Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-11-20
Grinding Seed Corn"


couraging youths under eighteen from going
to school. 1t strikes us that it is the very
~orst policy we can adopt; and we are glad
to hear of a rebuke administered to it short
time since by President Davis. A youth
from Mississippi had joined the army, COR
trary to the wishes of his relations, who
sought the intoposition of the President to
have him discharged from the service. The
President readily complied, and remarked,
that the using up of boys in the army was
like grinding seed corn p
The above from the Richmond Wing, of
yesterday MORNINGS issue, suggest ideas
which we would be happy to aid in impress
ing upon the public. The war which has
burst upon us like a partent, has arrested
the attention of the people to such a degree
az to call off their thoughts from almost eve
ry thing else. This is very natural, and if
the war were to prove very brief, it would
be very allowable. Perhaps up TO the pres
ent time, it would have proven unavoidable.
whatever effort we might have made against
it. Men are s%toics, and ought not to be-
It would have been no credit to US, if, era
died in peace and pursuing unmolested our
ordinary engagements, we should have been
undisturbed and unmoved from our accus-
toned paths, by the sudden gathering and
terrible bursting of the storm OF war. Some
thing is due to the sensibilities of our nature
and he who, without impression, can witness
social tragedies, on whatever scale, is less
than q man.
But there has been enough time for the
indulgence of this first shock to our feelings
and this absorption of our thoughts and en-
a-n,oc Ot6ac 1,,f.nc ho~;, or, 70 oonao1 70
us again for their appropriate observance and
accustomed respect. They demand Of US the
recognition due to their long acknowledged
and unchanged Importance. Prominent
among these is that alluded to in the extract
above-the duty of educating the young
Our schools have suffered an Interruption du
ring the present year let it not grow int
their suspension. Let the interruption CEASE
at once where it is practicable, and in all cases
at the earliest possible day. The opportuni
ty for instruction, if now lost by the boy
and girls who are soon to be our men an,
women, will be irrevocably lost. The boy Q
this year is the man of the next year. /
brief period only lies between the school gin
and the grown lady. If this time allotted t
education, shall pass unimproved, the seaso
will be gone to those persons forever. Pa
} rents will thus perceive that they have a d,
ty to perform towards their children whic
they may not defer; and the young peopI
' themselves will see that if they do not wis
to grow up uneducated, they have somethin
to do besides surrending themselves to Il
excitements of the war.
Then let our schools 60 on. Let Us edr
cate our children as carefully as ever, so f
: as we possibly can. Suppose the war shou
last, as it may, several years, and that mea
while, this policy Of closing colleges al
shutting up schools, should continue Il
generation which treads on the heals of t
present adult population, will come to the
places, and will act their part through Ii
without those advantages of education viii
we so justly value, and We will be to blar
for It'll The duty of parents, and the du
of citizens combine to require of US that Il
evil shall not come. The farmer w
'grinds his seed corn will reap no crop t
next year, and will deserve no composite
While on this general subject, we wo,
also speak a work in behalf of those agen
n, which the benevolent and good have fou
so instrumental in promoting the welfare
society by ~futhering the cause of good m,
ais. The church is indeed, illustrating
doctrines which its pulpits have taught,
hospital ministrations to the sick, and
st, clothing the brave soldier. But its do
should not be closed, and the fires on its
tars should not &C. out. The Sunday Sch
should not be neglected, and the little o
IN left to find QUIT those who will teach them y
es. on the Sabbath day. They will soon be
ID. men and women of ourland, and should h
d. all those aids which will tend to make tt
res good citizens.
1t Let us, in short, while bearing brayely
nd burdens of this war, with which our enen
eli have crowned their wickedness towards
be careful at the Same time not t. leave