Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-12-13

to commendss,,to sthe attention oEonr West
ern Virginia public, and especially to the
members of the Convention, his "plan'i-as
embracing in many respects the most COM
plete scheme, that has yet fallen under my
observation. G. BGrTELLE.
Wheeling, Dec. IL, 1861
REV. G. BArrRLIE-Dsar Sir: Yours of
the 2stli ult., reached me last evening.
ndiIress myself without delay and uInec-
cssnry preliminnrics TO the task yourtrtsud-
ship hss imposed, of attempting to supply
briefly, the out ines ''ota good system of
general education forthe new Shte.p The
labor ofa life thus far mainly devoted to
the instruction of youth, and rendered nee
essnrily conversant with those systems
most invogne, enables me the more readily
to do this. Could hope the result willini
any measure answer the desires ann expec
tations of the friends of eLncation inVir-
gie ia, shnll regard it Rs no small privilege
and honor to have been SLOWED TO do what
could for the interests OF those TO whom
nm bound BY so4tnNny and such strong
ties.
Itis unnecessary to say anything abont
the importance of education. This is by
all CONCEDED 10 be second to no other in.
tercsL oftthe State, and by none more dis
tinctly than by the sages of5tlie revolution.
Witness, for example, what Washington
did Cor the school MT lexington what JEFF
ferson did for tho University, ns well as
what Gov. Randolph, Patrick Henry aud
others attempted to do for the old Ran
dolph Academy, 10 Harrison. Nor need
we here review the ebh and flow of edu-
cation in Virginia. i honor herin her
failure. t5s l5
The spasmodic efforts made in this de
rection, abortivc as they have been through
criminal apathy and short sighted sell
fisbness, are YET, perhaps, the noblcst mon
ument she has acquired since that furnish
ed by those already referred to and their
compatriots. As they now stand, /, her pro-
visions for this end presents an absurd
medley of private, free and pNuper schools,
university, military school, institutes for
the blind, mutes, &C., without any, only
the most accidental o.relation md inter
Notwithstanding. in tact, deserving
the name of n system, such as her antece
dents and the prOmise of her early days
would lead us by this time to expect. The
deplOrable want of something better mas
been so often and variously ielt and
expressed, that any further exPosi-
tion of that fact, at present, is, ! trust,
wholly unnecessary. refer you TO the
successive reports of the Second Auditor
the appeals of ofdistinguished statesmen and
iurists, as well as the proceedings ot.5and
memorials emanating from, large assem-
blages of the people, held in different parts
of the State, for the purpose of pro
curing, if possible some improvement in
the school laws.
Sill another thought in this connection.
In regard TO education, IL is emPhatieally
true that in the more enlightened States,
both of the Old and New world, the pres
ent is an age of progress and development.
Virginia does not need to servilely copy
any. Rather would we hope that hers
might in some respects, at least in practical
adaptation to her own circumstances, be
in advance of all others. AT the same
time she must beware of:the beautiful, bnt
oftimes visionary schemes of mere theortsts.
On no other matter is itmore important she
should regard the counsel and experience
of earnest working men. Wat She most
tgants Is a plan al once compre eheasipe, simple,
eeoaoHiedE md efficient Such / trust You
will find the .following Did time permit,
and were this an official tall, ! should pre-
cede it with statement Of the more salient
points OF some ofthe better plans now pur-
sued at home and abroad, with compari-
son of their advantages and disadvantages,
and reasons in full for what recommend;
but as this is at present impossible cons
tent myself with the mere statement ofsuch
features as consider TO be desirable and
necessary in thorough system of Public
Instruction, with only the khEletest hints
such as at the moment suggest themselves
| in favor of their adoption.
/. The primary instruction of youth o
both sexes, from 8 10 10 years of age
should be free as the air they breathe or
the light of heaven.
This recognized the fact that the edo
cation of the people is the richest aud on
" exhaustless mine which the State pose
sesses, and which If properly developed
would yield countless treasures Of science,
literature, invention, law, art, honor, public
prosperity aud strength. u IS opposed TO
the no school theory, which would abol-
ish a II law on this subject, andpermit the
youth of the State 70 grow up in ignorance,
or With only. such Instruction as chance
might throw in their way. This is baEbar-
ism, and school laws approximate this ra-