The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-06-14
PETERSBURG.

q ,,nrrc HIGH sCHo0i.-----CI.0SiNa E4ER-
Ssfss INTERESTING ADDRESSES BIT DIR.
II c'ShS,, AND REV. J. j. LAsFERTY-REc1P-
a Scff Ms THE GOLD MEDaLs--A PETERS.
d ihs, CONVICTED IN PRINCE GEORGE
8 bIs% sryT AGAINST MANCHESTER.
q iSS s,onscuce Of the Richmond nispatct.l
j ic"F'Ss s' JUNE 10, 1879.
4 ,,osinr exercises OF the Public High
Il Iaet,nok ulace 10. day at the 2tcademy Of
q gov snd the large building was crowded
a ySs'.ndience who manifested the closest
II va il, the proceedings. Two fine ad-
81 Sa. o,pre delivered on tie oceasion--oae
ii ~ as,sss william II. Rutfner, State Superin-
u "a ., ~ Pahiic instruction, who has
%'~%; .;,,nc our schools during the closing
q .tFn - and the other by Rev. j. j. Laf-
ne' 81 Richmond. who was the orator OF
Z E'GS, FAN The subject OF
'H u"' M. rufpXER's ADDRESS *
a .u;ch Schools and We give bis re-
EslNS ,snancial difficulties which for some
4 Inc we" have been felt over the whole
Inris bsse furnished occasion Tor an q, tack
rnon public schools, eom'ns ron an ot'"
4 sr,inr Interests and opinions. Ine high.
4 posi- tcs,urs has been made The point OF
sco"S' bsrsusc this feature antagonizes a
J. S''as s.r3v s,rone private interest, and be-
q Tefu''- risus;hle popular objections can be
4 c'u,e + ,bt High School. The signal was
pace ~ ~ president Eliot. OF Harvard Uni
even l'e. - II was repeated by Governor Rob
'.son. Of New York. lt passed rapidly,
.I,nr the line, and has been eehoed ana
& ..,z.Soed in almost every city ana village III
81 ,ba land. .,.nan, b,s Neon successpJ
+, ssrv few pisces. For when the matter
M,n.;o@ discus sed. two things We're hiaae
. Sjji !. That there are good reasons
g. having public High School; and 2.
Ts,t whether the reasons were good or not,
80 nnople meant 10 have these schools.
4 Tbp opponcnts OF the public High School
- most cases involved themselves in this
.l.urdiy. They were generally commit
~ 10 University education by the State !;
'.d IN order 10 make capital with the peo-
.Io ,hpy clsimed 10 be great friends OF pri-
ii,a-g education by the State. But the peo-
40 we're shrcwd enough to see the alb
,',-s;,r n beng in favor OF public educa-
.,nn ai The Top and at the bottom aud OPP
.o,ad 10 il in the middle. The people
stnrIdn,t exactly understand how boy
sdnca,cd in the lower school, and who
nnrbt to have University education, was
N 20, there. The Jump from the ground
soor 70 the ;hird story is too big Jump.
/, order 10 llake q third story possible
,nere must be 4 middle story, and that mid
de story must be passed over in going
from the lower to the upper, and the same
,pcuey that bl!iIt the lower and the upper
mcbi properly build the middle.
There arc lust the same reasons Tor mid
de schools that exist for higher schools or
,or any schools. II little education IS
gnnd. more IS better. / mean real sound
o1ucalion-ihat is, education that trims
and brigh,en> and strengthens; not simply
Going to college, which often makes a man
: fool. II this were the time or .place I
might have much to say as TO how the higher
rjucalion should be conducted. Properly
conducted education does for a man what
raining does for horse-it brings out the
very best that is in him. rs, , ''
This doctrine is admitted even by those
nbo would break down the public High
school. They only say that public money
ought not to do it; and the fayorite reason
gwen is that the number who take adyan-
tase OF this higher education is so small that
il il the few who are protiting at the Elk.
Ien,e OF the many.
But it is thus that the rich man gets his
money back, and it is the poor mans only
chance. And il it be true, as is claimed by
educators universally, that the high schools
exert strong Influence in benefiting the
&Ter schools, then it is not simply the few
but also the many who are deriving benefit.
Promotion is the life Of every service.
There can be but one commodore to Il
squadron OF ships, but every captain, lieu
tenant, and midshipman feels the stimu-
!aiing Influence OF that remote possibility.
Every child soon learns that his little feet
are ireading the very path that leads to the
exalted height where the Temple OF Science
shines afar. . j.
But apart from this influence, the higher
education Of the few may be Just as import
ant 10 the Commonwealth or the city as th'
lower education OF the many. CHINA ant
Japan send Young men to the United State:
10 be literally educated. All expenses are
paid by their Governments. What for? To
benefit the young men! No; but to benefi
heir countries after they are educated
Who were Robert u. Lee, and T. j. Jack
,Gr, and j. +. B. Stuart, and many others
historically speaking? They were young
men who were educated ut public expense
Tor the public good. weren't they worth
i: Wasn't Stoncwall jackson from the
day he left West Point worth more to bis
country than Tom jackson, the constable
ever could have been! And wasn't the
public money spent on Robert E. Lee well
Invested? 1t was public free education
that made these men what they were, and
higher education ut that. .r
These were military leaders, 1t is true
and because arms are visible, tangible
things, any body can see that public proyis-
ion should be made for military instructors
aGd leaders OF the people. But moral, and
Intellectual, and commercial leaders are fal
more important to society than military
leaders; wars are occasional, and rarely
touch the inner life Of a people. But Gov.
eminent and law and commerce, and al
social interests, are perpetual, and they
penetrate and reliculate through and
larongh the vital, organic structure OF So
etvty, ard there is nothing so important for
Soctty rs TO make sure of instructors and
leaders OF the people in regard to these vital
tonccrnS. -.-.a
We are accustomed to contemplate this
idea in connection with moral, political,
Ind social Interests; but there is another
:spect not often touched upon, but which
: becoming increasingly important. Soca!
SID business affairs are becoming more and
more complicated in their organization, and
atee In their operations. And hence the
armaud for men OF large and cnlight-
saed minds-men who can plan and organ
is and manage large operations-is IN
easing, and 1t is said has outrun the
supply; and it is because Of this lack
o. sound. trained intellect, and or aG-
Mlnistratiyc ability, that SO many inn
Nortant enterprises break down. Intellect
and character, and sound, practical sense,
were never so wanted for commerce, for
manufactures, and for transportation, as
now. ..- l.,. ..asssr.
\ great community in this age cannot