Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-09
COMMON SCHOOLS.
SPEECH OF W. s. McGAUGRET,

INC EAOuSC VI ANCRAG1IAsA-ANGD9
Dec. 4, 1868, on the Bill to ReOrgan-
ize the Public school System of the |
State.
Mr.. Speaker The subject now before !
the House is one of great importance to |
the citizens of the State of Tennessee. 1t |
is one in which every one is, or ought to |
be interested, from Carter to Shelby-the |
subject of training, schooling and educa-
ting the rising generation. What subject |
is fraught with more INTEREST," What sub |
ject is laden with more responsibilities |
What subject looms above it, or should |
excite more interest in the heart of phil |
anthropist whose expanded soul runs out |
and embraces the whole human race?
None, save that of evangelizing the world,
and this is auxiliary to that. Education and
religion are twin sisters journeying sideby
side through this dark World-one storing
the mind with human knowledge, knowledge
that adorns yet perisheth the other point
ing upwards imparting instruction more
lasting than characters written upon steel
with the point of diamond.
Shall we repeal tie act estab-
fishing a system of common schools in
the State of Tennessee? Shall we say to
the world, shall we proclaim to our sister
States, that we, the legislators of the
great State of Tennessee, chosen by the
honest yeomanry of our country, have no
respect for the rising generation-no in
terest in having the thousands of poor
children growing up around us educated
no interest in gathering up the homeless
orphan, the wandering street beggar and
placing them in condition to receive the
benefits of a common school system sup
ported by the commonwealth of the Statel
We argue that the rich, those who have
been fortunate enough to heap up around
them the wealth of the world, shou
lend assistance to the poor. Wealth
comes as it were by the smiles of fortune.
All cannot be rich. Some must be poor
The world has been peOpled to great eX-
| tent by the poor from the days in which our
Saviour declared that 'the poor should
have the Gospel preached to them, down
to the present time. Then shall those
who have gold, and silver, and lands, re-
| fuse to pay the pittanCe Of a small tax to
school the children of the poor with whom
we associate and who dwell among US?
Shall we repeal the law establishing sys-
tenn of free schools in the State of Ten
nessee2 l ask again, Shall We go for
ward in cnlightening the masses of the
| people? or shall we recede and proclaim
| to those children who are poor and ignO-
rant, 'EBe we ignorant still ~ Let our
motto be, Onward Onward, by cherish
ing and fostering industry and commerce.
Onward, in developing the resources of
our State; and last, and greatest of all,
onward, in enlightening the people. In
nation or State, just in proportion as
knowledge is diffused and the in
| fluence Of education reaches the
masses they become moral, virtuOus,
happy and law-abiding. The emigrant
seeking home for his wife and children,
will wind his way to that country, where
there is a system of common schools.
He will take up his abode among those
| people who take liberal views of eduCa-
ton, and where the polish of civilization
has extinguished the last vestige of SUI
| perstitiOn, and a school house stands in
every neighbOrhOOd with doors thrown
| wide open, six months In the year, by
wise legislation, and the children of the
rich and the poor invited to meet upon
one common level, and receive instruc-
tons that will qualify them TO become
useful citizens and ornaments to society.
| We are asked to encourage immigration,
we are asked to invite capitalists to bring
| their money, their talent and influence
and dwell among us-bUy our lands
| improve our water pOwer-ereCt
| iron fOunderies- our mountains
and develop our mineral resources
and hidden wealth, which have been sleep
| ing silent and undisturbed thousands of
years in tho hlIIa nanuntaiaa Of il---S---;-----
I land of America. VIII it be encouraging
10 immigrants-will il be encouraging TO
men of capital and moral wOrth-tO know
| thai the State that invites them to become
| citizens has no system of free schools,
where the children of the poor are grow
| ing up in ignorance, with UnCouth man
ners and Uncultivated hearts, fit subjects
for iails and penitentiaries Repeal the
school law, strike it from our statute
| books; or, in other words, establish
| county system, which amounts TO the same,
and where are we as a State Founder
ing ten years in the rear of our sister
States, like ship upon the rolling deep
without a chart or compass; like a be-
| QlglLeu lfdNGlCi NllllOub d JOldl ObclAt AAN
children of the poor growing up around US
without the benefit of an education, or
the restraints of moral training, whilst
we, the legislators of the State, will be
held in derisiOn, pointed at with the finger
of scOrn, and subject to the criticism OF
the wise. Every member of society
| wields an influence, for veal or for woe,
upon the rising generation. How careful
should we be to devote a portion of our
influence, our time, our talent and our
money, as we Journey from the cradle to
the grave, in building up common schools,
seminaries and colleges. We are passing
away, and let us make our mark for the
good of society, and for improving the
condition of the poor.
! Many great men who have lived before
! us, but are now resting from their labors,
} lent the best energies of their souls in de.
vising plans, ways and means by which
light and knowledge might penetrate
every condition of society, and light W
| with a smile the cottage of the poor mai
{ as well as the castle of the rich And by
D this we should be taught that
q Lives Of great men all remind us
: We can make our lives sublime,
I And departing, leave behind us
! Footprints on the sands Of time.
: Not footprints that will keep the poo
i in ignorance and superstition. Not foot
o prints of cruelty to suffering humanity, bu
Y footprints of mercy and kindness. Foot
prints that will cheer the sad heart, an
II lead thousands along the path Of know
= edge and virtue Footprints like those
Il the noble-sOuled Peabody, whose deaf
y the public journals chronicled but te'
, DAYS past. And, Mr.. Speaker, and men
> bers of the Legislature of the State
~ Tennessee, we should hasten to max
a those footprints Ii soon will be too lat
" We are passing away.
s'Our hearts, though stout and brave,
II still like muffied drums are beating
- Funeral marches to the grave
OF Passing away is written upon ever
D. thing.
ne Heir pushes on predecessor heir
Like wave impelling wave.
10 One by one, like the stars at eyeniI
an twilight. the human race appears upon Il
IN stage of action; and, like the stars
rs mornings dawn, one by one they ia
IN away. Go out in acloudless night and 81
yev the stars that adorn nights blue arc
- Some appear brilliant, shedding upon Il
: earth a light welcomed by the travele
ls others are situated far, far away in t
of dim distance, whose faint rays scar
f. reach the earth. Why this difference
Is it because one has greater magnitu
all than another2 Not so; it is position Il
laI makes the difference. SO it is with
in citizens of a country. Those who
re- blessed with the means and privileges
secure to themselves learning and inte
9re rencc-ascending the hill of science
~ drinking from the Pierian stream-th'
a as a general rule, become the stars of
' ie first magnitude in the ecclesiastical,
II Itical and commercial world. While