Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-10-17
EDUCATIONAL.
Prof. McIvcr,. Letter TO Gen. Bar.
ringer.

Prof. McIVcr,s Letter to Gen. bar.
ringer.
The following letter from Prof. Alex
ander McIver, Superin.e ndent of Pub
lie instruction, to Gen. Rufus Barrln-
ger, of Charlotte, explains itself
RALEIGH, N. c.. Oct. 7, 1873.
Gen. R,Jtas Ba,vij2gcr
Dea,. .S9,. In answer to your letter
of Yesterday, l send you a copy of
letter written by Fl. Howard, Esq,
one Of the pioneers in the Union School
movement of Binghamton, n. y, and
published in the ithaca Journal, IN
Contemplation of establishing in ithaca
Il school system like that of Bingham
ton. The following is the letter
cat the school meeting last evening,
the question was asked !: "What IS
meant byEree Graded Union Schools
As there may be others asking the same
question, L give yon the following an
swer which you may publish If you
think best. They are called free, be-
cause tuition is without expense TO the
pupil; graded, because the pupils are
classified according to age and attain
ments; union, because the schools
hitherto known as the common and
ted iato one system, and superintended
by the best disciplinarian and admins
traitor that can be found. They afford
all the advantages of the common and
select schools and academies, with
wherever they are established they
give the utmost satisfaction. They
are thorough, efficient and economical.
~
dollar will go further than three dol
lars under the old system, and besides
this, the greatest of all saving is the
higher moral tone which invariably
pervades the union system, rendering
it an exception to the general rule, for
| a pupil to depart from the union school
| capable of wee.
| This system annihilates caste and ar
istocracy among our youth. 1t dimin-
ishes the iniquities among men. Intel
| ligence, honesty and integrity are the
tests by which all are tried and by
which every one must stand CT fall.
| The system promotes harmony, char
ity, grace and dignity prevail. Natures
order and simplicity are cultivated.
| The least fortunate by nature are not
neglected. while the highest i'll intel
lect are carried still higher, by every
means that can aid them. In a word
it contains the true American idea
true democracy prevails in it toa great
er extent than in any other system yet
| devised
This system lessons taxes in proper
ton to what is received Property is
better protected. This protection is
secured by elevating all the youth
above the reach of dishonesty and
crime. The system increases the pop
ulation of all places in which it is es,
tablished, and means Improvement il
all respects.
I may add that the system has been
! established, not only i'll many of the
Northern cities. but in many of the
cities OF Virginia and Georgia; and
wherever it has been thoroughly test
ed, ii has never been abandoned"
If all~the schools for white children
in the city of Charlotte were brought
under one system, there would per.
haps be three or four hundred childler
to be arranged in the different grades
or classes of the system. The only ba
sis OF classification would be the age
and advancement of the scholar The
rich and Loor would sit side by side il
the same room, under the same instruc
ton, and amenable TO the same dis
cipline. The studies of each grade
must be thoroughly mastered before
any scholar is allowed to pass to the
next higher The different grades
nay be in separate houses they
should, as far as practicable, be IL
separate rooms and under different
teachers. All the grades working il
harmony with each other constitute
the graded school. The superinten
dent OF such q school frequently visits
all the grades or classes, sees thai
proper discipline is everywhere main
tanned, aud that the proper modes O.
instruction are everywhere adopted
and adhered to.
He frequently gets the teachers to
gether and instllcts them in the mode:
OF teaching, encourage, them and ami
mates them to higher efforts in theil
noble work. Such 4 system would no
only educate children, but also teach
erS. One energetic, competent Super
inteEdent, devoted to his work, woult
very soon educate teachers in dis Clip
line and liz the modes of instruction
and the work would go on increasing
in It's progress. Very respectfully,
ALEXANDER MCIvER,
Sup't Pub. Instruction.
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