Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-03-23
For the Spirit of the Age.
Common Schools.

Mr.. EDITOR My attention was recent
ly called to the subject Of Common Schools,
by an article in one of the numbers of your
excellent paper, in which the failure Of the
system to accomplish all the good antici-
pated is deeply deplored, and several
points Of interest suggested as claiming the
special attention of the General Superin-
tendent. 1t is not my purpose to call in
mas So rel.g, 1l-e-z-4.=.4a.>.p,lial
though it is an undeniable fact that in its
practical workings, as now conducted, it
has in most instances proved miserable
failure.
Nor do I intend to discuss the several
points of interest suggested by your cor
respondent. l merely wish to give your
readers my opinion as to what esteem the
true cause Of the failure of the system here
tofore, and to suggestsome means by which,
in my Judgment, its efficiency might be Sc
cured. The first and principal cause of
the failure of the Common School system
to meet the expectations Of its friends, is
the employing of incompetent teachers !;
and the second is the short duration of the
schools, which seldom continue over three
months during the year. Now | candidly
confess that | do not know more efficient
method of wasting-utterly wasting the
literary fund, than by expending it in Sc
caring the services of incompetent teach
ers, and in the establishment of schools to
continue only few months during the
year, Better far, that it be applied to the
relief of the nccessitous or in some way to
the amelioration of the physical condition
of those for whose mental culture it is in
tended. Were | parent, [ had rather
deny myself the ordinary comforts of life
and toll from day to day to secure th'
means necessary to employ competen
teacher, than to entrust the culture of tn
precious minds of my children to dolt
whose mind, if capable of it, has never beel
developed, and who in consequence of thi
fact is utterly unqualified to give that in
struction which is calculated to promote
well ordered mental training-the yer
soul of education. Who has not heard {
the old proverb, 1tis harder to unlearn tina
to learn 2" but how many utterly disre
gard its teachings? But give US compe
tent teachers and let them keep school onl
one quarter during the year, and nearly th
same results will follow What is taugt
in three months will be forgotten durin
the remaining nine. 1t is vain to talk
continuing at home the course of instru
ton begun at school. 1t is mere chim
ra-a creature of the imagination never
be realized.
That parents should attend to the j
struction Of their children at home, is
most solemn and important duty; but
cannot be denied that most parents are i
sensible of this duty, while great maj
are uneducated themselves and are thel
/. fore incompetent to discharge it. The
) stubborn facts render it evident th
if our system of Common School instrr
ton is made to depend in this particul
upon parental cooperation, it must fail
, accomplish the great object of its insti
| tion-the education of the masses.
I But the supposition which have j
made involves almost contradiction.
competent school master teaching Oh
t three months during the year, is somethi
; which we may not reasonably expect, es
70 if by this means we could secure the e'
IS cation of our children which | have sho
d to be impossible. And now the quest
: arises, how shall these defects be remedl
II If we could secure permanent schools ;
y competent teachers, some means co
D surely be devised to secure the attenda
n, of the children. But how shall the forl
be secured? How shall we get good tea
10 lers and permanent schools! | answ