The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1872-02-15
THE PROPOSED EDUCATIONAL FUND
Its PROPER DlViSIssN.

The following very liberal views are ex-
pressed by the New York Commercial Adoer-
tiser. We have 90 doubt, if the subject is
acted upon definitely by Congress that some
such modification Of the bill reported will be
adopted as that suggested below Virginia
is certainly entitled to all that would be al
lowed her under the arrangement, as she gave
to the general government an empire in ex-
tent Of territory. 1t is high time some direc-
ton were given to this fund for the gen era
good. If the donations of land made, and
subsidies granted to railroad corporations had
been even partially given to the States to en-
.cossage and extend the facilities OF education
to the poorer classes, and thus elevating the
standard Of mechanical labor, the advantage
would have been the greater to the country
at large: =
The report from the House Committee OH Ed
ucation and Labor, in favor of establishing a
general Educational Fund by approprating for
that purpose the proceeds OF public lands, is I'M
dergoing sitting process in Congress. The bill
GUS defects, which too important to be pass ed
over in the general discussion of the project. It
provides that the income from the investment of
one half the net proceeds of the sales of public
lands, together with the remaining huff Of the
original sum- shall be apportioned among the
States and Territories according their popula-
ton-and this is one of the weak points to which
we desire to direct attention. A glance at the
census tables will reveal the injustice of such a
1ivisjou There fOur Stata
ceive the lions share of the fund intended to Sc
cure the advantages Of education to all the peo-
pie OF the United States, and these are States in
which educational interests are already nurtured
by their own citizens, who need no other funds
than those provided IN abundance by voluntary
effort. Clearly, therefore, the apportionment of
very large part of that proposed fund a,aong
these four States would be an act of injustice to
other States in which there are neither school
funds nor shoots.
To illustrate: The four States in question are
New York, Pennsy lvana, Ohio and Massachu-
sets, which, with total population Of l2OOO,-
600, expend annually the enormous aggregate
sum OF 5000 QUO for tte support OF more than
tair1y tive thousand free scAoois-besdes COLLEGES
academies, seminaries, normal schools, theologi
cal institutions and other cducaiio establish
ments, the additional expenditures for which
swell the total amount cfyearly appropriations to
schools. The whole Of this heavy burden is
cheerfuliy borne by the citizens Of these States
They tax themselves for the support of schools
academies and colleges, and contribute largely
from their private resources to enlarge the area
OF educational activity, believing that enlighten
ed communities prosper in exact proportion to
the degree of their intellectual culture.
Now, as against these four States, in which the
education of the whole people is amply provided
for let US place in contrast four other States that
possess neither school funds nor systems of pub
lie instruction. These States are Virginia, South
Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas-in which, with
an aggregate population of 1907, 1868 in 1870, no
free schools erist except those which have sprung
up within the past five OF six years under the
management of the Freedmen's Bureau and the
small number which are beginning to struggle
into life in Virginia and Tennessee under school
laws enacted within the past three years. In
Tennessee, for example-the educational enter
prise of that State being the most successful and
most promising existing below Mason and
Dixon's line-there ere but 700 schools, incud-
ing those founded by the Freedman's Bureau: vet
the population of Tennessee is l,258 600 Mag
sachusets. with o similar aggregate of population
Q.457.35l) has nearly 5000 schools, and exrends
100000 annually for their support New
York, with population of 4 3S2, 759, has II $50
common schools, besides, her higher classes of
educational institutions, and expends upon them.
in round numbers, 100000 900 annually Penn
sylvania has a population of 1921 79l, with 49,
600 free schools. and an educational appropria-
ton Of 81, 100000 annually. Ohio has Il 0O0
schools, costing So 100000 yearly. These rich
States, therefore, do not need eleemosynary aid.
nor can they justly take the largest share of the
fund which the bill before Congress proposes to
give thena