The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-30
Proposed Irrational Academy in
Washington City.


TRAINING YOUTH FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE.
A Bureau of Education having been estab.
'lished in this city, 1t is now proposed by seve-
raj journals that a National Academy be estat-
lished in connection with it upon the following
plan That throughout the United States
each congressional district be entitled to send
annually one pupil to be educated by the Fed
eral government, at a national academy to be
established at Washington I; that these pupils be
selected from boys between the ages of 10 and
IA, by system of competitive examinations,
ard other. things being equal, preference be
given in the following order: /, to orphans
of those who have died in the service of the
country 2, to other orphans; 3, to children
whose PAL ents are citizens of the United States;
a., to any others.
That these children be uniformed and edus
Gated under the supervision of the Board of
Education, at the public expense, with the ex-
press object of training the pupils for the SER
vice of their country in all its departments.
That the pupiage OF these wards OF the nation
continue until eighteen years OF age, or in case
of those who enter after thirteen years of age
for five years certain, be desired. That at
stated periods classes OF these pupils, selected
by competitive examinations, be sent to West
Point and to Annapolis, to be further trained
for the military and naval service of their
country, and that the present form OF
presentation of cadetships be abolished,
saving to the President the right of
presentation which is now possessed. That
during the pupilage of these children, as
portion of their education, to initiate them
into public service, squads be drafted by the
week or month, to act as pages in Congress,
messengers in the departments, and to execute
other similar light public duties. That from
the senior classes as they yearly come forward,
and from those who fail to secure the highest
and most desirable premiums of transfers to
West Point and Annapolis, students be further
Tod IN nd rtab, ne,l l,,k.a - Al
different departments.-Sta
We print the above because it contains
some excellent hints. It would no doubt
be vastly better to secure even this approx
imation to good sense, in the selection of
candidates for the civil service But what
we want is free competition for every Office,
civil or military. Let every young man,
after education in the schools now estab-
lished, study whatever speciality he likes,
and take his chances in a competitive ex-
animation. Men are not made great SOL
diers or sailors, clerks, diplomatists or min
isterial officers at any one school.
The rare endowments which fit men for
high position ere bestowed alike upon rich
spd poor. No narrow process of selection,
like our present mode of nominating cadets,
is likely to slit out all the ability of a ma
ton. The chances that a member of Con-
gress, will get the best natural soldier or
sailor in his district, are very small. We
know how these things so, and what inhu-
ences too often determine the choice.
There is but one just mode, TO wit: Throw
open these places to universal competition,
always preferring, however, those wards of
of the nation-soldiers and their orphans
and dependents. Then genius will find its
opportunity, aud the intellect and aptitude
now lost to the nation and to mankind,
will be gathered up, from hall and cabin
alike, to enrich the national life.