The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-07-17
From our Special Reporter.
Educational Association of Virginia,


CONCLUSION OF DISCUSSION on CLASH
CAL sTUDY-ADDREss OF REV. DIR.
sMITH-EDUCATION OF THE CoLoRED
PEopLE-FREE SCHOOLS IN VIRGINIA.
Your correspondent had to close for the
mail on Yesterday so hastily that nc qua NOT
quite finish the report OF the discusSioh oh
the strdy of the classics. -.
canarol X II. Smith expressed his gratifi-
cation Mt what he had heard during this dis
cussion. The relative time to be devoted 70
the classics and the sciences is problem
of GREAT practical difficulty. There has been
a Great change from the old rigid system IN
yScue Mt oxford. There has been loosen,
ing of the hold which classic lore once hau
ON the literary world. Science mas come 10
question should be fairly met rs 10 the space
proper to he devoted to each.
He suggested us at least worthy oil con-
sideration whether our academies, Wlicn
have worked themselves up TO SO hlSh an
efficiency, do not teach rs m,ch Oh inc ci E
sics as is desirable for any but inc piotes:
sional student to lcarn--wliether the cltss.,
cal studies, OF all others, shoolo no' ''''''
with the academy. -, ..,,o
Con,,nodore Maury said that the true
Question before us had been put intoa prac.,
tical shape The advocates OF Latih aia
Cront Ynust come down from their high
horse and consent to q compromise. lie
affirmed that the best field in which TO teach
child to think is in the field OF physics.
The true question is how to so ADJUST tne
educational system of the State rs to meet
Tho new order of things by which we are
surrounded. He thought it would be I'm,
wise TO give the same time to Latln ana
Crock now rs before the recent discoveries
in science and the great changes That nave
taken place among us.
Before taking his seat he called attention
TO a new English system of teaching read
ing. md asked that it be referred to spe-
cial committee which was done. -
Professor Holmes begged to ask IL the
distinguished author of that system was not
a classical scholar and Commodore Mallry
WEDNESDAY EVENING.
After PRAYER by Rev. George +. EXall, OF
Botctourt, the Association was addressed
by Rev. Dir. B. NJ. Smith. OF Hampden sid,
ney, on "The Duties OF Educated Men anu
of Educators to Virginia"
After nm appropriate introduction, he
said that there are two modes Of governing
men by ideas:
l. BY legislating ideas into laws TO be en-
forced by adequate measures.
,. Bv intoxicating them in the minds OF
others bv the clear exhibition and earnest
enforcement of them in processes, OF IN
struetion adapted to the comprehension
and reasoning faculties Of those addressed.
He reruted the first, and argued in favor
of the second method, and then passed
to urpe as the duties Of educated
men and educators to Virginia now
/. TO kno,r themselves before they attempt
10 lead others.
,, TO direct their efforts to useful results
3. To perform especially nose t uu,ies
which grow out of the new ORDER oil thihSS
bv which we are now surrounded.
4. Since this is called an age of pro
gress" it devolves upon themto guide and
direct that progress.
We regret that we have not space to give
more than this bare skeleton OF this able
and deeply interesting address OF one OF our
best thinkers and most successful educators.
Several reports were called for, ana not
rendered because of the absence OF the gen.
tlemcn appointed to write them. There
being no report on ''The Best Method OF
Instructing Youth in Foreign Languages,
particularly the Latin and Greek" Profes-
sor Jovnes begged leave to read paper on
the study of modern languages, which he
had felt himself called on to prepare. The
leading thought of the paper was that the
ancient languages are chiefly dtSc'plndly
and the modern languages practical. The
method of teaching them should recognize
this fact. The paper then ably argued on
the place modern languages should hold Ill
our system of education, the object of their
study, and the method OF their study. III
was a paper in which every teacher Of mo-
dern languages would be deeply interested,
and which would also be of value to the
profession generally. =,
THURSDAY MORNING.
The Association was opened with prayer
Nv Rev. DIR. Is. NJ. Smith.
Professor g. L. Cooke moved the appoint
1nent of DR.. B. M. Smith, Professor Davis
of Petersburg, and Professor Powell OF
Richmond, to give expression TO the feelings
of this Association on the death of our late
corresponding secretary, Rev. y. LeaYeI-
worth.
The report on the instruction of the
Colored People" being called for, Professor
c. l.. Cooke said that the chairman of this
committee, DR.. Atkinson, of Hampden Sid
ncy, having had two delicate duties to per-
forrln-yiz., to write this report and marry a
wife, had very naturally preferred to marry
wife, and leave the writing of the report
to his colleagues. He claimed for this that
il was II HUing subject, and then proceeded
to read an essay of decided ability, well
written, and of deep interest. .a g..
He maintained that, in view Of the con-
-srIcrf9HsS fidelity of the colorcd race TO their
lite masters during the war, and in view OF
their present dependent condition, 1t Is our
imperative duty to aid in their instruction.
The first and most important agency Sug-
.,estcd was that of Sabbath schools. This
was urged in view of the fact that the CO.
lorcd race is prone to superstition and
easily misled in their religious belief. The
second agency suggested was that manual
,ubOr schools, in which the colOred race
NAV acquire elementary knowledge, and Ill
the same time acquire some skill in the
various trades and mechanic arts. The third
agency advocated was normal schools, de-
signed to prepare teachers oil both sexes IL
sufficient numbers To supply the demand III
the State.
The writer earnestly deprecated the idea
of n system of common schools ut the pub
lie expense first, on the ground that, whel
the duty of educating the young is trans
terred from the parent to the State, the mo
raj education of the child is neglected; and
second, that in the States where the eySten
prevails the Bible is excluded from the
schools.
In regard to the degree of education to be
impaired, the writer maintained that it i
unwise and ineXpedient to give the coioret
race the culture which is to lit them to enter
upon the professions, or our Legislatures
He advertcd to the danger of destroying oul
present civilization by the mixture OF foreign
elements, and pointed to the vast stream Of
Chinese immigration coming, and to come
To this country. lie urged that whatever
privileges and immunities we grant to the
African race we cannot logically and con.
sistently deny to the Monaghan.
Professor Winston called tor the reading
IF the sections of the new constitution o.
Virginia bearing on the free school system
Professor Powell called t6r the re-readins
of that part of the report which recon-
mended the establishment of manual labor
schools for the negroes Of the State. He
heartily endorsed that SUGGESTION