Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-12-08

~
land
These are facts of which we had right
to be proud, and the recollection of them,
though it sharpens our regret at the pres
ent state of our educational interests,
ought to stimulate rs to renewed efforts in
their behalf. Causes, which it is uuprofita-
BILE to discuss, have reduced our means of
educating our youth, but an enlightened
people will always be ready to appropriate
the larger portion of the public revenue to
that purpose.
The facts which have just cited prove
that we understood that very well in the
days of our prosperity, and the eagerness
with which every educational advantage is
now seized upon, shows that our apprecia-
ton Of it is in no wise diminished.
This school, however, which is about to
be established, although it cannot at first
be exclusively Il normal school, is intended
ultimately to be devoted to the education
of teachers. The history of such schools
beginning With tie model school Of Nean-
der III 1870, and ending with the tirst one
established in America at Lexington, Mass,
in 1899, is interesting as containing the
germ of modern civilization !; but | do
Tot purpose wearying you with it.
| prefer rather to congratulate you
that one is, at last, about to be erected
here and 10 wish for it all the success
which its benevolent founder and Ier rco-ad-
tutors desire. And | say this tie more
heartily because / am assured that this is
, not to be- in any sense, Sectarian inStitu-
ton, but will dispense SECULAR knowledge
only, free to all. Otherwise the Masonic
ceremonies to-day would be entirely inap-
prOpriate, and contrary to Masonic princi-
pies, and the speaker would be sadly out Cf
place. 1t is TO be, as l am informed, a
fountain from whose pure waters any of
our youth may draw freely without tasting
in the draught the flavor Of any particular
faith in politics or religion; and, being such
an institution. it deserves and will receive
the sympathy and good will of every fl iieni
of popular education.
The charitable stranger who has given of
of her abundance the handsome sum with
which this institution is TO be built, is re =
ident Of Boston; and, if the memory of an
occurrence which happened about one hun
drei years ago in this town of Wilmington,
was present to her when she executed her
benevolent purpose. there would be a dOUi-
ble interest attached to this occasion. 1t
would be very pleasant to know that such
a recollt ctiOn furnished any pant Of the
motive for her generous charity. but il IS =
suggestive fact, nevertheless, that about a
century ago the people of " NilmingtOn not
only resolved, in view Of the distress caused
by the Boston Port Bill, to send tie pre-
cpGUS Ol tO!lIISCdJtu ltOtlS 10 LIlc poor VI
that city, but they chartered vessel, loaded
her with provisions at cost of eight hum
dred pounds and sent her to the relief Ct
the sufferers, in charge Of Parker Ounce,
Esq, a leading citizen and grandfather OF a
late collector of this port. Would that all
the intercourse between the two cities
might ever consist in the mutual inter
change Of charity i'll thought, word and
deed-that the only emiSSarieS to us from
her might be the messengers of love, and
! thus our only debt to her the sentiment of
good will.
There is no surer instrumentality by
which that desirable cOnsummatiOn can be
reached than the cultivation Of a spirit of
! justice by each.
! The resolutions of the people of VIII
mingtOn in 1774 declared 'that the
: cause of Boston was the cause of ALL" May
! the spirit Of Boston in l774 continue to
manifest itself as it does hers to-day, and
| ever be ready to Te-echO the sentiment OF
the gallant American sailor who went to
| the rescue of his AnglO-SaxOn cousins at
! the battle of the PeihO with the exclama-
/ ton '"bloOd is thicker than water" With
! such Il spirit animating the people Of all
| parts of our country the perpetuity of our
| free institutions will be secured without
! it they cannot exist. The forms may re-
main, but as i'll the case of a broken mu-
/ steal instrument, the invisible soul OF the
! harmony which brcathed through them will
! he gone forever.
Not long since read magazine article
| on Steam as Factor in Sociology" in
| the course of which the writer, after dis
cussing the effect already produced by the
| Introduction OF steam, predicts that the
| time will come when, by reason of the
! facility of communication between all parts
| of the earth, such 3 dispersion of popula-
| tiOnS will occur as to destroy the sentiment
| of local attachment, and cause mankind to
! look upon all countries with equal inditf-
! erence and regard the whole earth as their
| home. TO me that era is not pleasant
! subject Of contemplation, and, if
! [ believed the realization of the prediction
| to be possible, it would force me to lament
! that steam had ever been applied to the
! purposes OF lOcOmOtiOn. When a man
ceases to love, bCyaHd .t..i Gther cQuntries the
! land of lis birth--When from his heart are
erased all the memories which cluster
around and Sanctfy tie very name o1
| HOnc-hc has parted with that which elc-
Yates and cnnObles him mere than any Ctllel
earthly influence. Is there ANY name
! known amongst men which Will sooner
evoke human Sy Sympathy than that Cf = exile
and wanderer from hi4 native land ?" Why
do we feel a deeper interest in the e+tablish
! ment of these schools, and the CeVcls pment
! Of the resources Cf our State, than We eXi)e
! ricnce i'll regard to tie SAME things else
where q? 1t is because they promote the
I welfare Of the land We love above all Other
! lands and, when We cease SO to love it, al
! such things will be matters Of Indifference
to us. Destroy that sentiment, root It out O
the hearts of any people and their liberties
hopeleSsly die. The result Of the late
FrancO-Irussian war is not difficult TO TN
| derstand when we remember that Prussia
, has long had the best educational system il
/ the world and that it is maxim with then
that ''what you would have appear i'll the
life of n nation you must put into It
! schools" The love CT Faderland, which
had so long been inculcated, developed it
self at Metz and Sedan, and had its fina
triumph in the flower strewn streets o
Berlin. / do not fear the realization Of th'
magazine writer's prediction. There vii
always be Eoatiug population but, a
long as human nature remains as it is, tha
much abused thing called patriotism vii
exist under any and all circumstances il
| every land, civilized or unciviliZed, barba
rous or free. 1t is of spontaneous growth
but its highest development is attained Onl,
by-proper culture. 1t is, therefore, the dut,
of those to whom is entrusted the education
of the youth Cf a country, to foster ant
encourage among them a love for tha
countrv-HOt to cmasculate them Of so higl
and noble a sentiment by vain twaidle abOu
I'the brotherhood of man." and all that kinC
of true, but meaningless phrases, but to iE
still into them that true idea of patriotism
which teaches them to cling with supreme
devotion to the particular land Of thel
birth-that sentiment which, on thu
Thanksgiving Day, will soften the heart o