The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-07-13
Inpptal m6ile rleglecting taenare il,,por.ant

imeptal while neR.e Getting the more important
fundamental principles OF the subjects
taught
The Association then proceeded to The
reading ind discussion OF the regular re-
ports. rs s.s
/ DR.. q. a. Wise read I'M excellent paper
| on I" Text Books and Methods OF Instrtic-
ton in Chemistry and was followed In
| brief remarks By Professor Shepard, OF
Randolph-1lacon, and DR.. Page, OF the Uni-
yersity OF Virginia.
| Colonel j. w. Lyeli, Of the Virginia Mill
| tary Institute, made an exceedingly able
report on ssMental and Moral Science"
General S. q. Armstrong, superintendent
of the Hampton Normal School. made very
| interesting statement Of The history, plans.
| and prospects OF bis school.
He showed clearly that he Is laborins not
| SO much to send out successful aspirants
| for legislative or congressional honors as to
send out men and women who are prepared
to be useful in the sphere in which God has
placed them. and to do some important
work towards elevating their race. he said
that he especially devoted the time in his
school to the teaching OF English, which he
Iregarded as OF special value to the pupils OF
his school.
lie spoke warmly OF the sympathy he had
found among the best people OF Virginia,
and appealed to the teachers to help him,
not so much by sending him pupils, for he
was already crowded, but by looking out
for him the brightest boys and girls to be
found, that he might have opportunity OF
training them to help their race. The As
ISOLATION was deeply interested in General
Armstrong; address, and seem to be de-
lighted with the buildings, the farm, and
Of fhiS oyppllppt school
Tonight fine audience assembled to
hear an address from Colonel William Allan,
of MARYLAND (late OF Washington and Lee
University, which added to the already
high reputation OF this distinguished edu-
Gator. He proposed to inquire what we
may expect from general education, and to
refute the idea that general education is the
panacea for all the ills Of society.
lie ably argued that the general eXpecta-
tons based upon education are far too high,
because-frst, the common schools, from
the necessities OF the struggle for existence,
can only obtain control OF fraction OF the
period from six to twelve years Of age, in
the case OF the majority Of children, a con-
troll not sufficient TO develop The intelli-
gence or form the character; second, the
schools are not generally the most power
full formative influence, even in this period;
third, they can do little in teaching mo-
rails, nothing in teaching religion, so that
they contribute only fcebly Or indirectly to
that virtue without which the intelligence
OF Il community is worthless or worse.
He passed next to consider the work OF
higher education, and in an able and unar-
swcrable argument showed that 1t Is far
more important to sustain the higher schools,
colleges, and universities than the primary
G., tI,a p6I1PltJOnpI n
fluerce which is 10 bless the State we are 70
look. not to our public schools, though
the SPLENDID capacity and energy or Dr.
Ru0ner should succeed in making
the spot which will stand for Virginia on
the next censuS-map us white as snow; but
to our nigh schools, our colleges. and our
universities. He would give all that we could
spare to common schools, and insisted that
it would be vel! and wisely spent; but for
every dollar so spent another should be
devoted to higher education. He insisted
that the State will derive more income from
the second than from the first.
He ably and scathingly reiutet TIE idea
that higher education benefits only The rich,
and showed that it is AZ the ry1ounGatlon
of all culture for the poor as wei as the rich.
He made an earnest plea for the s@c0n-
diary school. and for the helping OF acadc-
mics by the State.
lie paid Il high tribute to the Hampton
Normal School, and the manner in which It
is conducted by General Armstrong, and
concluded by appealing to the teachers first
to build up and deyelop our universities,
colleges, and high-schools, and then the
system of public elementary instruction.
The thanks OF the Association were unan-
imously voted Professor Allan for his able
and iudicious address. VIAToR.