualify a
man to become distinguished in his calling
whether it be that of merchant, (for ex.
ample Abbot Lawrence) mechanic (for
example Fulton) farmer (for example
Hugh l.. White) or even a common black
smith (for example Elihu Burnett We
hope our citizens will reflect upon these
things, and kick to the winds, the absurd
notion that learning disqualifes their chill
dren for business, or is unnecessary to
such a pursuit. We hope further, that
they will resolve to take hold of our public
schools, to patronize them, and arouse the
attention of non residents to the fact thai
they are determined to hold out induce
mcnts, for them to send their children
here to school, by sending their own, and
exhibitinga commendable interest in sucf
things--so may they glide smoothly dowr
the declivity of age, cheered by happy
consciousness that if they can carry moth
ing else with them in the exit from lift
they have done their duty to their chill
dren, their country and to posterity, By
filling up the full measure of moral anC
intellectual uscfulre,s, and may they b,
comforted, in a green old age, by the con
selling reflection, that though they were
not fortunate enough to secure the advant
ages ola thorough education themselves il
their early youth, they have not therefore
denied an opportunity to their posterity
but have contributed their quota tower I