Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-06-27

ence 10 popular education. TOT, DIS Id,
back as 1896 we find law enacted
aiming at nothing less than general
system OF public schools for The children
Of rich and poor. ! do do not know
who we're the leading members OF the
Legislature for that year, or W hose pen
drafted the Law, but its preamble is ex'
pressed in language SO just aud So eie'
waited that I may be excused for quoting
it entire.
Whereas, 1t appeareth that the great
advantages which civilized andpollshed
nations enjoy beyond the savage and
barbarous nations of the world, are
principally derived from the Invention
and use of letters by means whereof
the knowledge and experience OF past
ages are recorded and transmitted, so
that man availing himself in succession
OF the accumulated wisdom and dlscov-
cries of his predecessors is enabled more
successfully to pursue and improve not
only those acts which contribute 10 the
support, convenience and ornament OF
life. but those also WHICH tend TO l!lu-
rhine and eunoble his understanding
and bis nature. And whereas, npon 8
review of the history Of mankind i
seemeth that however favorable repub-
lican government founded on principles
OF equal liberty, justice and good order
may be to human happiness, no real
stability or lasting perInanency thereof
can be nationally hoped for, if the minds
of the citizl Us be notrendered liberal aud
humane and be not fully impressed with
the Importance Of those principles from
which these blessing proceed, with view
. therefore to lay the first foundations Of
q system of education which may tend
to produce these desirable results. Be
il enacted &c. = The defect in this
as in the subsequent Virginia Legislation
Oh this subject was, that 1t left each
county free to adopt or neglect its pro
visions as its people preferred.
The educational STATISTICS OF our State
az given in the census Of 1870 furnish
food for melancholy reflections melting
to earnest energetic action. Ont Of
population of $4,000 (424,OOO being
white and 425, 900 native borA) there
were nearly $4,000 persons over the
age Of 10 years unable to read, and up
wards of ST 900 unable to write, less
than 10000 Of the latter being colored.
Think of this startling and melancholy
fact-one out of every six Of the native
white population of this State above
the age of ten years, and one 'out OF
ever ten above the aye of 81 years, IN
able to write. And when it is relpeni-
bered how little Of actual education and
intelligence may consist with the ability
to scrawl ones name, 1t will be seen
how great the illiteracy within our
borders, and what an influence it Yields
in our government To meet the edu-
cational wants Of the State the same
census shows that there in 1870 2,455
schools, Of which only "a were private
schools and that Of the 1871 public
schools 1924 were primary district
schools. These facts show concluslvely
that the hope and reliance of the State
for general education is in hor primary
schools, and that the great work before
us AS a people is to build up a thoroHgh-
" efficient system of primary schools.
In this respect our State is not peculiar,
for the L. 5. COMMISSIONS OF Education,
looking over the whole country, tells us
that nineteen-twentleths OF all our
youth get no other school education
than that which is furnished in the prl-
mary schools. They are emphatlcally
the schools Of the people, nurseries III
which the vast majority OF citizens are
trained to meet their political aud social
duties. To raise the general intelll-
renee we must raise the standard OF
instruction in these schools. Moreover,
the kind of instruction here received
decides in many individual cases, wheth'
er the young shall aspire to further ed
ucation, acquiring thirst for knowl-
edoe and All ambition for self culture,
shall daily imbibe distaste tor learn
ing and a destination for mental effort.
For frequently the young pupil is turn.
ed o2er to them just as the powers OF
the mind are beginning to unfold, pow
ers so delicate and so God-like rs to
require consummate skill and great
knowledge for their proper develop,
ment. And how often must we feel
that many a gloriously expanding bud
is forever blghted through ignorance,
incapacity and neglect, that chords from
which the hands of a master could have
evoked music that would have shed Its
blessings all through lite are rendered
tuneless and discordant forever, under
the rude and bungling touch OF sciolists
and pretenders. In every human soul
is IMPLANTED a craving for knowledge
which NAV be quickened and purified,
or dea1ened and depraved forever. The
thirst that from the soul doth rise de-
mands drink divine, and If, instead OF
this divine beverage, pure and sparkling
from the fountains that gush forth along
the ascent of the hill OF knowledge,
drink foul and noisome from the stag
nant pools that skirt the common high
way be forced upon the youthful pilgrim
in the very first stages of his progress,
no wonder that he often turns aside
with loathing and disgust
am profoundly convinced that there
is 4 Great and fatal error in the current
idea as TO the dignity and Importance
of early instruction, and as to the meas
ure and character Of the qualifications
reonisite TO impart II.
We nave 70 be sire. outgrown the