Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-01-09

ofagriculture and the mechanic arts, anu
the liberal and practical education OF the
industrial classes in the several pursuits
and professions in life, as established
under the act of Congress, approved Jul
Iy 2, 1862.
HIGHER GENERAL EDUCATION A NECE5-
sITY.
A great change has taken place, GER
tainly in America, in the absolute eman-
cinafiOn of labor from all legal restraints
all save the doleful eight-hOur straight
Jacket: and there is more freedom IN
the choice of those studies which master
and control the highways OF lite. In
stead of being the distinction OF few,
education is becoming the right OF all,
and the distinction of the many. we
live not only in new world, but IN
new era. Learning steadily advances,
and old errors are trampled under foot
without a murmur and without fear OF
a papal bull. The State, as well as the
individual, has its ambition, and takes
an interest in multiplying and holding
educated men. They are its executive,
legislative, and judicial supports. They
figure in the Hottest pages Of history.
They turn to use and enjoyment every
idle and leisure scrap of time. They
adorn the press, the bar, and the pulpit
They settle national differences by other
modes than war; or, if war there must be,
the power of an army of educated men,
guidedby educated men, is sure to trans
cend by far that of any equal number OF
uneducated.
The education of the plodding, stout
willed German people has been c0mpul-
sory. while that of the nimble, light
hearted French nation has been neglect
ed. and their recent bloody and decisive
conflict shows that victory would not
be wooed nor won by illiterate soldiers.
Wherever pitted in the combat. the
schooled men conquered. The tTeache-
nv to be lamented by Frenchmen was
not so much that of the Empire at Sc
dan as that of the empire of ignorance
among the people.
In our own country, unquestlOnaOly,
the northern common school was an un-
computed force in the late war which
the South could not eqnally match.
Equal in courage, there was an evident
disparity as to the Tecuperatlve power
of the personal resources in reserve In
one army there were only soldiers; IN
the other. soldiers and always something
more. The former were only strong
while they won the latter strongest
when they lost and had rehtted
Though led with skill, the rebel armies
did not stop to think, while the DayOnets
they met were the representatives OF
the deepest thought and the utmost
| force of universal education, and always
of a book in the knapsack. Peace has
returned to the nation. and now that ed
Z AZ
The best husbandry goes North for its
seed corn. and the South. alive with good
planters. will plant the seed most likely
to promote its greatest prosperity and
happiness. Schools must and viii ere
long have place and equal fame in all
parts of a common country.
The domination Of the missionaries Of
Europe for so long a period in Feudal
Ages may be ascribed to their martial
and physical training, andin later times,
the domination Of legislative bodies rep
resenting no constituents may be ascrib-
ed to the exceptional and superior clu-
cational advantages of the governing
class, not less than to the dense IgnOT-
ance Of the masses governed. The as
cendancy of the statesmen of Virginia
d" the mother of States and of Presi-
dents for so many years iu our own
land may in some degree be honOrablv
credited to the love of learning of their
leading men. and to the spirit which
founded the University of Virginia. of
which jefferson was so proud 10 DE
known as the father. Though Wash
ingtOn and Monroe could hardly be class
ed as eminent scholars. our first genera
ton of leading statesmen were uudenla-
bly, largely composed of men of liberal
culture, as well as of liberal principles
Of these Princeton furnished q brilliant
host, though they were not all sons of
New Jersey. The place of Nassachu-
sets in American history might have
been less conspicuous but for the early
prominence of Harvard College
Even the civil service, with all Of orr
solicitude, can only be permanently ele-
waited by universal and thorough odUca-
tion-as universal as eligibility tooflice.
and as thorough as the seeking after it.
Men so educated are too we'll trained TO
be awkward with affairs: they have too
much pride to sacrifice honor to interest.
and respect Christianity too sincerely TO
seek reputation on any other basis than
doing right. Learned Judges are incor-
ruptible, or, if Bacon be cited as an ex-
Ception. it must be noted that no judicial
decision of that distinguished man has
ever been reversed, Notwithstanding
Pope's terrible epigram which immortal
ICES 1.-the wiseSt, brightest, meanest of
mankind" Education guides men by
principle. by justice, by facts and logic.
not by solemn cant, jolly fictions and
baseless prejudices. 1t has no fellow
ship with trickery or fraud, and never
resorts to "breach-lOading ballot boxes.
nor to british violence. 1t is only a
truism to assert that education is essen
tial TO our form Of government. The
best government must have the best men
as citizens. \ republic could not stand
cycle of the moon among H0ttcntOts.
and often reels. tOtters, and falls even
among races claiming to be enlightened
Democracy must fall when only upheld
by ignorance and vice, and can only sue
coed by a general diffusion of both
knowledge and virtue. In other lands
and under other forms of government
education may be optional with Ms l.
is Indispensable. Untaught and un3rin-
cipled men may be governed. but they
cannot govern they cannot be trusted
The intellectual and moral progress of
man is the great force which cripDles
and binds absolute and Legitimate
power This force is needed as q check
III popular governments quite as much
as in those more arbitrary. Here major
tiles rule. and majorities have a fixed
standard of Intelligence and integrity.
which may be ON the high plane Of a
Washington, or low down on that of a
Boss Tweed There is a possibility for
us to be better than the average of man
kind, bat there is also plentyo freedom
to be worse.
BROADER SYSTEM REorRED. o.
But we want a system OF broader edu-
cation for the Amoncan people in the
arts of peace. 70 is perhaps unnecessary
at present 20 multiply institutions for
the training of professional men. as those
we have are equal to the task of furnish
ing all that are needed, and some tspro-
fessional supernumeries" not so much
needed. The great want is system by
which each one among the masses may
become more valuable To biD,ca1f OIL =