Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-07-10
roa TIE SPIRIT OF THs AGE.
LEISURE MON
SOUTHERN SCHOOL BOOKS.

tEetr IeAt-noOkS ! am not aware tnat TINS
subject has received from the citizens of this
State that consideration which it's importance
so Justly merits ; but it is gratify ing to know
that the Southern Convention at Savannah
considered it worthy oftheir attention. and said
the most efficient means to elevate and purify
the education of the southern mind, was for
the Legislatures of the Southern States to
introduce in their schools, in every depart
ment of study, from the 9 earliest primer to
the highest grade of literature and science,
the works of Southern Authors / propose
briefly to present some reasons why the
people of this State should give the above
interrogatory an affirmative response. The
human mind is so constituted that impress
sions made when it begins to expand are
very lasting. They can not be obliterated
unless it is very evident that they are moor
rect. These impressions have their origin
at a period when the individual is not COM
petent to reason for himself, but is accus-
toned to consider the of others
as facts, and especially what he learns from
books he never thinks Of douoting. At this
period of life he is sent to school under the
impression that he must believe every thing
he reads. His teacher makes him study
some books consisting perhaps of essays
on various subjects, the compiler, being op-
posed to the peculiar institutions of the
South, will be very careful that his book does
not contain any thing favorable to said IN
stitutions, but frequently much against them.
Such is the first course of studying, and the
negligence of many Teachers is so great that
they never correct any error and the young
student thinks all is true. The next book
he has to read is a history, and in a large
majority of cases it issthe production either
of a Northern or European mind, in either
case unit for a southern student. His pre-
vious impressions are confirmed by apparent
facts contained in this history relative to the
equality of man, the institution of slavery,
and various questions involving the peace,
interest and the welfare of every southern
citizen. Let us suppose that he is now pre-
pared to enter the College surrounded with
all those advantages which competent pro
fessors and libraries with their treasures of
ages will ever afford. Nothing to disturb or
modest, where he can stalk abroad as free
as the air that e~ncircles him linger with
Plato as he sublimely unfolds the divinity of
Virtue, or hang with rapture on the Tyre of
Pindar as it poured forth the tide of Olympic
song. He becomes a great admirer of ALI
son, because report says he was 4 great his
= torian and so he was; but all his feelings
and sympathies were anti-slavery. He is re-
6 quired to study Waylands Elements of Moral
: Science, who is q learned northern divine
and an advocate of immediate abolition, whose
book ought to be rejected by every Southern
2 College, and the hope is INDUCED that ere
! long il will be. After remaining at College
!, four years he returns home to take his position
:, upon the theatre CT life, and if he has en-
ployed his time properly he will exert a po-
!, tent influence on society. Whether this in
huence will be beneficial or detrimental, will
depend on whether or not his views or opin-
- ions are favorable or unfavorable to the in
stitutions of the South. But if he has stud
~ led anti-slavery works, how can we expect
~ his views to be very favorable to the exist
~ ence of slavery? l admit that public senti.
- ment of his section and his associations may
cause him to regret many erroneous i'm
presSions, but such a course OF study as the
"A above has no other tendency but to force
upon him the conclusion that slavery is sin
:, ful and that any aid or effort in its favor i
likewise sinful, by a logical necessity, aohich
= has feelings and interests can only resist. for &
"A time. Unless there is soTne fatal flaw in thi.
reasoning, the Importance of introducing il
our schools southern books must be eviden'
al to the most superficial observer. This de
j: sirable object would have been accomplished
-. ere this, if We had not manifested such
~ fondness for every thing of a Northern ori
- gin. Southern scholars being aware of tn
u 6XlSLcuCG Ol SuCu u CuStUul, Uut NtIy lev
-. have written works adapted to our schools
ty. "a 49, hovo raoa;aod bnt Vow EttIa anoo,,,
"a agement from those whose interests the
~ were endeavoring to protect and advance, b
~ so directing the public sentiment Of the ris
1V ing generations, that it would rebound to tn
% welfare of the South. Unless this publ
sentiment is properly directed and the sub
lime mission of Southern Literature iustl
90 appreciated there can not be any permanen
enduring peace, because the influence not Oh
t ly of the North, but of Europe, has bee
brought to bear against our institutions ar
must be met, which can only be done throug
" the medium of our literature the introdu
ton of a proper system of education in o.
schools.
This is a subject that merits the consid
-. lit. - .;tnoa, ~
hat 49,, .oo.a oa.o o~..I:.- - :
Of the non STAKEHOLDER from his present hi,
and respectable position to a level with mort
ern laborers some of whom are lower than t
humblest slave of the South. 1.-THE Legislatu
Of North Carolina will order the introduc i
~ of southern books in our schools, ere lol
we would have many suitable to every {
S partment of study. The South is not de
Gent in talent, but the want of encourae
ment has caused many minds capable of {
ing larging the boundaries of human knowIed
~ to slumber through life as unconscious
ioie their powers as the flint of it's fire or t
Jun rock of it's gem. May not we borrow t
man beautiful sentiment of Cowley in his ele
so", on the death of young Harvey and exclaim
,nsd .Wehavelost in them arts which not yet are foun
the Thasa roo.rks : oo,o1u aauulL
rs of -~.-hasao e g. So
ting NJ onIv orc thov de6c;ant - .Le.aa
of education, but like this State also til
Tue College libraries are inferior to those of Y;
'ineu Brown and Cambridge. But a few va
That, ast;c.i b~;stor;an Ne,3dor
Tue thousand volumes, was purchased by an
lgnts scure College in New York. 1t is a mel
see cholly fact that there is not a Southern
ousiy brary from which the references in Gibbt
IS gu History of the decline and fall of the Ro,
eyes Empire can be verified. 1t is EQUALLY tru
pc Humbolts Cosmos. Professor Jewett saw
never the books cited by Wheaton in his Tntel
Oh tionai Law, thirty-nine were not in the |
ood As ted States. Of the two hundred and
nav cited by Hoefer in his History of Chemis
rhS Oh one hundred and twenty five were not in
ilght United States ; of two hundred and four
mana ferred to by Bartlett in his Progress of
nology, one hundred and five could nc
oeen found in the United States. These facts
mentioned not to DISCOURAGE for II Is /
"mch hoped that ere long Southern genius
meus, bend its listening ear to catch the br,
. eai- words in which the faint breathing of d