The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-08-11
ereniua state sournat
Gpeaittg State 9oilraal.
MEppLERs. FREE SCHOOLS, &C.

The Enquirer of this morning inveighs
loudly against the tendency of "the regular
Down-Easter to intermeddlc," and the
harmful tendency thereof. 1t says: "It is
for this reason that the public school sys-
TEN, and various other Yankee systems,
are so unpopular at the South; and it was
because of their disposition to meddle with
it, that slavery became so firmly rooted"
Among the ignorant and prejudiced oppo-
nents of free schools, it is very common to
denounce them as Yankee institutions, so
as to array against them the prejudices of
the mob. The implication of the Enquirer
is quite unworthy of its hberalty and en-
lightenment. To speak of the public free
schools as Yankee system is as absurd as
to call manufacturing or ship-building a
Yankee system.
Free schools have been in existence in the
civilized countries of Europe for two hun
dred years. They were recognized by the
advanced minds of the world as among the
most precious means of civilized progress
before America was discovered. They
were brought to this country..by the sturdy
pioneers who penetrated its vast wilder
ness, and planted here. the first seeds of
a new civilization. That grand and stately
race of men, who made for Virginia the
proud name which her idle sons now love
to boast, were the guardians of public
schools.
The first free school on this continent
was organized in Virginia. But nowhere
in this country were free schools SO pros
porous as. in New England while even
there they fell far behind the best European
schools. It was reserved for Germany to
give us the grandest development of popu-
lar education. Her States made common
cause against the barbarism of ignorance,
and under their fostering care the best sys-
tenn of popular instruction in the world
grew up. When New England needed to
improve her schools to save her manufac-
lures from destruction, by furnishing intel
ligent labor and make up for her sterile soil
in her fertility Of brain, she sent her fore
most men to Prussia to study her system
of schools.
Our best schools are modelled upon those
of other nations. Canada and Ireland have
taught us valuable lessons. To-day, that
transcendant Germany, whose achieve
ments make an epoch in the worlds his
tory, stands as vindicator of free schools.
Just in proportion to the enlightenment of
people, will be its recognition of the
value of popular education.
In proportion to that recognition will be
its prosperity and its power in peace and
war among the nations. New England
may be very meddlesome and bad in much,
but she has furnished more inventions,
twice over, than all the rest of the country.
And her authors, engineers and business
men are recognized all over the world as
peers of the best of their class.
Free schools did this, and we want vir-
ginia to receive the same great benefits, and
become able to employ her own capable
young men and women, instead of driving
them all over the world to seek employ
ment, or remaining in hopeless jnferiority
at home.
We shall not quarrel with people who try
honestly to help us. The Enquirer must
not be too sensitive. This is rude, jost-
ling world, and contains many saucy peo-
pie, who, however, impart piquancy to life.
Just think how stale everything would
be, if everybody kept in the iron limits of
that severe propriety which our aesthetic
tastes would dictate. Goethe, our great
German poet, prescribes a frame of mind
which we commend to our cotemporary:
g Reverence for what's oldest, truest,
Friendly welcome for the newest"