New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-05-07

From the Metropolitan Record
No more important nor more difficult question
to reconstruct society than the question Of the
proper system of education to be henceiorth fol,
lowed. 80
Education is not merely teaching Che contents oi
books; it comprehends all that series of instruc.
ton and discipline which is intended to enIigbten
the understanding, correct the temper. and form
the manners aud habits Of youth and fl them for
usefulness in their future stations. To give chill
dren good education in manners arts and science
is important; to give them religious education Ia
| indispensable, and immense responsibility rests on
parents and guardians who neglect these duties
! No one doubts the Importance of giving n
| thorough education to youth no one courts the
responsibility which neglect of this duty incurs
The question for the South is how TO give this in.
dspensabe education.
Before the war it was the almost universal GUS
tom OF Southerners to import teachers from the
| North, or to send their children to Northern
| schools. This was in some cases because educa
ton in and from the North was cheaper; in others
because it was thought that few years of boy
| mood or youth passed in the Northern climate was
beneficial to the physical constitution. But cheap
education, like other cheap things, Ia poor econ
| omy, and the physical advantages arising from
| spending several years in Northern boarding
SCHOOLS was too often obtained by sacrifice Of
value.
Without in any manner calling into question the
moral cnaTacter or professional ability Of the ma
N
SCHOOLS or located in the South we do NOT belfeve
they are the best persons to instruct Southern
youth. IL IS but natural that they should have
StroHS PteJuulceS ~ favor Of the peculiar views of
history OF art OF politics, of religion, even Of
science prevalent in their own sections: and these
even when good in themselves are seldom ndantad
to different section from that in which thew have
their origin Such teachers emigratipU II az
South will be in state of antagonism 10 the az.
ctety in which they live To acquire and preserve
that influence over their pupils without which their
a6or5 will be IN vain, they must assert and main.
tain the superiority of their views of men md
manners over those held by the parents, relatives
and associates of their young charge: or tGev
must conceal their real principles and try to adyos
cate others to which they are in heart opposed
Can man do this successfully? Not withnut no
coming a learner and hypocrite, instead Of being
teacher and model Of sincerity and all moral
worth.
The examples of great men, famous in war, in
craftsmanship IN religion, in love of their country
and Of their fellow men, should be held up for im
taton. In our day Washington and Franklin were
the great eXemplars, but Washington will per
haps be dropped now for Lincoln For Southern
youth, Calhoun, Albert Sydney, Johnston; Stone.
wall jackson, I4eonidas Polk, among the dead
Robert r. Lee, Jefferson Davis, among the living
are the true models-martyrs for the land they
loved or Confessors in its cause. No Northern
teacher who is true to its own education can he |
fit to form youth upon these great patterns
In the Educational Monthly, periodical, which
has considerable influence, and is generally an
proved by Northern teachers, q new school history
is found fault with because the author SAYS that
I" facts only are presented, and the mind of the
youthful student left in freedom as to the prnci-
pies and motives of the actors in this grand drama
who pass in review before him - and because |
the book contains not word about those sterling
men who first settled New England y and again.
because the author praises Calvert and the Mary.
land land colony, and gives slight credit to Roger
Williams
If we have succeeded in directing the attention
OF our Southern friends TO the important matter
OF speedily adopting and putting into practice |
good system of education, we are confident that |
their own good sense, and the favors they have |
already received from the Yankees will prevent |
them from falling into the snare which these yam |
KEGS are setting for their children.
Vi the little Latin we remember, one line of |
virgil always comes to mind when we hear the
Northerners offering favors to the South:
Timeo DANCES ct donA ferentes
Forewarued, forearmed. The people of the
South cannot mistake the object of the educa-
tional movement in Congress. 1t is plainly TO pet
control Of the education Of Southern youth, and
by establishing normal schools upon the same svs
tenn as is followed in New England and by placing
them under the charge of Northern men, to send
forth teachers, who thoroughly imbned with
Northern ideas, with bigoted hatred Of Southern |
Institutions, with irreverenee and contempt for J
the great men Of Southern history may corrupt l
The rising generation, and make onr country a ,
nation, indeed, but a nation which shall have for
'eligion, materalism for morality the art of s
'oncealing vice. for a standard OF social worth, 8
money; for patriotism, national vanity. for
liberty, license; for God self