Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-04-16
AIQ0NAAa
Edited by A SMITH, County Superintendent.
For the Educational Column.
A Plea for no Shortening of School
Terms

Terms.
10 those who are intelligently and truly
patriotic, even in times Of great national
trial and just solicitude, the condition of
Education in the Country cannot be with.
out interest. The situation Of the country
must excite the nest earnest patriotism and
the deepest concern in every true heart
! but we should remember that the struggle
now progressing is for civilization against
! barbansm, for freedom against the spirit of
despotlsm, for the ina!ienable rights of all
against the asserted privileges of the few,
in short, for tho highest good of mankind.
Education is one of the most powerful
agencies by which civilization, freedom and
right are secured; consequently, while we
would give special Eigor to the sword arm
OF the nation, we ought not let the other
arm grow weak from unwise neglect
1t is to be hoped that School Directors
will take this view of the subject, and will
not suffer the educational interests of the
country to decline, even though there be
seeming propriety in diminishing the taxes
at this time. 1t ought to be borne in mind
that hitherto the annual term Of our free
schools has not been SO long as the wealth
of Miffiin County would have justified, nor
so long rs the interests of the children of
the County have required. Had the peace
and prosperity Of the country oontiaued
uninterrupted, we ought to have lcngthen-
ed the school term month or two, at the
least; in the present condition of national
atf~irs, if it seem impossible to lengthcn
the term, 1T also seems unnecessary and most
lnludlcious to shorten it, The people of
this county do indeed feel the pressure of
the war How, and will feel it more by and
by, but very lightly compared with the
people of many other localities,-as the
poor ip CITIES, employees in factories which
the war has shut, dwellers in newer States
which must pay taxes in proportion to their
population instead of their property
1t may be found expedient to repair some
old school houses for the present, and post
pone to more favoring season the erection
of such elegant and durable buildings as
the Directors Of Menno have had the ad-
mirable sense to rear as monuments of their
intelligent interest in Education.
If necessary, let the old house stand for
year or two, rendered comfortable and
convenient as may be; but let not the chill
dren be deprived of their rightful heritage |
and best possession, good common-school !
education. We do well to remember that |
the interests of our country will soon pass
into the hands of those whose intellectual
and moral character is now being shaped |
by US; that the destiny of the country
greatly depends upon the discipline, the
habits Of thought and action, the breadth
of character, which the schools shall impart /
to the present generation of pupils that no
other legacy is so valuable to child as a
true education, which gives him the con-
troll of his own powers and passions, which
enlarges bis mind to embrace the interests
of his country and of mankind, which fits
him for the lowliest duties as we'll as the
highest Offices, which develops love for his
country, for bis race, for all that is heaven
ly in character, and for Him who perfects
all.
We have fine opportunity to prove that
we are worthy OF the freedom and high CIV
ilization which We proudly claim for our
selves, by showing that We value wealth for
the excellent uses it serves, and not for its
own poor sake,-by upholding, even in this
hour of pressure, the cause of Education
as the clear-sigbted ally Of Freedom, as the
security of pure democratic institutions, as
the co worker with Religion in the task of
and exaltipg mankind. S.