Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-26
Our SCHOOLS.


the aggressive spirit Of sectional domina-
ton and bigotry. It is impossible to over
rate the influence for good which proper
system Of educational training is capable Of
exerting over the youthful mind, or the in
caIculable amount Of evil that false and Vi
cious teaching may, in like manner, produce,
not only upon the moral character of indi-
yidual scholars, but also upon the destinies
Of the country.
Upon this subject a contemporary well
remarks: Two hundred yearsago FLETCHER,
Of Saltoun, quoted the memorable saying Of
a friend Of his-"Give me the making of
the ballads Of a people, and l care not who
makes the laws" AT the period when that
remark was made, there was much wisdom
in it, for the ballad Of Liliburlero, heard
everywhere throughout England, and sung
everywhere in enthusiastic chorus, had lust
before paved the way for that revolution
which cost JAMES ii his crown. There was
no newspaper in those days. The masses
were, in the main, ignorant and uneducated,
and the only means of effectively acting
upon them was through the medium of some
ballad or other that touched the popular
heart. We do not nderrate the influence
Of the ballad, even now, in exciting the pas
sions and preiudices Of people, or in ami
mating them to deeds Of patriotism. But it
is only under peculiar circumstances, and
on rare occasions, that it can be made avail
able in moving the multitude to action.
With Us the school teacher superseded the
ballad maker long ago, and the newspaper
the ballad. But whilst the Office of teacher.
when worthily filled, is a noble one and pro-
ductive Of an incalculable amount of good.
ITS capacity for mischief is co-extensive, and
when 1t is perverted to the baser uses of fac
ton it is dangerous alike to the well-being
of the people and to their political and re-
ligious freedom. It is therefore matter of
paramount Importance, and especially in
view Of events that have recently occurred
and Of dangers that menace us in the future,
that cur schools shall be presided over by
those to whom we can safely confde the
education Of our children, and that the
school books shall be such as neither falsify
the truths Of history nor warp the minds Of
pupils who seek TO CLEAN knowledge from
their pages. In both Of these respects we
have hitherto leaned too much upon New
England, and the confidence we have re-
posed in the teachers and book-makers of
that section has been but too often
abused to cur injury. In their system
Of education there is nothing that is large
hearted and genial. Whenever they
treat Of religion and religious duties,
it Is either a religion based upon the rigid
Calyinistic dogmas Of the old Puritans, or
it is mere mask of religion that is used to
conceal and render acceptable to the unwary,
the more dangerous speculations of theorists
and free thinkers. Whenever they treat of
morality, it is morality as understood in
New England. Whenever they treat of
politicians, the place Of honor is given to the |
politicians and statesmen of New England;
whilst in their school histories of this eoun-
try there is scarcely an incident recorded in
which the merits, the courage, the selfsacri-
fices or the patriotism of the people of other
States are fairly set forth, or are not used as
foils to display to more advantage the supe-
riority Of New England in every quality |
that adorns and dignifes human nature.
Now that slavery has been abolished, the
leading spirits Of New England, who for
forty years kept up an incessant agitation Of
that subject, flushed with success, have en-
tered upon a new mission Their present
design is to extend their system Of educa-
lion over the region which they have plum
dered and devastated. They have already
formed associations for this purpose. One
Of these associations has kindly volunteer
cd to Instruct the people of the South in
the fundamental principles of society aud
il is understood at the North"
Another is to find its particular field Of la
Dor among the negroes, so that their teachers
and exhorters, under Northern guidance
"may become leaders and manufacturers Of
public sentiment at the Southo-or, plain
er language, stirrers up of sedition Under
these circumstances it becomes us morSthan
ever to foster our own schools and colleges,
and to so eiiectually cover the ground that
this spirit of proselytism, in its newest and
most mischievous phase, shall be met at the
outset, and to the utmost possible extspt
Y
Shelby Female Institute, boarding and
day cchool for young ladies, will open Mon
day, September 10.
Hawkins Institute for Young ladies, cor
ner Of Tulip street ard Gallatin pike, Edge
field, will open first Monday in September.
w. f. WARDS Rudimental and Finishing
School for young ladies, No. 10 Spruce
street, will open Monday, September Sd.
St. Cecilia Academy, Mt Vernon, near
Nashville, for young ladies, will open first
Monday in September.
Nashville Female Academy, Miss SUSIE
f. ELLIOTT, will open September Sd.
Columbia Female Institute, Columbia,
Tenn, will open ID Monday in September.
Athenpum, for young ladies, Columbia,
Tenn, will open first MONDAY in September.
Corona, foryoung ladies, Lebanon, Tenn,
will open September Sd.
Bethel College, for young ladies, Russell
vile, Kentucky, viii open first Monday in
September.
Mary Sharp College, Winchester, Ten
nessee, for young ladies, viii open Septem-
Der LIST.
Select Classical School, for boys, w.
Bryce THOMSON, principal, Nashville, will
Sept Sd.
The Rock City Commercial College,
UNION AND AMERICAN block, perpetual
session.
CRocKER's School for boys, at Whites
Creek Springs will open on the Sd Of Sep
.ember.
Stewart College, for young men, Clarks-
vile, Tenn, viii open Sept 10Th.
Cumberland University, Law and Literary
Departments. Lebanon, Tenn, will open first