Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-08-22
Our Schools.

EDITORS CHRONICLE: In a few days the
| schools of Knoxville will commence their work
for the ensuing year. To make them complete
success, from the University down to the
humblest public or private school, is, of course
the earnest wish of every good citizen for the
work of rightly developing the mind and char,
acter of the rising generation, of preparing
them to nil worthly the places in business
commerce, art literature, the church and the
State, which We are to vacate for them, and to
do worthily the work greater in this glorious
land of ours than that committed to us) which
we are TO drop into their hands, is the foremost
want and interest of the times, and the school.
rightly conducted, is, without controversy, the
greatest Of all moving forces, the pulpit alone
excepted, by which each generation advances
beyond the preceding one. Our schools should,
therefore, be foremost in the thought and stten-
ton of this people, for % in the makeup of s
great people, the education of the masses is an
indispensable requirement"
In letter recently received from the Precep-
tress of our Female Institute, find so forcible
and apt presentation of the subject of the ed
ucatiOn of the masses, and of females in partic-
ular, that ! take the liberty of giving it pub
licity.
She says: THE great cause in which we are
engaged Is advancing steadily and firmly. Wit
ness the vast sums Of money given TO our col
leges and seminaries of learning the present
summer; the extending in so many of them, Of
the period and curriculum of study, and Of the
establishing in q considerable number of them.
of post-graduation study of two years. The
affairs OF Europe have naturally and forcibly
pressed upon the minds of all thoughtful people,
the query, what constitutes leading power
among the nations of the earth? And all must
admit that government is truly great only in
proportion as it satisfies the demands of the age
And will any intelligent man deny that a
thorough education of the masses is one
of the most important requirements in the
makeup of great people? Prussia educates
and uses coercion TO such sn extent that her
people are too much like machines Admirable
IS her system is, in many respects, It seems as if
this progressive age demanded more libers ,
free development of each individual and its
great problem is the amount of legislation neces-
sary To accomplish this wholesale educ ,tion of
the masses, and at the same time safely leave
them bold, Independent thinkers and takers.
And IN this connection it is gratifying to see
that the education of woman ia becoming q very
important and prominent subject for thought
and action. Indeed it is one of SO great magni-
tude that it is perfectly useless to try to educate
apeople IN the true sense of the word and make
them really, permanently great without giving
woman an equal chance with man. The sooner
any nation or community takes immediate, ener-
getlc action to further womans education, the
sooner they will begin to be people of real stam-
ina, intelligence and power" | will only add
to these forcibe words what is better known.
and more fully appreciated by man than by
woman, that in every part of the social fabric,
her influence is felt, with not only subduing but
intellectual and moral advancement of the race
she is the power behind the throne Let her
then, in accomplished, intellectual and moral
advancement be the rpest results of high, lite
rary, scientific and Christian scholarship
BUTLER.