Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-01-25
RICHMOND WHIG.
TIE COLLEGE.AID BILL.

glory and welfare he begs to suggest to you few con-
sderaons subject claiming your attention. and
intimately connected with the interests of which you
the honored conservatOrs.
bill is now presented for your suffrages, providing
an appropriation of $4,000 annually each OF nine col
eges on conditions which, it is understood the author
ties of these colleges have indicated willingness TO ac
cept Among these conditions is provided, that each
college accepting the preferred annuity, will furnish tut
ton and room rent free of charge TO about thirty stu
dents annually TO be sent by the proper State authority
that each of the students when completing the College
course shall agree teach years within the State,
and afford tuition while thus teaching to fve pupils an
nually for the legal compensation u cts diem) allow
ed for poor children by school commissions, by whom
these pupils shall be selected from their benehciaies most
advanced in the primary schools By this arrangement
the colleges will provide about teachers annually for
classical schools and they teach two years, l4O will be
thus constantly serving the State. These again Will
send every two years U boys each, or $50 annual
w. with the advantages OF years instruction, grdui-
tors to Them who will make teachers for primary schools
Even should this plan fail to present just the advantages
indicated by their figures owing to failure to secure the
attendance of all the youth colegeor boys at schools
or other cause of irregular partial operation, still
evident that many OF both classes would be benefited
and thus the advantages of education, the cheap de-
fence of nations, would be materially enlarged IN our
good old Commonwealth
In the multitude OF thoughts and duties pressing
on your time it may not be deemed improper or III
tru,ye to have laid before your minds few in
I
objections which may be urged
|. The times on which have fallen have excited in
the minds OF patriotic citizens various inquiries as to the
best method of streng gthening State resources.
l. The first reason, then, which may be presented IN
favor of this BILL is that its enactment is measure
well calculated to promote this object 1t not doubted
that the home manufacture of wool and iron, lax and
cotton buckets broom-handes, axehaudes knives, ps-
tolls guns and such like will greatly contribute to our
Stateindependence and increase wealth and power
l Pm trput mn il
Suppose for moment that all our youth are sent abroad
lor au education. How would our State become
but 4 provincial dependence OF her sisters. Now in the
States around u.s. Pennsylvania, Ohio Delaware and New
Jersey mot mention Slave States many lustitu
tons well. endowed aud ably fitted seeking patron
age Let by all manufacture educated men,
even it we leave broOmhandes and painted buckets to
be made at the North.
=. Our colleges form important and necessary iea
ture in a general educational scheme for dhe State. II
may be said in view OF the above suggestions that the
STATE has provided excellent Institutions, one for
scientific aud the other liberal education, and is indie
pcndent But while the Military Institute and University
uroyile most beneiceny for large part of youth,
they DO not reach the wants OF all To those desiring
liberal education the University Is not fully adapted.-
For in order enjoy its advantages an expense
incurred beyond the OF many while others lack
the preliminary preparation, even Tor moderate partc
ipaton in its privileges. The Professors then would
rcatv prefer that their pupils had first graduated at
respectable coege-aud it is notorious that those stu
dents who first pursue college course generally sue
ceed best there Now need these colleges as feeders
10 the University.
3. If properly endowed by your aid with such means
of their own as are proposed, they would greatly
contribute to sustain the University. That Institution
owes its deservedy high reputation TO the fact, that it
makes good scholars. But it, by reason Of undue in
of young not prepared by previous study TO
avail themselves of its great advantages the University
should become filled with merely nonsenscal students,
who instead OF spending their time in useful study
should waste it in frivolous or injurious pursuits, the
Institution would soon lose its high character and per-
haps become an agent OF immense and widespread evil
20 the State Hence the friends Of that Institution
and especially its learned Protesso,ar among the most
cordial friends to the improvement OF our colleges We
DO not dspaage the Importance OF internal improve
ments bv canals and roads the establishment ofman
ufactories the devisiug and efccng better method
of agriculture aud the introduction and rearing OF good
stock but after all the true source Of national wealth is
in wetrained men, whose minds stored with useful
knowledge and guided ty wisdom and whoso hearts are
mbued with good principles OF morality virtue aud true
patriotism.
E. sBut the beneGts'of well conducted colleges not
confined to the Young men there assembled 10 the
interests of society which when well educated they
will exert proper and useful influence The proposed
bill provides for most important aid to the great cause
/ of common school education. YOur own enlightened
beray will lead YOU only TO sustain the acts OF your
predecessors in regard this interest but to contribute
vet more valuable aid Now, it is conceded on all hands,
that existing appropriations OF money to aid III the edu-
cation of poor children would be much more efficient,
could 6nd better and numerous teachers for the
schools which they attend Ii must be that the pay
ment of money does necessarily this desirable
result Much that Is paid out cnuurcs to but little benc-
nt because often s the school commissioners constant
y saw there are be found many teachers ncompe
tent To the work which they undertake. This bill pro
yides for handsome addition to the number Of cassi
/ cal school teachers each Of whom Will be obliged to
teach five poor boys sent by the school commissioners
These lads thus better taught than be DONE will
form corps OF teachers Tor primary schools who will be
well fitted for the work Thus the interests of common
school education will be aided and tits pleasing to observe
that the aid to colleges may thus be tue means promoting
uc interest, OF both extremes of system OF education,
hat Of the highest the University aud that OF the low
est the primary school, while also materially helping the
other mart of the intermediate the classical school, And
al these interests will be mutual aids, that the scheme
of Jefferson may at last be realized in all its practical
aspects though not executed just as he planned Here
it NAV be well observe that the true method OF impro
wing the educational advantages of the State to begin
with the highest. The policy OF sustaining the unver-
sty has always been wise We the good fruits
in the supply of able Professors for colleges and
high schools We are longer dependent on the pre-
carous supply of the North supply too, which ire
pectiye of its frequently poor quality less aud less ce
srable. Even supposing such supply could be had,
he men who thus come often only stay long enough to
secure the means oil ADVANCEMENT at home, to which
they readily return not few casting back on us re-
proach, and vilfying us, if they do nothing worse.
g. Finally the recorded pledges of the State call for
such aid to the colleges. Over twenty-five years ago,
the accruing surplus of the literary fund pledged to
the colleges and academies. is farther to be observed
that by whatever special mode the literary fund is in-
creased its proceeds virtually belong to the whole State
If not used for educational purposes they might be APP
piled to the ordinary purposes OF government and SO
relieve the list of the people Now the citizens in
erested in the colleges are generally speaking part oil
that largest class of society known as the middle class,
in respect of property Hitherto, while paying the bulk
of the taxes they have enjoyed but little of the advanta
ges of this fund by direct appropriation. O course,
they are not the recipients of its direct benefits through
the primary school appropriation and very lew OF them
are able to derive benefit from the appropriation to the
| University. Hence they have been almost excluded
from all participation in a fund to which they, as class,
are the largest contributors. Is this right? Ist the
part of justice? But it is time to notice few objec-
| lions to the bill.
l. 1t said that the Legislature cannot properly aid
institutions which under its control Not to say
this has been done heretofore, may be observed that
these institutions win render fair return to the State for
what is asked > The trustees bound by special and
implied pledges to those whose hberaty has established
them to conduct them plans and principles which
entirely consistent with the best interests of the State
g. And hence there is no need OF legislative nterfer
ence T. For should any college be found aithess to its
trust the legislature easily revoke the appropriation
The colleges would always submit their plans of dsci
pne and instruction any proper supervision OF the e-
gsature as already bound do if benehcaries of State
funds and that body when dissatisfied should the collie
ges refuse change any Objectionable policy, could easi
ly withdraw its patronage.
2 It is suggested that the money thus given to the
colleges would be deprivation of the primary schools.
But il has been sufficiently shown that the latter inter-
,s ,rorid no in fact az materially aided by aiding the