Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1868-09-05

BILE enterprise deprecate as its worst enc
mics, not only, in not giving Of their abun-
dance, but in being stumbling blocks to
| others. 1t is such men whose memories
posterity has right despise and curse, but
whom, in mercy, II chooses to pass over in
silent contempt and consign TO utter obliv.
| ion. But such is the common mass Of men
Of every age whom the Omnipotent Ruler of
mankind will not pass over, but will in JUS
| tice curse forever, because they have re-
! fused TO recognize and aid in those great
schemes which He has appointed for the
| Improvement and civilization of the world
and have thus retarded its final reforma.
| ton.
| In the course Of Providence, we, the peo-
| pie OF Bristol, are called upon to put on
foot one Of these grand and noble schemes.
Our opportunity has come. The obligation
Is upon every one Of us, and we cannot but
meet it, without mourning the solemn re-.
| sponsiblity OF suppressing the rise and prog
ress Of education among this people. But,
instead of its being burden, this noble
scheme proposed TO the citizens Of Bristol,
should be accepted by them as fortunate
and glorious privilege, beneficial to you
now, and rich legacy TO your children
hereafter, and to remain to your memories
as lasting monument Of fame. What
more can men desire than to leave to
posterity a great instit ution OF learning,
and to have their names as its founders on
marble tablets, hung in its public halls,
there to be read by the youth Of unborn
generationsY Yet, this noble sentiment
does not seem to move the business men of
Bristol to give their cooperation, in the eff
forts now being made to establish Just such
an institution in our midst, to be living
monument after them. Can you, gentle
inen, offer valid reason for your sloth p
On the contrary, whilst you are doing moth
ing, and are dead weights to others, you
are the very men to be most benefited in
the success of Kings College There will
be drawn here every year 200 or 400 stu
dents. AT the outlay Of $500 to each stu
dent, the whole sum expended here every
year, will reach the large sum of $4,000 or
100000. Besides there will be a large ex-
: penditure accruing from the parents and
friends Of these students, as they shall
come from time to time. In this view, every
young man that shall 60 from our midst, to
be educated elsewhere, will take off $500
each year, which, in four years will reach
the large sum Of $4,000.
To prove TO you that this is no idle dream,
we would call your attention to the town
Of Charlottesville, consisting Of 5000 souls,
which has been built up and sustained al
| n.
That Institution formerly numbered $50
students. the outlay Of each was $500 a
session and many spent from $1,000 to 5000.
Now, business men of Bristol, you can cas-
ily tell how an outlay of 100000 has alone
built up a,town Of the size of Bristol, and
how, from that town to the University, the
distance of mile, stores are springing mp
{ as if by magic, aud in their doors stand fat
and smiling merchants, inviting these young
princes, the sons of the wealthiest men from
the Potomac to the Rio Grande, with peck
, cts full Of money, to come in and buy
Again, gentlemen, go to the university
of Va" on its festival days, and see the
multitudes Of 5000 aud 10000 of the wealth
of the land, every house full and stores full,
merchants and hotel-keepers so busy and
r so happy, selling goods and coming money.
We could cite you another similar exam
Pile in Washington College, near Lexington,
Va. Are not these strong and il ing proofs
g 10 convince you, gentlemen, what Kings
College will do for Bristol, provided you
o will work now to establish this great enter
o prise upon firm and permanent basis p
For every dollar that you give to-day, to.
0 morrow you shall get back ten il not vir-
e tually, you will do so in the enhanced value
of your property. Do you choose to ex-
cuse your indifference by saying that there
6 are too many difficulties in the wayH We
tell you, sirs, that is no excuse. The
u founders Of that Institution, now the pride
,f and boast OF America, compeer of the
older and famous schools of Europe, held
a their first meetings in log hut on the tor
j. Of the Blue Ridge, and there linked ,hei
names and their fame with that of which
Virginia is this day most proud-her grea
, University. But our own enterprise begins
= under better auspices, in the rich Legacy
IS bequeathed to us. 1t is to be reared herr
in the mountains, at the common centre o
railroads, already built and to be built
l. where from the cold North and the hot eli
% mates of the South, from the malarious dis
tricts of the East and the distant plains o
e the West, young men will be invited Il
q come by its readiness of access, the healt
Q OF the climate, and the beauty of the seen
= cry.
- In moral and intellectual view Of edu
- cation, we have room to say but little. W
* hope that but little is necessary. Every in
- telligent man, living in this enlightene
~ age, and taking q Retrospective view Of th
re past, is forced TO acknowledge that the grea
% civilizer of the human race has been edu
20 cation. Yet, when its humanizing effect
n are so generally diff'used, and felt more Q
less by everybody, like the heat and light {
~ the sun, it is hard 10 realize what this grea
motive power has done for mankind
Schools and books have been its prime me
- dia In these Il Q arts and sciences have ZEE
ID nursed and been preserved and throug
r them transmitted from age to age. II wa
"a darkness over the wrl when they wer
t. kept from the people by artfdl priests.
was light again, glorious light, when til
10 Jealous student Of Wrtemburg, broke frol
ut his cell, and held up its pages before the eye
n nj mo In Il aasfr agt ION. hat ~
Vi taught Mind to rule Matter, and brute fore
Il, to yield to Intellect. To its mild powe
the world owes that grand era and da
10 when for the first Time upon the field
he Steinkrk, there stood two mighty armiC
whose head and soul was an asthmatic ske
IL, eton ahd a dwal FISH humpback. There III
nv educated minds of William III and III
Duke Of Luxembourg wisely swayed tt
Wild spirits and PASSIONS of that might
be hosts. But yesteI day the studious philos,
pher pulled with silken cord, the awfl
We lightning from heaven to earth. To-da
IS science has made it the mouth-piece of FL
rope and America, under the blue watei
e. of the Atlantic. Bnt yesterday the exnl
n ing Watt reclaimed the volatile vapor fro
the air-to.day IL moves the world. 81 Al
the deyotees of science revealing new fac
h. making new discoveries, finding on. new Il
ventionS, and subiecling by their educate
II intelleets, the natural powers of heayC
and earth 10 the common uses OF men,
Who are these benefaetors Of their rae
al hut orr young men who catch the inspire
20, "a, idea IRON some book at SCHOOL, and it W
~ not them go, till 1t comes forth full-bol
'u' reality.
MI IL Education is to the human min
be what sculpture is to the block of marble
he then You fathers may he responsible for
he priving the world of many a noble spiri
,us cousigning IL 10 Oblivion. This grave r.