Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-12-12
COMMON sCHoo1s.

To the Editor of the Union and American:
In the Republican Banner of 21st No
vembsr last, there is an editorial under the
head "What shall the Legislature do in be-
half of public schools" l wish to call the
attention of newspaper readers to some ex-
tracts from that editorial:
ave are fully appraised that in some To-
calities this is an unpopular questio n.
=. :. In looking over the list of names
comprising the next Legislature, we are en-
couraged to believe that there are those who
will take hold of it, and despite the petty
objections of the nafTOac minded, l0hO fear
to risk their reputation, will urge and press
it. :. F.. He who will do this, although
he mag incur the GndtlelnGs Of the ignorant
for time, he will build for himself a monu-
nrent in the hearts of his cJuntrymen; de
aoiu secure a hold upon their confidence and
affections, that t1ia, in coming day, place
him IN any position Of trust and distinction
that ldudGbLe ambition may cOUet. -.
The truth is patent to every observing man,
that something must be done, and that
quickly too, or as a people zoe are ruined,
and our State for eDeT diSgraced."
no Oh nuu1OlO NAllHGh aAiO AA0t1fO VA
nessee, wish to call the attention of all
thinking men to this most illiberal and de-
famatory article in the Republican Bonner.
VIII any fair minded and candid man ap-
prove the degrading expressions in that ed
itorial? Look at them: "Ndrrotv-nainded,
petty objections; fear to risk their popular
ity; the anathemdS of the ignorant; our
State .f0reoer diSgrGced."
These EXPRESSIONS, used against those
who honestly and of right oppose the com
mon school system of Tennessee, are illb-
eral, uncalled for, ll-natured and untrue.
Those who oppose The free school system
of this State are not the ignorant, the mar
TO1o-nsinded, the prejudiced, the petty OBJ
jectorS, the Gldthen1GtizerS. Some OF the
best men in the country know from Woe
full experience, (and they regret that they
do know IT'D that our common school sys-
tenn has done us but little good and much
harm. They regrets To know that the
system has ever been unsatisfactory-tbs
it has educated nobody well; and
always prevented better schools from being
supported literally. They have ever tended
to degrade the profession of teaching and
to make it improbable. Thus they have
driven many qualified young men from
that profession into Others of higher
repute. Some have gone to medicine, some
TO law, some to merchandising and some
have gone up to the farm. The system
never has come up to public expectation
never up to what was prOmised-neVer up
TO the estimate which the Banner puts on it.
It has been hOby on which denagOgues
rode into Office. The school fund has been
bone of contention, aud sometimes bait
for thieves and plunderers. Much Of it
never has reached the school house; but it
has mysteriously slipped through. the hands
of some who handled it into their own pOck-
cts, or then nobody knows where. If all
the school money which has been collected
in the last forty years had been left in the
pockets ofthe people who paid it,there would
have been much more education in Ten.
nessee. There would not have been 80
many uneducated people as we now have.
The system may do for towns and cities,
but it has not worked well in the country.
It was unpopular with most of the inteli-
gent, before the negro came in for bis edu-
cation at the expense mainly of the white
people; and since that large accession to the
benefciaries, the system has become more
unpopular; and ali the il-natured express
sions Of the Banner can not make it popu-
lar. We have men Of good common sense
among US, who believe, that another system
of education can now be inaugurated,
which viii do much more good, and cost
less money. But we cannot get it up by
epithets and Immature. There ought to be
no fretting over past folly. Our folly ought
to be kept visible merely as thing to be
avoided in the future. No man of expert
ence viii depend on free schools to educate
his children, unless they shall do better than
they ever have done in Tennessee. And
but few are willing to tax themselves heavily
TO make such schools. FRANKLIN.
Dec. 1872.