Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-05-09
free schools of Nashville.


have II at public expense. Fine schools are
the glory. the hope. and the safeguards of the
government. therefore ever have been, and
ever shall he. an advocate of them, when
rightly conducted: bat like all other bles-
sings. they may he perverted. They may be
so perverted as 10 waste time and money,
weaken the mind eusIave the intellect, and
snbvert the liberties of the very people that
pay for making and riveiing the chains that
are to bind them. II is therefore the right
and duty Of every citizen to look into and
understand those things that affect bis inter-
est and safety, and NJ where is the interest of
the community more involved than in sus-
tanning good free schools, and experience
shows that when rightly conducted they do
not iBjure, but benefit private schools by
awakening a deeper interest i'm education.
Where the intellect is free, political freedom
l. safe. but where the intellect is enslaved,
political freedom can never long exist.
In the investigation of this subject, let it
be distinctly borne in mind, that | do not in
tend 10 blame the motives of Board COM
posed of much worth and talent; that good
and wise men may err without intending 10
do so; that lifetime of experience connected
with schools may enable me to observe facts
which escape the notice of those of superior
talent; that no blame should be attached to
any one, even where error exists, If the
mantle Of charity is broad enough to cover
make are to have no application to the teach
els or pupils of the Female Departments OF
the schools. Let the Male Department. be
what it should be- and the Female Depart
ment will not be far behind il. No people
can be found in America more liberal in the
cause of education than those of Nashville,
and none that pay so high prices. Their
school buildings are an honor TO the people
aud a monnmt Mt to their liberality. There
4 u nv thav III un baV
inferiOr to none in America.
The great thing that remains is for the
people 10 see that ih'y do not support a
magnificent humbug, but that they have the
h,st school system, the best teachers, educa-
ted in the best moral schools the best selec-
ton of branches 30 be taught, the best modes
OF teaching and the best and the most thor
ouGh elementary teaching, and with the
least waste Of time and money, and to see
that pupils do not ruin the intellect by
wasting many years in skimming over 4 null
uplcity OF books, in the process of mere
memUrl>ing. which weakens The intellect en-
slaves the mind, and makes man but a
learned fool, Incapable of correct reasoning,
aud unsafe in relying upon his judgment.
The quality of the schools, is matter Of
deep interest to Nashville and to the State
Every inch of property in Nashville is in
vowed In this question, for should the people |
allow an expensive, superficial mode 90 in |
structlOn to be carried on, aud should Clarks- !
vile establish thorough and efficient sy stem
aud mode of instruction, population will
float from Nashville TO GAINESVILLE, and pro-
perty must siuk in value.
GAINESVILLE has already taken two steps in
the right direction, and let her take the next,
and she will add thousands to her population.
Ii unqualified, superficial teachers go forth
from Nashville, they would act as a blighting
curse upon the State by causing it to drift
fity years behind others in education. aud
leave the State tributary to other States.
Nor should the people be satisfied with mere
public exhibitions conducted 10y the teacher
or superintendent, on that for which pupils
made months of pe cial preparation. 1t must
b" hat knowledge which will stand the test
Of individual examination at home, and is
not only correct but ready for instant use.
To form a correct Judgment on this sub
Ject, III l. necessary to examine the OrganiZa
ton of the schools, the expenses. the books,
and expenses of them. the things Taught and
mode OF teaching, and most important of all.
the effect for good or evil on the mind, for
IN tbs alone consists the whole value of the
institution.
In 1852, the city of Nashville sent Alfred
Hume TO examine into the organization and
success of the free schools of other cities. |
And a more able aud efficient man could not |
have been selected. He visited Baltimore, |
Philadelphia, New York, Providence and |
Boston. He made a brief. but able report, |
and his views in regard to buildings, &c, |
were adopted. but what seems to me mat |
ter Of wonder and astonishment is. that the |
city should then reject his plan of Organiza- |
ton Of a Public School system, the very |
thing on which the efficiency. the vitality, and |
success of the institution was to depend, a |
plan that had been so eminently successful |
IN Boston for many years, aBd that they |
should launch out on a sea of experiment. | |
verify believe it would have been 100000 |
better for the city, had it been adopted.
| cannot conceive OF plan more simple or
better calculated to secure efficiency and to |
prevent or detect neglect or error of every |
kind, than the one which Mr.. Hume prOpOs-
ed; and can scarcely conceive of one better
calculated to open wide the way fer favorit-
ism, untailhfulness, deceit, intrigue, bargain
ing, fraud, and dishonesty, and at the same
time to prevent the progress OF pupils, than
the one that seems to be adopted.
Mr.. Hume recommends the election of
board "to be. chosen by the people. at the
same time that they elect the Mayor and
so important does he deem il
that they should be chosen by the people,
that he repeats it over three times. There
are many reasons why ii should be so. They
receive their power directly from the people
and are directly accountable to the people.
They can nominate and elect whom they
please, without being liable to be defeated
through intervening party influences to
keep particular dynasty in power. Ii Sc
cures the healthfulia huence of change, there
by prevents one-iGeaism aud fogyism from
forever hanging like deadly incubus, over
the growth and prosperity of the institution.
1t lessons the danger from what Rush found
in Philadelphia. TO Ire "those eternal enc
mics Of progress, the place men Of educa-
tiun,' il lessons the chance for extensive |
schemes OF fraud, and increases the chance
for detecting them. 1t has = valuable, edu- |
eating influence on the community; thing |
not To he forgotten in a cOInlry where the |
people are 10 make and execute their laws. |
1t keeps the community awak' to a watchtul- |
ness over it, Interests; aud s"all have not |
the same gifts il gives to the institution |
the advantage Of the qualities OF different |
miuds-iOr it often happens that a large |
amount of learning is accompanied by a |
large want OF practical common sense and |
business tact, while half that amount OF learn
ing may be accompanied by double the |
amount of the kind of knowledge required. |
There Is a great advantage derived from the /
crossing. the contact, and the commingling |
Of the qualities ofdiff''rsnt minds. Breeding /
in and in, Is unfsvorable 90 intellectual,
A. il is to physical development. No child
should ever receive all lis education from
one person, aud no valuable institution Was
ever produced by one intellect or one set Of
inteiiects
When an institution has received what one /
set OF intellects have 10 give, it should be
handed over. to receive contributions from
other intellects. Ii is in this way. aud only /
in this way, that free Institutions are built
up. But more important than the election
is the organization, which will b. the sub
iect OF the next numberr J. w. DoLBEAR.
DoUGIAs OR NOBoDY.-The Philadelphia |
Press concludes an ARTICLE on the Charleston /
Convention with the following declarations: