Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-07-18
OUR GREAT EDUCATIONAL
NEED.
BY REV. A. C. GEORGE, D. d.

In an article on "0ur Colleges" in the
Pittsburgh Christian AduOcGte, Tor July
Sd, the editor very truthfully says:
Large treasure bestowed upon these
interests would be prOftless unless our
young men and women are prepared to
avail themselves of the advantages thus
secured. We need an increase OF stu
dents as well as money. To secure this,
ministers, teachers, parents, should en-
courage the young people OF the Church
TO seek a higher education than Is fur-
nished by the public schnols."
Ii is well to have our minds impressed
with the truth that the chief necessity
of the college is not money, but stu
dents. The bestowment OF liberal gifts
for building, libraries, apparatus and
salaries for Professors, will not make a
successful school of the highest grade.
The vital question is, Are the young
men and women of "a community pre-
pared to avail themselves Of such opoor-
tunities? Would the most splendidly
endowed institution of learning be a
success in the land Of the Zulus? Can
a college, in any way, prove Itself a great
and benefcent power in a common
wealth, except the hunger for a liberal
education exists in community, and
the means and facilities for its gratitica-
ton? The primary school must pre-
cede the academy, and the academy
must precede the college. 1t Is the
most advanced pupil in the public
school who has the strongest desire for
academic opportunities, and 1t Is the
"prime and blossom" of the seminary
classes who look longingly towards the
portals of the college or university.
The indispensable condition, therefore,
Of the success of our highest schools OF
learning is the multiplication ottacllltles
for preparatory courses OF study. Given
the free school and the academy, and
the college becomes not only convent
ence but a necessity.
ministers, teachers, parents" says
the AdCOcdte, should encourage the
Young people OF the Church to seek a
higher education than is furnished by
the public schools" Very well; sup
pose we undertake this work in West
Virginia; we will elicit these responses:
l. 1t is long distance from the pub
lie school TO the college, and the former,
by no means, fits our youth for the lat
ter.
.. We lack the "middle-schOOls"
which might prepare the aspiring for
college courses of study, and, at the
same time, furnish to the people OF the
State good OppOrtur tiles for academic
culture and discipline.
3. Ii these preparatory schools may
be found in other States and IN connec-
ton with colleges, the distance and the
expense are serious distractions which
cannot be easily removed.
MANY of those who receive liberal
education" says a leading journal, IN a
recent discussion, "wOuld not receive 1t
were il not brought to their very doors;
and few who mean to be business, rath-
or than professional men, would 90
away from home for the purpose OF OBJ
tanning such an education. AS 1t is,
home institutions are well patronlzed
by home students. Thousands have
thus received an education who would
otherwise not have sought it, or would
have been debarred from it by harsh
pecuniary circumstances. And not
only, we may add, by harsh pecuniary
circumstances, but also by the unwill-
ingness of parents TO have their children
AT distance from home, and by the
lack Of deep interest in that which Is Tar
away, and, in consequence, little con-
sidered. A home school, therefore,
even with insufficient appliances, is a
large advantage TO the community IN
which it is located, and Il source of stu
dent supply to the higher institutions
whose chief necessity, no matter how
ILLEGALLY endowe ed, is patronage, and
the perpetual inflow OF fresh life. A
first-class seminary in West Virginia,
such as has been proposed by the Con-
ference OF the Methodist Episcopal
Church, would liit up the standard of
education for the whole commonwealth,
would furnish thousands OF youth a
needed academic training, and would
send hundreds of ambitious pupils to
the colleges of the Church and Univcr-
sitv of the State. Ii we desire to assist
the colleges and To promote liberal Cul-
ture, let us establish the seminary, and
so provide the facility and the inspira-
ton.
The Democrat and Chronicle, OF ROches-
ter. y. Y, discoursing of the value ofthe
smaller colleges and opposing their
ABSORPTION into the larger, az incOn-
sistent with the genius OF American in
situations, says:
"The material advantages which a
college coniers upon town are III no
light esteem. A statement has been
published giving the sum of money
which the class OF 1879 of the college of
New Jersey has left in Princeton, dur
ing the four years of its residency there.
We forgot the figures, but they are enor-
nous, running up among the millions.
As a simple matter OF business the cltl-
zens OF any community can make no
better investment than TO establish and
maintain a college. When we pass be-
yond this To the thought of the more
refined advantages which a college
brings with il, we have no data for COM
putatiOn. These advantages are too
subtle 10 be estimated accurately, but
that they are very real and very great,
everyone knows who has experienced
them"
These remarks apply as forcibly to a
seminary Of high grade rs TO a college;
and. Tor a given locality, seminary Tor
both sexes, and largely attended, would
be the preferable institution.
The Methodist Conference In this
State proposes To establish and maintain
a seminary Of high rank, in the most ac-
cessible and desirable locality which
will furnish SOS, 900 in money, buildings
or other property towards its founda-
ton. One thing more is required to
make this proposition complete. The
Conference should be able TO say to
such community: ave will raise out
side OF your vicinage an equal amour.
towards the endowment OF the SEM
mary, thus securing its permanence
and success" The wealthy men OF the
denomination must consider the neces-
sity and prepare to respond toit, II this
educational enterprise, so vital to Meth
odism, and so full of prominence TO the
commonwealth, is carried forward to a
worthy consummation.-Wea Pirg'a,d
Journal Of Education.