The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1874-01-17
EDUCATION IN TEXAS.

SuDJect OI euucutioi VIM "o oeS'A ~
proper to recall attention to 1t. In
free governments, where the preserva'
ton of liberty depends on the inteili'
gence and virtue Of the masses, 1t IL
absolutely essential that education
shall be real-based OH the everlasting
principles of truth. A vast amount OF
what il now called education Is simply
mental poison, calculated to mislead
the mind and train boys for superficial
intrigue and trickery IN after life. The
foundation of all true education IL
truth.
The educational demonstrations in
the Eastern States, for the last thirty
years, have been materially infiamed
by sectional animosity-a disregard
of the law of races--a disregard OF
genuine republicanism, and an abne-
CATION of the principles on which
American freedom rests.
Some Northern men attribute all this
to the Pilgrims Of the May Flower,
who landed on Plymouth Rock in De-
cember, 1920. They argue that those
people-Miles Standish, John Alden,
Priscilla Mullins and all the rest-wcre
fanatics, and that their spirit has come
down to the present day. This is
largely an error and should:be corrected.
The men of Plymouth Rock, while ia
natical in a qualified sense, cherished
as sacred some of the purest principles
which underlie freedom. They were a
medley of purity, independence in
thought and tyranny in action. Their
faults grew out of their virtues. The
strictly honest and conscientious man
is prone to think that he who differs
with him is dishonest, and ought to be
controlled, and herein arises vast
amount of the errors of mankind. The
true doctrine in Republic, is to keep
wide open the avenues of thought and
action and let the truth be sifted from
the chaff by the average common sense
Of the people. If wrong to-day, expe-
rience will teach them the right to-
morrow. On no other principle can
Republics be perpetuated.
At the surrender in 1865, the name of
the peerless Lee was held in scorn at
the North. To-day, less than nine
years later, the name of Lee is respect
ed in every house north of the Poto-
mac, and in tens of thousands is hon
ored Us the name of an American
soldier and patriot whose virtues shed
lustre on the annals of mankind. We
have ourselves seen in house In Hart
ford, Connecticut, portraits of Lee and
Stonewall Jackson, with inscriptions
describing them as two of the greatest,
purest and best men that ever lived.
We saw the same in the village Of
Groton, in the same State, in Milford,
Pennsylvania, and in Geneva, New
York.
What does all this prove? That in
due time-when passion dies--reason
and Justice assert their sway, and those
who successively come to mans es-
tate, reject the errors of their fathers,
but reverence their virtues; they reject
the unjust aspersions upon previous
enemies, and recognize their virtues.
Time, in it's unerring crucible, reduces
every man to the true test, strips OIL
his false plumage, and reveals him to
posterity in his true colors, whether
saint or sinner, patriot or tory, Jew or
Gentle, Turk or Christian.
There is q modern cry, floating from
North to South, singing out "let US ed
ucate our children, white and black"
1t says the South is ignorant-the
North is enlightened. The North
must send its teachers, blazing with
light, down into the dark places of the
South, to shed light among the igno-
rant of that benighted region; and,
the misfortune is, that many Southern
people are sap-headed enough to listen
to the song. Many even send their SONS
and daughters into the atmosphere OF
that prejudiced region to be educated
and accomplished. They act ON the
principle of those who patronize patent
medicine vendors and street hucksters
because they shout loudly.
Now, we undertake to say that, fol
nearly hundred years back, the insti-
tutions of the South have educated and
turned out, according to population,
abler statesmen, purer patriots, more
profound jurists and more successful
legislators than those of the North.
The history of the government proves
it. We further say that we have had
more pure and happy families, less in
fidelity and fewer divorces than in the
North. We have not had tenth OF
the burglaries, murders for money,
wife and husband murders, seductions
defalcations, or official swindles that
have disgraced the North. Not one OF
the false isms that have prevailed in
the United States, so far as we know
has ever originated among the South
ern people.
We admit that more men and
women can read and write In ths
North than in the South. But VIC
deny in toto that learning to read and
write, of themselves, make men and
women virtuous. We have known
negro women, faithful household ser
wants, pure, honest and virtuous, who
could do neither.
But we cannot dwell on this branch
of the subject. We want to urge oul
people to educate their children, as fal
as possible, at home. The foundation o
character is laid while the infant draw
milk from its mothers breast If sh'
is pure in thought, gentle in heart, an'
firm i'm action, she will impress hel
virtues on the child, never to be eff