The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-07-14

only never had their origin in the south,
bnt their propagandists have never peeh
able To plant them among US iof Chete 10
no soil here in which such things can take
root. Let us hold on more braVely tnan ever
tn this most beautiful feature OF our OLD sys-
ten. for we are about 10 nave impressed
Tnnn re the New England system OF educa-
tim under which, nrco. ding to German
traveller. q pcoplc harc crown up with ga
thousand religions AID ~ Sod"
Rely upon it, the scholastic education of
youth who have moi hcci we'll grounded ut
home in the principles ot morality, virtue.
and religion. is q dangerous thing for any
communicates dangerous ~ educated vice
always is. We should, therefore, guard
with the more earnestnaSs, watchiulness,
and solicitude, this parental feature in our
system OF education. I!,if. fast to 1t, for
upon il all the rest depends. 1t is the vital
principle itself Of til: meas sdnd. The dis
coveries in science. and the rare circum-
stances by which the southern people are
surrounded, call for many and vast changes
in-you wifi allow me to call 1.-THE ccho-
ldstic system OF southern education.
/ have travelled not = little and visited
countries not few, yet nowhere have 1
seen a yeomanry thai -lrpasses the yeo,,,
many of the South il! Intelligence and all
those social virtues, manly traits, and ac-
complishments, which lend society its
charms.
With the exception of the professional
men and 4 few merchants in the cities,
every southern gentleman farmcd his own
lands, The vast majority of our people
were women, and the most elegant ana
refined society in the lalit! WAS found among
them.
l'hc heirs who inherited their estates
were sent to colleges or universities ut home
or abroad, where they generally received
not professional but til! hci polite educa-
ton.
These people still own Inc soil of the
South, but they are so s.Tiitened IN thelf
circumstances that they low require for
their SONS what is commonly called prdc-
teal education. 49,.
For this our educat r.,1l institutions
should in the most conf - manner lur-
nsh all the requisite facilli'
This brings us to consid - the effect which
the discoveries in physical science are hav-
ING upon the industries Ct the world, as
well as the changes which they have made
necessary in our yStcm of education.
Now, remember that it is to these disco
verics-that il is to our know ledge or the
laws ofnaturc and her properties otmatter-
that we are not ut this day savages more
brutal even than the inhabitants OF tlat
island in the Pacific who, when 1t was 1fst
discovered, were ignorant OF the use OF nre;
ALI our material comforts, pleasures, ana
enjoymcnts-all the sub>tlnllal prospefitles
of per ples and nation>-arc derived from the
ami. cation to the affairs OF man of what we
know of physical science; and therefore
there is no achievement in physics, no con-
quest of mind over matter, that should not
as soon as made be comprehended by our
improved system Of education.
An establishment in which this may be
done will, with its subjects OF instruction,
be adapted to all the changes which the de-
yelopnentS of physical science have made.
and NAV make. in our industries, habits al
thought, or modes OF life,
1t should be Il general polytechnic, adapt
ed to the wants of the whole South-lrce 10
all her sons and endowed by the JOINT con-
tributions of her States and people.
It should be sclf-adiu>ting for all time,
conducive to the upward and onward march
of Christian peoples, and adapted TO the
wants of successive generations.
Its instruction, especially III the NE
sciences, should be always up to the mark,
full and complete.
The industries Of the South have hence
forth to be carried on under conditions,
both moral and physical. very different from
the former ones.
ICheapness of production formerly de-
pended upon muscular power. NOT SO now.
At least. not SO to the same extent. New
discoveries, improved processes, and labor
saving machinery, are making muscular
power Il subordinate element i'll actual re-
suits.
Mechanics, chemistry, electricity, and the
discoveries of physical science, have placed
at our service forces far more powerful and
effective than any which may be derived
from the muscular power of man or beast.
It hp. been recently demonstrated. that
the mechanical energy resident in pound
of coal is capahir Of raising one foot high
n quantity of matter wei.uirg rs much as
ten millions of pounds hi il will do III a
few moments. How lorr I'D it take the
mower of ;r;, '..-.: - accomplish
the same work? Certain. ..ot less than
day of ten hours, and t',s -,tch OF the ten
would have to raise =, lands one foot
biph every second o. :: &c during the III
teryol,
There is mined annua.!E in Great Bril-
tain upwards of one hundred millions OF
tons of coal. Let us suppose thaC oniy MY
millions Of these tons are applied TO me-
chancal purposes, tho!!Sli IL Is pr0paple
that the quantity so applied Is lii.tch f'lSei;
Modern improvements, inventions, and
discoveries, have within inc fst one nun
dred years, and since WAITS INVENTION OF
the steam-englne, enabieh men TO perform
with the coal of Great i'fitain alone more
work annually than the cnllre populatlon
of the globe is capable OF now DONG were
it made up wholly OF able-bodied men, each
one equal to tWentylour hours nara, un-
mort tveif LAY ~ ..S ca ,.,
rms Statement Is also suggestive as wen
as instructive, not only upon the suh0ect