Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-05-14

lore TER ,,dtite soil, I and may YOUTH
duce teachers of such note to SETTLE
among you, that your schools will be
patronized by the neighboring States,
and that, as your children now flock
to other places, SO will others children
after awhile flock hither. E
Edoceantur bic, qui hcnascnntur, statimque
alb lnfantia natalie solum amare consueseant.
From Gen Albert Sidney Johnston s letter.
Your letterin reference to the educa-
ton of my children has received my
most grateful attention. 1T has long
beeu With me an object Of deep solici-
tude. They both have superior men tai
endowments, which viii bear oil the
culture that the most liberal education
can bestow. With regard to 4 foreign
education, my Judgment is opposed to
yours. would greatly prefer that my
son shonld.b educated in one of our
own schools, and that my daughter
should be educated as. near. her grand
mother as possible. | do not wish her
to cross the mountains. Your mind will
Ii t once cite our excellent wives rs exs
amples of the superiority Of Eastern
schools. They are only exceptions.
| Thousands are made worthless by them.
As place the American people above
all others, so place their institutions.
In their schools only will our children
learn to comprehend the essence and
spirit OF those institutions in liberal
and enlightened manner, and to love
and admire them. You are aware Of
| the value, to one who looks forward to
political preferment, Of the great adj
vantages to be derived from the friend
ships and general acquaintance formed
| in our public schools. Their influence
is irlcalculable and If it is granted that
q superior education can be had abroad,
we must still claim for our own better
adaptation for this particular arena.
To seek an education abroad seems to
me like cropping in the dark in search of
those things which are here everywhere
exposed to view. Acknowledged truths
with MS are yet subjects Of doubt and in
vestigation with them. They are ages
behind MS in the science of government
the well being of the many. know
of no great man Of any country who
was educated away from his people.
An important part of education is the
study of the temper and tendencies OF
our own race---of the people, in units
and in mass, among whom we are
to act-without a knowledge of which
no one need ever hope to WELD power III
free country. One educated at home
is recognized and received as a man of
the people: he is OF them; there is
no disruption Of those strong bonds OF
sympathy, without the power to arouse
which the greatest mind wOnld be i'm
potent. Besides all this, and many more
reasons could give did not fear to ia
tigue and annoy you, oppose an in
stinctive dread of foreign influence.
European opinions, manners, notions
| an Il habits, differ in toto cUlo from ours
fear he. would unconsciously imbibe
them. If my son could stand in the
midst of any assembly in Europe and
think or believe that there was present
any nobler or bolder spirit than his own
| would scorn him yet did he not they
would deem him fool. This illustrates
the difference between them and rs. Lei
! KS rear our children among equals, and let
them take snch eminence as genius and
merit may command. We will not bow
down their honest pride Of manhood by
placing them among acknowledged
classes, where they are never esteemed
first, whatever may be said to the con.
trary. I have perfect confdencein YOU
Judgment with regard to our own insti.
tons. and have already referred William
to you for your advice. Truly, YOU
friend a. SIDNEY JOHNSTON.