Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-06
THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD
STATE AND COUNTY SCHOOL sYS-

TEN.
To the Union and Americans:
The importance of this subject presents
itself forcibly to the uneducated or unre-
tiecting mind; but TO the man Of thought
it presents itself as involving the highest
civil and religious interests of the country.
Il is the potent AGENT that moulds and pre-
serves national fame. In point of impor-
lance it rises infinitely above all other sue
jects connected with our earthly existence.
Wealth, fame and honor sink into insight
tcance when compared to it, your good
name, by the tongue or pen of the SANDER
er, be forever blasted, friends may forsake
when most needed, wealth take wings and
fly away, but education will remain, when
they have fled and gone, and be like an
eternal lighthouse, casting its radiance far
out on the dark and stormy sea of life. A
youth, starting out to battle with the stern
realities of life without an education is like
the mariner at sea without chart or COM
pass to direct him-he drifts he knows
not where, driven by storms, sur
rounded by whirlpools and fearful
breakers on every side, liable to be dashed
10 pieces every moment. The importance
Of this subject presents itself from another
consideration. There is link that unites
animate and inanimate nature, that unites
the animalcule that tinges the standing
pool with green 10 the tallest angel,
and as the minds of men are i'm
proved they fill different stations in
this link. Some human beings, ignorant
and debased, occupy stand but little above
the animal. Others with high moral and
intellectual culture, approximate the perfec-
ton of an angel. In supporting the school
bill that has passed the Senate, it cannot be
said that l was bound by local or selfish
considerations. 1t proposes to tax my
property in common with the property of
every other citizen. My children have
nearly passed the age for my receiving any
of It's benefits, except the interest feel in
the moral and intellectual culture of my
neighbor. l have not only an interest in
my neighbor, but in the virtue and intellec-
tual culture of every citizen of the State,
and will be glad to see the time come when
every child will have school privileges. L
would extend it to every human being; l
would have the State, if its finances justi-
fed it, take every child as it is
born, no matter an what poverty or
degradation, and lift it from its humble
origin.
The bill referred TO as it passed the Sem
ate is intended to benefit the laboring man,
the bone and sinew of the country, as well
as the professional man and tradesman.
The lawyer, doctor, farmer, merchant, me-
chanic and miner, are alike Interested. 1t
requires variety of professions and svoca-
tons to form a community, and their in
terests are so blended and intervoven, that
if one suffers all will suffer. The object of
this bill is to advance and elevate the indUs-
trial interests Of the whole State. The
time was when less education would do
than now. A new civilization has sprung
upon the world. Changes are continually
going on in education, sciences and the arts. |
The world changes in thousand ways. No |
invention has any value, except for the pre- |
sent. 1t is soon swept away by new and |
better methods. Such sc.encles as geology,
and chemistry, did not exist ia |
former ages. Civilization, governments |
and laws change-change is the order of
he universe, and men must be educated /