Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-05-05
EDUCATION HERE AND ELsEwtIERE. 1t

EDUCATION HERE AND ELsEwHERE.-
appears from the report OF the United States
commissioner, Mr.. John Eaton, for 1870, that
in 1860 there were in the United States 1926,
SIS. adult whito citizens who could not read cad
and write the subsequent addition OF ,G33,S SUI
slaves to these with the illiteratc free blacks,
has brought the figures Of illiteratc adults up
to nearly three millions This represents u
much larger number, composed of their chill
dren, who will to large extent remain IN the
condition Of their parents unless brought un-
der public or private control. In lS40 this
class formed % per cent. OF the population !;
in 1850 it had risen to Is per cent, and IN
1860 descended to 90 per cent again Though
the statistics for 1870 have not yet been collat-
cd there is no reason for believing this num-
Der to have materially diminished. In 1860
the proportion of the native whites III this class
was very large, viz, ST. AIS, and this Is very
probably much below the actual number, owing
to we'll known difficulties In obtaining this class 5:
to statistics. TO the native -borns are now TO
be added the freedmen. Notwithstanding the
received idea that knowledge Of reading and
writing sometimes called education. is more
common in this than in any other country, we
arc further behind many other nations t han we
Sunnosc. The "hcathen Chinec' is ahead OF
ms in this respect, though it does not seem
much to improve his morals. We are also III
the rear of various nations of Europe. AS 1t
has always been held that the intelligence
of the citizens is one of the essential clements
of the perpetuity of republican institutions, our
educational statistics are not encouraging. At
the same time it may Us well be borne III mind
that the education of the people IS the province
of the States, and that centrallzng schemes,
such as were proposed in Congress last winter
for that purpose. are more dangerous to
our republican system than popular ignorance.
1t may also be added that education, by what
ever authority directed, unless accompanied by
moral culture, is ATTEST, 4 doubtful good.
JUDGE OLIN ON THE PRESS. the trial of
Jackson and Curtis in Washington for the
murder OF Hudson, Mr. Brown said he desired
TO call the attention of the court to certain artl-
cles in the newspapers. Hc thought that the
court should take some action in reference to
the matter 1t was evident that such articles
could net fail to have an effect upon the minds
Of the jury.
Judge Olin said, in substance: Now, am
lust as we'll satisfied rs you are OF the effect OF
newspaper publications in relation 10 trials, and
try to disabuse my mind Of what | have read
in reference to the matter The neanest part
of the business is that people will think articles
in newspapers to be better than ordinary talk
of the best regulations of the French police Is
that the name of the writer shall be subscribed
to every newspaper article Then if he was an
ass, a knayc and fool, they regarded his artl-
Gle lust about what it WAS worth. Perhaps 1t
might have been well to, have told the jury not
to read anything in the papers about this case
for it is lust about as mean trick to puDllSh
an article to influence the trial as if some scoun-
drel should approach you and attempt to IN,
fucnce your verdict would not touch one OF
them any more than [ would dirty thing-l
mean in reference to this trial.
FACETIE Can man eating dates be said
to consume time? .5a.,.
"Ill give you the slip" as the gardener said
when he promised friend the cutting
Mother, it mo usc | can never love Mr..
Sprowler." Well said the mother, looking
ut her with surprise, that Is no reason why
you should not marry him. = l5a.5... .....-.
An Indiana paper notices the death OF an
old subscriber, and touchingly adds ave are
sorry to hear of the death OF any of our sub
scribers who are prompt about paying us. -. =, Z.
As illustrating the humorous, Prot: Lowell
mentions IN advertisement that caught his eye
some time since: ''Wanted, by boy, situa-
ton in an eating house He Is used to the
business. y ,..
A Michigan doctor who was arrested because
his patient died, has been acquitted, on the
ground that he did the best he could, giving all
the medicines he knew the names Of He put
in the plea that he never insured L case when
he took It, .......a. g..
\ distinguished professor in one of our theo-
logical scminaries relates the following BE
ing in Germany, With a rcd-coyered book in his
hand Il German, suppesing the book to be
Murray" asked in English if he was an Eng
lshman The Professor replied in German
that he was not The conversation presently
turned upon au object of architectural beauty
hear at hand, in the course OF which the prOtes-
sor incidentally raised the: question of its cost.
Sir exclaimed the .German instantly, ''you
are al American = Glow do you know that
rcjoncd the professor ''Sir, continued the
tono Of great solcmnity, upon the resurrection
morn, when We stand boforc the Great White
Throne, the first question OF every American in
the whole assembly will be, '"How much did
that throne cost 2
Mr.. Edward Lang, +. r. S. f., of England,
has prepared "A New Table of Seven Place
Logarlthms OF All Numbers from 10000 to
uO,UOO' The Importance of the work to
mathematciallS and others engaged it tho la
bor of trigonometrcal calculations cannot be
oyercstimatcd Professor Henry Briggs, who
Improved on Baron Napier's invention Of loga.
rithns Of numbers, and whose system Is the one
now llsed, calculated the loearithms of nambers
at from to 10000, and from -, 900 to 100000,
and it was considered that he had performed a
marvellous piece ofwork. MIR; Lang, however,
has exceeded his aahprs six, told, and has also
announced for early publication, by ;S,u!bscrip7
ton, tables Of logarthms up to one mllllor9 Gal
culated to niue decimal places. When publish
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