The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-08-24
Educate the Masses.

We never did subscribe TO the old
saw, that "N hen ignorance is bliss, It's
folly to he wise" We do not think
the "bIiss of ignorance" is an exuuis.
tic sort of condition, The lower an.
finals are negatively happy, hut with
them instinct supplies the lack of edu.
cation and reason. They 90 on from
age to age, the theories Of Darwin to
the contrary, Notwithstanding, and
learn nothing, and with the best in
structions man can give them. they re
main brutes. In proportion as mans
reason is not trained, or brought to act
upon subjects that cannot be compre-
hendrd without reflection, he resem
bIes the brute Society knows the pen
atty it pay, for ignorance, and seeks to
avoid 1t, 1t has discovered that to har-
monte incompatibilities and rest.'ain
passion, the minds of men must b"
brought into contact with truth as il
exists in Nature. Disciplining the
mind, is like the process Of opening Il
farm, arranging a garden or chiseling
the marble until the uushapeIy mass
stands out in bold relief. Venus or al
Apollo.
We see it stated that North Carolina
and Tennessee are represented ty the
laCe ensus to stand at the head of ii
"literate States. This means that, ac-
cordipg 20 population, Il greater pppu.
lation Of people in these States than in
others, are unelucatrd When we REGAL
the list OF great anne these States have
given to the world, we wonder how
this can be. The glorious Old North
State has produced men who would
honor any nation and any age. Ten.
nessec's great men have been rcckoned
among the foremost Of their day and
the achievements Of her many iilustri
| Gus sons, in the cabinet amt in the field,
have added bright and imperishahle
lustre to the honor and glory of our
country. BIT it appears that whatever
they achieved in the field, the forum,
the cabinet Oh elsewhere, their lame is
not enhanced by the record Of their
achievements in the greater field ofcd,
ucation. The frs. duty that intclli.
gencc owes to ignorance, is to lift it up,
a great speech at intervals, Hugh
Lawson White, counsel!ing the people
in the sublime strains Of lofty patriot
ism; Felix Grumpy arousing them to
action by his impassioned eloquence
John Bell, pouring forth the mighty
food of eloquence aud craftsmanship,
carrying conviction to the hearts Of his
| hearers and linking bis name with i'm
mortality such efforts as these, those
rivaling the orations Of the worlds
best orators, does not convey to the
masses the sort Of information they
need. 1t was good in its day and time
and for its purpose and the occasion
that caliel it forth A fine book, treat
ing UPON a single subject, is generally
beyond the reach Of the comprelieE-
sion of the uneducated masses. III
the first place it is necessary to lay TIE
the foundation Of knowledge. This
can only be done by q system of i'll
strucli0n that involves time, and its
equivalent, money. Both are essential
to success. 70 come to the point al
once, we must establish a systcn OF
instructions that Shall embrace all class
es and all conditions of life. ltshou!d
to be thoroughly effective, be co-eXten
sivr with population. and within the
reach of the hunblest boy in the rude
cabin Of the pioneer or the lowly hui
where poverty dweIls. Not so. muc!
to dispose oftho revrOarh to the ropn,
tatiou Of our State, as to redeem the
mind from Il condition of ignorance
do we urye this subject. Crime springs
from ignorance as its natural and inGy.
table result. Our courts tell the story.
Orr iails and prisons plead %eloquenti.y
for reformation, Not a criminal goes
to prison who is not u reproach to our
h0asted FIRE institutions. Not a child
pads through the streets in rags and
ignorance that does not, with its sur.
rowtnl eyes, freak through all our
ambitious and aspirations, and con.
dclHn us.
We trust our people will agitatc this
subject until our LEGISLATORS will be
forced to discharge their Iuty in pro
vihirg for the future rducati nal wants
of the public, aud relieve our State OF
the odiam and r~rrroach under which it
has so long rested Columbia Head.
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