Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1871-01-12

these evils, there is within the power Of
government no remedy so cheap and eff
tectual as common schools, which brings
men from darkness into light. And in
these times, when every place and privii-
eye belongs to every man, there is no es-
tnating the stake We have in this matter
Universal suffrage simply necessitates u
| UNIVERSAL education.
The more positive views Of the subject
are equally forcible, but in this brief tract
they will not be pursued at length. Twill
sum up the whole OF what might be said
on this subject in one brief. bat pregnant
sentence. The worlds progress is the out
growth Of educated mind, and IN material
things, the larger share of it has come
from the practical classes, Now great
| interest like. this, SO essential to tue. pros
perity oe q S ate, cannot be safely lei to
private enterprise, or TO the laws of trade
The law Of supply aud demand has 10
/ application in the matter of popular ele.
mentaly education because, in point Of
fact, the demand for the means of educa-
ton is in direct ratio to the supply: the
less the supply the less is the demand:
and as for the efficiency of private enter
prize in promoting the education of the
masses, it is too irregular in its action, too
costly in its methods, and too Inadequate
in its means. Private enterprise never
did, and never can, educate a whole peo-
pie. And the public progress demands
that the flow Of education should eb
as universal steady and uninterrupted as
the flow of gas and water for the use Of
a city.
Moreover the free school system is equ-
ally recommended by its comparative cheep-
ness. And this is 50 from the same caus-
es which render public system of law
more economical than private justice could
possibly tie, and WHICH render all large
and Wholesale operations more susceptible
of an economical arrangement than sma IL
err. 1t is quite within bounds to assert
that the whole people Of Virginia may be
educated by the free system for what it
now costs to educate much less than one
half Of her population.
1t should also be remarked that publ
| free schools are not only cheaper than
private schools. but as a rule, they ought
to be better, and foG these reasons, to wit:
Every teacher is proved by examination
to be competent, the pay is sure and pro-
mpt, the schools are organized and con-
Quoted by the best methods, the school
houses are more comfortable and better
provided with school apparatus, and over
all is uniform system and intelligent super
vision.
The theoretical objections to this System
have often been answered, yet as they still
start up here and there, it may be well to
give them passing notice. First, it is
urged that the free school system is un-
just In principle aud agrarian in tendency,
because people without children to send
have to pay for public education. The
answer 70 that is contained in what has
been said before. The system bears ex-
actly the same relation to government
that courts and legislatures do, and there
fore is a proper object for public support
The SAVING from losses and prosecutions
i'll the single item Of petty larceny, will
20 far toward paying tor the schools.
The value added 10 the laboring popula
ton will pay the cost many times over.
AS for the principle involved, the
State has practically settled that long ago,
not ouly by the we'll directed support CIV
en- to her higher institutions, but by
contributing to the education of indigen
children, and by authorizing counties to
tax themselves for free schools; which
many of them have done. She has never
before accepted the State system of pub
lie free achoos, but there have always
been many OF her first citizens who have
been advocatesOf it. Mr. Jefferson drewout
a complete scheme on the State basis, and
Governors Campbell and Mcdowell urged
upon the legislature the Adoption of the
free school system.
Again, it is often urged that free
schools tend to weaken parental obliga-
tons. | answer that in the words of
Prof. Jno B Minor, who has long been
Known as a faithful worker in this cause.
In an argument ON this subject, publish
ed more than twenty years ago, he gives
the correct answer to this objection By
saying Stree schools do not diminish,
much less do they remove, parental re-
sponsibility There is still room for the
exercise OF the most anxious care,-with
the additional motive to it whatever care
is bestowed will result in good, not to tue
children of one family ouiy, but to those
of an entire community. 3 = = Free
schools do not diminish responsibility
on the contrary, they awaken it; they
stimulate it to ardent, glowing zeal and
they supply the means to make it achieve
the most valuable results.
A graver objection than all others is
urged, when it is affirmed that the free
school system inclines the people to relig-
ious error and implety. This is answer
ed by simple and emphatic denial. 1t
would be strange, indeed, if we'll. ordered
schools located in the bosom of christian
neighborhoous, SHOULD lead to such results.
Is ignorance the mother Of devotion, after
all has been said to the contrary Far
from it. knowledge is the guide to
truth and piety; ignorance the mother Of
error and sin. Moreover, the moral in
fuehce prevailing every school viii be
just the influence pervading the neighbor-
hood In which it is carried on. Every
properly conducted school, ITSELF furnish
es an admirable moral as we as intelec-
tual discipline. Immoral teachers can
never be found or remain III public schools
if the authorities are faithful. And it is
an established fact, that the vast ajority
Of teachers in public schools are personally
religious, and active in promoting Sunday