The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1863-08-19
COMMUNICATION.

most presumption to suppose that, in
times like these, when an article to at
tract any considerable attention must be
headed, in large letters, "Very Latest by
Telegraph" &C., any notice would be Civ
en- to very commonplace article, on a
very commonplace subject; but it is bare
ly possible that in our late scarcity of ex-
citing news the attention of some of your
Grand Haven readers may be gained, up
on even so hackneyed subject as The
Public School, and, what is most essen
italy necessary for its prosperity, in our
village, New School Building
II is not one of the least causes for
which we have reason TO be thankful that
while the horrors and devastatons Of this
gigantic war are sweeping over so large a
portion of our once united land, and in
stitutions of learning of every grade in
the seeded States have almost univer-
sally been closed and all their resources
been turned into the channels of war, no
such awful calamity has befallen our own
portion of the country. The doors of our
schools and colleges have none of them
been closed; and though, in our own
State, over two thousand teachers have
periodically responded to our country's
call, and leaving the quiet of the school
room, have FASTENED away to the field of
battle, others, mostly ladies, have come
forward to ill up the vacancies.
While this is matter of great con-
graduation, yet we should not, like the
Pharisee of old, thank God that we are
not like other people, without looking
about to see if we, although doing so
much, are doing all that the times and
importance of the subject demand of us.
The intimate connection existing between
our system of common education and the
perpetuity Of our republican government
and its institutions perhaps are not so gen.
orally understood and felt as it should be.
While there is almost certainty that our
government will outlive the present try
ing crisis, and its protection again be ex-
tended over our wide domain, vel the
question whether government, receiving
its authority directly from tho masses of
the people, and sustained by their will,
can be permanent one, is still unsettled,
and can be answered affirmatively only
upon the condition that virtue and gener-
al intelligence, with an understanding of
the genius Of our institutions and love
of the same, shall pervade the masses.
The universal history of the past is
proof Of the truth that the education and
exercise of the mental power of nation,
to be in the possession of few, is always
attended with danger to the true spirit of
free institutions. The gigantic rebellion,
existing in our own land, is fearful illus
tration of the above fact. That the mass
os of the South were unwittingly drawn
into the fatal step of secession and civil
war, by the false representations of few
leaders who had acquired the power thus
to influence and lead, by improving the
advantages for culture furnished bv the
government rnoy sought to overthrow, is
with no one matter Of doubt. 1t is no
cause of wonder that the rebellion has
reached such magnitude when the ma
teriaI of which it is composed is taken in
to consideration. The statistics. taken n
few years since, show twenty thousand
more children in the public schools Of
Ohio alone than in the seeded States
combined.
The mob element, where it discovers it.
self in the defiance of law and order. Is
almost universally composed of the uned
ucated Who does not see, then, that
the parent or guardian is furnishing a
dangerous element to. society who sends
out into the world son or daughter with
heart and mind all uncultiyated, and bav-
ing no just appreciation of The iustitu-
tons Of our country! And where shall