The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-08-20

NkIXa2lH &h&ft :.
ponular caucf I'D q, under sssss authority
>,d with susie sud local revenues, g : set
ira question. To argue Tor or against y =
sbont 90 practical - TO argue FOR or agA'ns'
,,,xl,ot.on. univernl education Is ueces'
ssry outercwtb Of our free inst'sat'ous'
un,yersal suffrage neeessitssss II. osnsf
,.ta..rt considerations enforce u % gov
sre,nen,el ,sut7. The sentiment IN favor o.
IRE and universal educssioa is 50 wide
<nresa that one who opposes II relegsles
himself 10 the region Of ecceniriclsy. TO
maize general education, or public schools
lie onis agency for securing RS p'ssk 10
Z psfty platform IL superercgstion. q
psrty which claims the monopoly OF ifieno'
.h,p for, or arroga,es exclusive or peculiar
advocacy Of. free public schools msh''
itself ridiculous.
Public schools, like many other things Oh
universal approval, ought 70 DC taken Oh. %
The range and scope Of party politics. Like
resistance to foreign invasion, trih oy Jury
habeas corpus, &C., II Is Dot distinctive
issue, for no issue can DO joined Wnefs
there is no disagreement.
The methods Of organizing and sdminis-
tering public schools may be matter OF
divergent or contrarisnt opinion. How
they shall be msnsgcd most efficiently, 10
whose guardianship committed, WHAT
amount Of money shall be given for sup
port, &C., msy give rise to honest diner
srces OF opinion.
Tbe Democratic party OF Virgins mas
shown indsputsbly It's friendship for frse
schools. six yesrs prior TO the cons'ltu-
tIousl requirement It enacted system Of
public instruction, modelled after the Wis
dom and experience OF other Countries
and. under an able superintendent, put toe
aystem IN operation and opened the school
beusts-gave the privileges OF the law 10
all persons, irrespective OF race, color, or
previous condition OF seryltude. Since 1870
ibis party, having, except during the last
session OF the Legislature, undisputed Goa
troll Of executive, judicial, and legislative
departments Of the Government, bias ten
derby watched over and sustsined our
schools, so that from 3,047 schools, c,O&
teachers, 1871, 08S pupils, and e362,0OO OF
school fund from taxes in 1871, we have In
creased TO 1885, schools, 4,S7o teachers,
920, 1856 pupils, and school fund from taxes
OF $500 5i5.O5 in 1880. In 1871 there were
100 colored schools, In 1880, 1,266.
The Democratic party cen proudly point
10 This brilliant record and challenge COM
parison with any State in its fidelity to
cardinal doctrine OF free schools for oil the
people.
In contemplating the future OF our pnb'
lie school system, yirginian may well
pause before be consents to take public in-
strrciion from the party which has achieved
such results aud committing 1t TO untried
ana inexperienced hands. Let 1t be borne
in mind, also, that The Democratic party
has probably paid more than three fourtbs
Of the taxes applied TO education, and the
pre- ,umption becomes positive certainty
that those who brought system into exist
cnce and nurtured and sustained it, will be
i,s safest and best guardians.
Friends OF an enterprise are not necessa-
riiy wise In their conduct. Foolish legisls-
tion may endaDger our schools. To make
scbool-machInery part OF the machinery
OF faction or psrlisanship would certainly
cripple, II not eHdaDger, the whole system.
Demsgogues end partisans may obtain The
control OF school Offices for selfish ends, and
make what was intended for the public
good fruitful source OF decentralization
and corruption.
II anything In school management has
become automatic, II is that efficient State
snd county superintendeney is of the es-
sence OF the system. To thoroughly organ
lied supervision present progress In educs-
ton IL largely due. Under the in6Seoce OF
parsimouy or legislative sciolism, States
have made the experiment OF abolishing
superintendeDcy, and always disastrously.
States which have adopted county SUI
perintendency have so improved as
10 compel from enemies the confess
siop OF the benefit OF such an instru-
mentality. One OF the sblest OF the leaders
OF readjus,ment and coalition in the winter
OF 1880 originated and urged the adop-
tion Of a scheme which would have de-
sircyed the State character OF our schools,
dispensed with county supervision, and LEFT
the whole system OF public instruction
under the control Of an unrepublicsn and
seif-perpetusting bench OF magistrates.
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The Rockingham Register ssys that . Re-