Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-04-04
PRACTICAL EDUCATION THE NEED OF
THE SOUTH.

rx,raet. Prom an Address by Mr..
Henry w atterson az the Dedication Of
the Agricultural aud Mechanical
College at Lexington, Kentucky.
The idiosyncracy of the. present era OF
national development Is skilled LABOR.
Old modes of work have passed away.
Everywhere competition IS close, shaIp
eager, Year after year colleges, esta0-
lished for specific ends, turn out special
lists to grapple with the problems OF the
time. These problems are enemy
materialistic. They relate to mines ana
mining, and railways and lOcOmotion,
TO improved methods of manufacturing
and planting, to markets, trade ana
farms. all more or less affected by the
oyerchanging multifarious web OF
modern invention. The sluggard has no
chance for place in the struggle. but
the most willing must be taught. In
the contest for individual existence, the
aggregations of which make up the
existence of the State, results go 10 the
trained. In Kentucky we have no sys-
tenn oftraining. We have few schools
that are worthy of the name. The rlch
send their children abroad to be educa-
ted. The Door remain at home to see
the stream of progress pass them by.
The institution in which we nave Iile
honor to be assembled to-day may ne
considered a foundation-stOne to the
edifice which it is the duty OF hehtucSy
to rear, and, if it be treated generously
and managed wisely, it Will prove an
intestimable blessing i'll future genera
tions. Ii is because | believe this that
have consented to appear here on TINS
occasion, and am free to say that, had
/ the honor of seat in the Legislative
body, should not hesitate TO strengthen
the bands fthOse who are making so
earnest and 50 intelligent an effort TO-
ward better standards of education Tor
the people. =. ,,.
The State of Kentucky lies directly
across the line of national progress ana
development. We are surrounded OS
movement. Soon or late our vast re-
sources must be brought to the earth's
surface, and the only question for Us TO
consider is this, shall we bring them
forth ourselves and reap the profit, or
leave the work to be done by strangers:
The-husiest are the happiest. Let us go
to work, my friends; and, as education
is indispensable to successful work, let
Irsbegin by laying the foundations oil
school system suited to the needs OF the
time and adequate to our own peculiar
wants.
/ do not claim that universal edllca-
ton is universal happiness. Nor SHAH
| enter upon a comparison between the
simple peasant life of the Arcadia, as
we read il in story anu song, and the
busy life of those who struggle for the
prizes which fortune holds as rewards
for work. say that Kentucky can not
escape her destiny, which is fixed by
her geography. That on this account,
higher standards of education OF the
masses are indispensable to the develop
ment OF our material resources, anu that
our future absolutely depends, for gooa
or i'll, upon the direction which Is gwen
To this development. do not believe
i'm what are called the good old times. |
believe the world to-day is better III
every respect than ever it was, anu that
| it is steadily advancing in all It's cOndi-
| tons, and have in my mind5's eye the
| picture of a State, rich and not corrupt,
! strong and not Unbalanced, where equal
! laws are Justly administered and society
! is not perpetual contest between the
! tramp andthe millionaire. kentuckymay
realize this ideal. II is for Us, the peo-
PIE. to comprehend the value OF these,
| willing and eager 10 turn them 10 ac-
| ccOunt; it is for you, Senators and Repre-
Scntives, to work out the details.
In one OF his greatest Orations, turning
from the consideration of the public
polity which has made that little barren
| patch of stone and clay We call New
| England so powerful and rich, to speak
of the part played in the drama of
| Yankee progress 10y the free-SChool Sys-
tenn, established 10y Plymouth colony
rs far back aS 1870, Daniel Webster
summed up the case H. follows: "She
! early adopted, and has constantly
| maintained, the principle that 1t Is the
| uudOubted right and the bOundcn duty
| of the Government to provide for the
! instruction of all youth. That which is
! elsewhere left to chance, or charity, we
! secure by law For the purpose Of pub
| lie instruction, we hold every man subject
| to taxation in proportion to his property,
and we look not to the question whether
| he himself have or have not
! children to be benefited by
thr education for which he
pays. We regard it as wise and liberal
system ofpol;cy, 10y which life and
| property, and the peace of society are
! secured. We seek to prevent in some
measure the extension of the penal code
| 10y inspiring q salutary and cOnscrva-
! tive principle of virtue and knowledge
! i'm an early age. We strive to excite Il
feeling of responsibility and sense of
| character by enlarging the capacity and
increasing the sphere of intellectual EN-
| jOyment. BY general instruction We
! seek, rs far as possible to purify the
whole moral atmosphere; to keep good
sentiments uppermOst; and to turn the
! strong currents of feeling and opinion,
as well as the censures of the law and
| the denunciationS of religion, against
! immortality and crime. We hope for u
| security beyond the law, and above
| the law, in the prevalence of an en-
! lightened and well principled moral
! sentiment. We hope to continue, and
| prolOng. the time when in the villages
| and farm houses in New England, may
| he undisturbcd sleep within unbarrcd
doors; and knowing that our Govern
ment rests directly on the public will,
/ in order that we may preserve it, we
! cndeavOr to give safe and proper Iii
rcction to that public will. We do not
| indeed, expect all men to be philosophers
or statesmen, but we confidently trust,
and our expectation of the duration of
our system of Government rests on that
trust, that by the diffusion of general
knowledge aud good and virtuOuS Senti-
ments the political fabric may be secure,
a. well against open violence and over
throw rs against the slow, but sure, I'M
dermining of RIGHTEOUSNESS Wise
words, noble, words, every one of them;
quote them because they Cpitomize,
admirably and graphically, the whole
| subject.
The original Moses broke all the Ten
| Commandments at once, and in this re-
Spact only no SaamS IN have bepn ahead