Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-02-14
National Education.
LANCASTER, KY, Jan. 6, 1879.

I AN'S VNS"AISU a SOpy
right and l am much obliged fol
the consideration which you were
pleased to bestow upon my effort
nevertheless, I think you seem tt
be slightly mistaken in the object o.
the work, which l conclude, from
the following language of your ed
| itorial notice of the same, viz
"While we would not TIN ow stra "
in the way of the public schools as
managed by the States, and would
never consent that they should be
abandoned, until we have some
thing better, yet we are convinced
that it will be a long time before
they will become efficient enough in
all the States to an swer the imper-
alive demands for universal educa>
ton"
From the foregoing it might see m
that the system 1 propose,
if carried into effect, would initiate
against the schools, as now estab-
lished in the different States and
Territories. This is certainly not
the design 1 have in view, but the
very reverse, my object being to aid
and strengthen, instead of to OBJ
struct and cripple all the public
schools which are established in the
Union, the design being to give a
National touch to all of these insti-
tutions, permitting their present re-
sources to remain intact. In other
words, the plan of the schools is de-
signed to be changed and given a
National, intead of a local and Sec
tional character. To accomplish
this end | would concentrate ali the
means and resources of our State
and Territorial schools into CONS
mon National fund. Then add an
amount from the General Govern
ment to carry on the entire educa-
tional machinery for ten months in
each scholastic year, with sufficient
sum to pay teachers, erect and re-
pair school-houses, to build resi-
dences for teachers, furnish school
books, apparatus, stationery, etc, as
well also an amount to
pay board and to furnish raj
ment for all INDECENT children
within the school ages, and by such
means convert the entire education
of the country into one great ma
tional system-especially reserving
to all families, districts, States and
Territories their respective local
rights, never to be Distracted or in
frlnged upon by the National cen
ter or powers. By these means
there could be kept up and estab-
llshed plain and distinct lines be~
tween all the powers, so that no one
would ever come in collision with
another, while each will sustain and
support the whole. 1t is true that
the amounts of the school funds are
not equali in all, perhaps in no two of
the States, or Territories, but then
when, like so many streams of differ
ent volume all flowing to the great
Father of Waters" and when
reaching their respective destina-
tions, will constitute and, form one
mighty river which will bear the en-
tire commerce of a Nation; so these,
families, districts, counties, States,
Territories, when united, will con-
stitute the main National institu-
ton. But / would have it clearly |
understood that the white and |
colored races should be kept forever
separate and apart, in different |
houses and under different teachers.
The materials in the various Stats
and Territories, as they have al
ready been prepared, are only so
many hewn stones and polished |
timbers, taken from the National
forests and quarries, which can be
adjusted and fitted together into one
great National structure, as were the
stones and timbers prepared for the
building of King Solomon's Temple.
What the people of this country
need is system of schools, such as
the one we have indicated, which |
will give the present and future
generations a NATIONAL education. |
The State and Territorial systems,
as at present organized, can never
accomplish that end, no matter how
long their duration, or the venera-
ton we may have for them. On |
the other hand, such institutions,
from their very nature, will always |
foster local and sectional prejudices |
which are calculated to destroy, in |
stead of perpetuate the union of
States. Hence the necessity for the |
National system here presented |
briefly, to be introduced as the
handspring to propel all the others.
AS to the extreme Capitalization |
on the one hand, or the ex-
IRENE States rights on the |
other, what I have to |
cav Is that the first Is onlv another |