Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-02-15
YEARLY ADVERTISING
Our School System.
Remarks Of Hon. John II. AtkiaIon, of Han.
cock, IN the Senate ysztsrday.

Law, so as to raise fifteen cents upon the
one hundred deIlars valuation of property
instead of ten cents, to go into the State
Treasury, Mr.. Atkinson said:
| Ma. President In proposing this
! amendment the Committee do it for the
| purpose Of giving the system OF free
| schools in our State, such basis as shsII
insure Uniformity as far possible,
| throughout all the counties thereof We
! desire TO secure such sum in the Treasuz
| r. of the State, ss when distributed to the
| several counties m proportion to the emu
ueratiou of children, will support our
school for four months in each year, Ieav-
ing smaller sum to be levied By the peo-
| pie of the several townships.
While we propose to add i've cents Taxa
| ton upon the one hundred dollars 1alua-
ton or property, 70 be collected in the
State Treasury, we propose by another
amendment TO deduct ike rate from the
per ceUtage TO be levied by the people at
ttheir township meetings. and for this rea-
son: The tax in the first instance will be
| uniform all over the State, while in the
second each township may make different
| levy.
Here q township would assess the full
| limit of the law, another a less amount
while others through neglect, indifference,
| or opposition to the whole system, wonId
make no, levy whatever. Thus, while. the
schools in one township might continue
throughout the year, in others the schools
would cease go soon as the State funds
] were exhausted.
Our State is now in her infancy. Hav-
ing stricken off with such unanimity the
chains of human slavery, let Us strike
I g. ;,-
uorance. And how are We 10 do this
| Through a system of education which
! shall carry its blessings into every city,
and village aad cabin in West Virginia.
And this blessing can only be secured by
q system CT schools supported by general
taxation. We have tried the system OF
| individual enterprise, which, while il served
TO give us class Of highly educated men,
| has left the masses in almost total destiru-
ton as TO schools.
We must change the plan, and institute
one which has conferred such blessings
| upon other States. And surely every mau
who claims to De lover of his country or
| his race, should seek to elevate MS fellow
man in the scale of knowledge. lis only
IL this way that our government, founded
as It is upon the popular will, can safely
| be transmitted from generation to genera
| ton, for no republic can long exist that is
| not sustained by the intelligence and morals
OF its citizens. Aud what is intelligence
but another name for educatiou2 devel-
opmert OF all the powers physical, intel
lecrUaI aud morsl2 This education goes
on daily, and it is Impossible that We shall
feel as if We had done our duty, while the
| current Of ignorance Is bearing away the
| youth of our lsad, into indoleuce and
crime, and we make no-efort for their Fes
cue. Each individual Is being educated
| daily for good or for evil. There is no po-
sftiou in which you can place your chill
| dren and say in truth that they are unin-
| fuenced By surroonding efecuustauees. -
| Il IS then of the 6rse Importance to every
parent that he should secure to his child
| the blessings OF a liberal education, aud it
is also of the first importance to every cit
| izen who loves his country, that every
child receive such instruction as will pre-
! pare him for every position in which he
nay be placed.
Then let us ss law-uakers aot shrink
| from cur duty, but let Us give to our con-
stitueuts such. a law as shall by its opera
rions provide, as so strongly expressed in
our constitution, tor thorough and eff
eisuE system of free schools.
Is il urged that we uustreduce the taxes?
Let Us not make the reduction here. Is it
said we are engaged in war, war for the
\ life of cur nation, and that we must hQs-
j band all our resources for the conflict?
We know il, we feel IL But remember that
time is precious, precious moments to
your children that will never return. The
child will soon be the citizen. The boy
will 5000 be a voter, and we cannot, We
dare not as philauthropists or patriots fall
ter in our duty
L is ignorance that produces nearly all
the crime and misery in the land. In
civil life it fills olr- jails and peuiteutiaries
aud has supplied in this war the sinews OF
rebellion. 10 religion II makes bigots and
fanatics and gives inuumerable followers
to such leaders as j oe Smith aud the false
prophets. And ia social life 1t produces
those cancers uPon the body polite of up.
per aud lower classes, patriciau and plebe.
ian.
Then let US remove ss speedily ss possi-
BILE those evils, by rearing the school house
in every precinct throughout our State, il
which education shall be free to all. Where
the rich and the poor shall be educated
alike. Let Us provide now liberal func
: for their support. Let Us return to ou,
homes 10 popuiarize this system, and sool
. we sball see all over our mountain Stat
such system az shall give knowledge tt
all the masses.
: I shalF not be member of this body, bu
-. IL h5pe, as a citizen, soon to see the da,
when We shall not only provide schools 70
: all the children. but when public opirio
!, Will have so far advanced as to say TO tn
unkind, the unthiukiug parent who ahal
! ! fail to send his child TO school, ttyou hav