Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-06-01
COMMON SCHOOLS.

VOFrIcE OF Str. OF COMMON Schools OF n c.,
May, 1859.
To the Committees appointed to examine and pass
on the qualifications or those wishiag to teach
Common Schools: ,Serenth annual Letter of in
structions and suggestions
GENTLEMEN Your official position is becoming
one Of the most important in North Carolina.
That You NAV understand the force of this asser
ton and appreciate the responsibilities of your stu
alton, would urge you to keep in mind the follow
ing facts: there are in the State at least two hun
bred land twenty five thousand white children between
the ages of six and twenty-one.
OF these one hundred and fifty thousand, at the
lowest estimate receiving instruction in the Com
mon Schools and we may safely calculate that one
hundred and sevenly-fve thousand, or Seven-ninths
of the rising generation will under God, owe more
or less of their mental and moral character to the
Common School System.
Upon this system is annually expended nearly
three hundred thousand dollars. ninety five per cent
of which paid for teaching; and it employs at least
twenty-five hundred teachers, all Of whom come an
nually before you, and are, to great extent, DEEPEN
dent on you for their position and influence.
You have right, and it is your duty critically to
examine into the moral and mental qualifications of
this whole body of teachers and while none can be
employed at the public expense without an endorse
of each is fixed by you and all required to pre-
sent themselves before you every year for eXamina
ton and approval This is simple statement of
of the facts of your situation and surely it is
we'll calculated to impress you with sense of heavy
responsibility to God and to your country.
Whoever may enjoy the honors, and fill the high
places of apparent power in that country its future
destiny, under Providence, is to great extent in
your hands and if system continues to revolve
in its present orbit, the rooms where you conduct
your examinations may be considered the true
halls of legislation, the cabinets where the policy of
the country is shaped for ages to come.
The principles that are to govern the world, do not
always proceed from its high places; and men who
are unknown and unobscrved are often sowing in
the faows of tme the seeds which are to ripen into
harvests of good or evil in the future.
You are certainly thus sowing; and no class of
o: :en in the State has more need of the help and
guidance of Him who is the Author and Giver of
every good gift.
Tie first and most essential qualification of every
good Examining Committee is a true sense of its
Obligations, and an humble and sincere desire to be
guided, in their discharge, by the Spirit of God.
He should be looked to as the Architect and Bull
der of the House We would rear-and we should re-
gard ourselves as underlaborers, workers together
with Him. The older become the more ain salts
fled that the deceives himself who supposes that
he can be patriot and phanthropist in the highest
sense Of the terms, and yet be dsbeliever in the
one living and true God, of whom, and from whom,
and to whom are all things.
For, not to refer to other essential considerations
is necessary to the character Of such one to be-
lieve in the eternity and nvincbility of Truth and
in world like ours it is impossible to have such
faith without belief in eternal almighty space
pervading and perfectly holy Deity from whom all
truth and right proceed, and who will maintain them
against all apparent odds.
Such confidence is eminently becoming in those
who labor in the positions which you and l occupy
and with such views We can encourage ourselves un
der every difficulty, and be always enabled to know
that whatever may be present appearances and cir
cumstances, if we have true zeal for the honor O
God, our work shall not be in vain
Let us, then, dedicate the Great House which W,
are building to His glory-let US look to Him as tn
Chief Architect and seek His guidance in our labor
and Ills favor as our reward, and we have nothn,
to fear.
We can do all this-fceling personal dependence
on God and asking His direction and blessing on al
our official abors, without acting in such way
to cause or countcnancc sectaran agitation in tn
schools; and as far our direct religious nluenc
in these is concerned it must he cxerted by example
by precept and admonition, and by excluding immo,
al and intidel teachers from them
You cannot be too watchfu in this respect an
would again, kindly, but earnestly, admonish yo
firmly to refuse certificates to all persons who do nc
furnish satisfactory evidences Of good moral charat
ter.
1t is your right and your duty rgidly to enforc
this rufe without exceptions for any cause
have given my views so fully, in former comm,
nications, with regard to the mental qualifications
teachers, that it would be necessary to add but lit
now but for the fact that the examining con,mitts
has probably been changed in a.numbcr of counte
For this reason here repeat portion of nv la
Annual Letter, which deem worthy of your COZ
sideratioa now; and will briefly add few 9th
suggestions suited to our present circumstances
The wants Of the public and the condition of fl
system of schools are now toerably we'll understo,
and appreciated; and while all that is needed cam
yet be accomplished, we are steadily advancing wi
cautious steps, in systematic plan for the reform
ton and elevation of the schools.
very large portion of the parents of the Stat
having been deprived of the blessings of educatio
are necessarily liable to honest errors as to the XII
OF instruction which their children need and VIII
this continues to be the case it cannot be expect
that teachers Of high qualifications will be eve
"here appreciated 1t is in every way wise and i,
to make allowances for the mistaken preiudices
those who did not enjoy the opportunities Of instr
ton now conferred. on their children; and while 4
Class Is now almost universally in favor of edu
ton. we'shoald be satisfied with this great yict,
OF the cause and not endanger its further success
violentand ultra measures In rsqard to the hest T.
of education and the most efficient method of
partiugit
Let u.s. ever keep in mind that the mighty ~
ct stake is that Of the universal education Of The
pie with whom We have to deal.