The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-15
Gveitiaa State Jonrmat.
EVENING SCHOOLS.

popular education in communities like our
own, are evening schools. A large portion
of the population of our city have teen
deprived of opportunities for early educa-
tion. 1t is owing to no fault Of their own
in most cases. that they have grown up
without those requirements, which enable
men to do business inteligently, or to en-
joy the great world of knowledge which is
opened to the educated man. Many of this
cless feel deeply the disabilities of igno-
rance, and would gladly avail themselves
.. any means Of improvement within
their reach. They cannot be received into
the day schools on account of their age,
and generally have to depend upon their
daily labor for support. Yet they have a
desire to study in many cases, and them
selves and the whole community would be
vastly benefited by providing some means
for adult education.
A system of evening schools, sustained
in whole or in part by the city, would
meet this want, and it is to secure such q
system we write this article. 1t is nothing
new or untried, but has been long since
recognized 10 all great cities, both in this
country and Europe, as an essential part
Of the machinery of education, especially
adapted to cities. There is, we presume,
no lack of power in the City Council, or
in the Board of Education, to devote some
portion of the public money to evening
schools for adults. If the power is lack
ing, then it should be conferred by legis-
lation. The need Of such institutions, aad
the great good which would result from
their establishment, justifies the postpone
ment of many things now calling for
funds, in favor of the claims of our me-
chancs and workingmen to education.
Let us for moment place ourselves in
the shoes of the great mass of our popula-
tion, who toll from morning to night all
their lives for bread Lot us consider how
limited are their opportunities at best to
enjoy and improve how, when the night
comes after day of toll, and the mind
naturally turns somewhere for healthful
exercises, there is no way open for it. The
whole world of books and newspapers,
aud all that comes to us through these
channels, is an unknown country. They
must either remain dormant, and the man
as he grows older sink to a mere drudge,
or if too active Drained for that, seek re-
lief in dissipation and 60 swiftly to ruin.
The waste of physical and spiritual energy
to community which neglccts the proper
training of its laboring cls IS is incalcula-
BILE.
On the other hand, let system of eve
ming schools be established free to all, who
cannot attend the day schools ; supply
them with competent teachers who love
the work with libraries and apparatus for
teaching not merely reading and writing
and arithmetic, but the elements of the
natural sciences, and you will find hun
dreds of our best workingmen flocking to
these schools. These well lighted, comforta-
| BILE rooms, where their mates and friends
| gather to receive instructions will compete
successfully with low saloons and dance
| houses, where hundreds go for want of
better places to spend their evenings.
To these schools we would attach CEN
| tral institute which should receive the
| ftar
they had acquired the rudiments OF kpowl-
edge. In this we would place the best
books of the world, and keep it open all
hours of the day and during evening and
| Sundays as well. Here should be hall
which would accommodate 5000 people,
and provision made for lectures upon chem
istry, astronomy, geology, physics, and all
Subjects relating to the material world.
Let the friends of education, temperance
and ell good works, unite with US in build
ing up means of adult education. Here
is common ground, where men of all par
ties can stand. They who have been
admitted into the temple of knowledge
and enabled to enjoy the wonders and
beauties on every hand, who have freed
themselves from the imperative necessity
of struggling each day fer to-mor-
rows bread by reason of education-they
surely owe great debt to the world
for what it has given them. Let us
throw open the doors, and bid the mass
come in and partake of the banquet o.
knowledge spread for all. Let us help the
weak and halting up the steps. so shall
we prove ourselves worthy to possess thf
good gifts of Providence. So shall we carr
the Joy that comes of doing coed to the
humble and the poor, and the lasting graf
itude Of men.
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