St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-02-14
educational.
From the Iowa School ,TOurn;
POPULAR EDUCATION.
III THOMAS II. BENTON, JR.

National intelligence has become
the standard of national prosperity
and that nation which furnishes the
best facilities for the dissemination o
knowledge among its people, will
naturally excel in the elements Of
true greatness. The experience Of
the past has also demonstrated that a
well regulated system of public in
structon is the most cflcctual and
economical method of developing the
popular mind. In view of these facts
it is by no means strange that popu
lar education should arrest the atten-
ton, and enlist the sympathics of all
classes of society. 1t is the star OF
hope, sending forth its cheering
beams to every rank and grade of our
race, commanding alike the admira-
ton of the king from his throne, the
peasant from his hcarthstone, the pa
trot from the tented field, the states
man from the Legislative halls, the
jurist from the bench and the minister
of God from the sacred desk.
Our school system, for the compar-
ativcly brief period it has been in
operation, has encountered many i'm
pediments, and yet it possesses more
strength to-day and is accomplishing
infinitely more good than at any pre-
vious time. The repeated changes it
has undergone, and the consequent
absence Of thorough knowledge OF
its workings and Of the various pro-
visions of the law for its government,
have greatly retarded its progress.
Eight years connection with our pub
lie schools has convinced me that it is
necessary to educate our adult popu-
lation, before we arc fully pepared to
instruct the children. BY this | mean,
that some agency must be employed
that will sufficiently interest the peo-
pie, to enable them to realize the i'm
portancc, not only of sustaining
school system in mere nominal form,
but of rendering it to the full extent
efficient and useful, before we can
hope for amy very great success III
developing the youthful mind. And
here let me say, that know of no
better instrumcntality through which
SO desirable an object can be accom-
plishcd, than an efficient county SUI
pcrintendency, supported by an intel
ligcnt, energetic class Of teachers.
Much has been said about the am
biguity of our educational laws, but
in this particular, am happy to say,
the complaints are much less numer-
Gus than formerly. That the law is
defective, no one prctends to deny
but in this respect it only partakcs of
every thing that cmanatcs from hu
man hands. 1t is also true that some
of those vino read it are blinded by
prejudice and self interest, and hence
many defects are discovered which do
not in reality exist. 1t must also be
remembered that the most perfect
law would he totally inefficient, un-
less properly administered. The re-
suit Of my personal observation and
extensive correspondence with school
authorities is, that in those localities
where all parties are disposed to give
it fair construction and abide by its
provisions, very little dissatisfaction
exists. Complaints generally origi-
nate at those points where selt-inter-
est intrudes and disposition exists
to misconstrue it for the qualification
of sinister motives. As before stated,
there are some defects in the law /;
but these will be gradually removed
by future Legislation, and many ap-
parent discrepancies will be recon-
ciled when the people become perfect
ly familiar with all its provisions.
The work of pcrfecting it must be
gradual. Its defects can only be dis
covered by practical application and
careful examination.
Our public schools have suffered
much for want of proper attention i'll
the districts, the very place of all
others where the greatest vigilance is
required. The great majority of the
people are in favor of popular cduca-
ton. They seem to appreciate its ad.
vantagcs, but amidst the cares and
secular cmploymcnts Of life, they too
often forget the important duties they
owe to the rising generation. This
neglect, though unintentional, too fire.
gucntly leads to disastrous and ruin
ous results, and its effects only be-
come manifest when it is too late to
apply remedy. We can only hope
to correct this evil by constantly pre-
senting the claims OF education to the
public. ..... .-...