The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1878-10-03
Education and Ignorance

Editor Waco Examiner;
Let us take one look into the mirror
of the past, and see the reflections of
our greatest mems thoughts. WASH
ington said, 'promote as an object
of primary importance, institutions
for the general diffusion of knowl-
edge. In proportion as the structure
of IL government gives force to pub
lie opinion, it is essential that public
opinion should be enlightened To
secure the perpetuation of our Re-
publican form of government to fu-
turc generations, let divines, philos-
ophcrs, statesmen and parents unite
their cndcavors 10 renovate the age
by imprcssing the minds of the par
ents, with the Importance of educa-
ting the children" 10. Adams, "a
Republican form of government
without knowledge and virtue, is n
body without soul, mass of cor
ruption and putrefaction food for
worms" j. Adams, "with knowl-
edge and virtue, the united efforts of
ignorance and tyranny may be de-
fed" Education is the guardian of
liberty, and the bulwark of morality,
knowledge and virtue are generally
speaking inseparablo companions,
and are in the moral, what light and
heat are in the natural world, the il
Illuminating and vivifying principle"
Would, that the echo of the voices
of such men as Washington, Jetfer-
son, Franklin and Adams could
pierce the hearts of Texas parents
Today, in pathetic strains they would
urge them not to freeze the bud of
intellect by their neglect and indif-
ference, and when the harvest comes
IL will bring the mildew of disap-
pointment, and instead of seeing
their children with an education suf-
ficient to grapyle with the monster
Ignorance they will see Him with
His iron and defOrmed hoof of ty-
ranny on their necks. And to Him
may be traced the origin of such
crimes rs occurred at Bolton and
HOCKEY.
Crimes will diminish as mental i'm.
provemcnt advances. Then is il moi
safer to use a simple preventative to
ward off Il disease in the natural
body, than to use strong medicine tC
eradicate the disease after 1t is wei
seated in the system. So with thu
body polite, it is wiser, and less ex
pcnsive to preserve the virtue and
intelligence of the people, thereby
present crimes, than to be compelled
so root them out by harsh means
Poverty is no excuse for Ignorance
Genius often loves to nestle III
offspring meath humble roofs.
For many n Cicero has kept sheep
many Caesar followed the plough
and many Virgil foddered cattle
And while we should teach our phil
dren that there is dignity in labor
we should feed their minds with pure
morals and literature. Encourage
the organization of reading clubs
debating societies, circulating libra
ries, the chests of knowledge. w,
must send our children to school tel
months, instead of four; many dc
pend on the mctcor-like free term !
often taught by those who are no
identified with our State, and whit
only want money to take them home
There are men and women educate'
In Texas, who are bright stars in on
literary galaxy,an whose rays woul'
oyer-shadow the State, If they wer
not obscured by the dark clouds o
neglect. Let us select these for ou
teachers, patronize home institutions
and establish home literature; en-
dcavor TO teach our children to &c
correctly as well as speak and writ
correctly than tho penal law, on GU
lin nt.Gnlntl
Ignorance will no longer hold tn
sccptrc, and wrap our children il
the may labyrinth of pcrpetua
night. But intelligence and virtue
will dispel the mist, which hang
like an incubus around us, and IL
stead of the deadly poison of IN
upas tree of ignorance roses of COZ
teniment will bloom within our chi
drens' minds, and shed their fra
GRANGE on future generations. G.