Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-07-25

strangers, he too discovers that others
have filled the niche intended for him.
The land is crowded with worthless
lawyers eking out miserable existence
and who might have eXcelled in any
ordinary trade: with doctors paid 10
double the number of days Of our
earthly career and who, in reality, double
the income OF the undertaken. II is said
that "a little learning is dangerous
thing and it is getting TO be pretty
well settled fact that too much learning
in one direction is equally dangerous.
AS an example of what higher educa-
ton will do towards the demoraiizing
the prosperity of land, take the State
of Virginia to-day Before the civil war,
no wealthier and more prosperous class
of people lived than those in the cold
Dominion. The war being mostly fought
on Virginia soil, turned nearly every
man in the State into a colonel,
major or captain. Their sons,
instead of turning their atten-
ton to the development and culti-
vation of the vast resources of the
State, and building up therein what
wodld be a source of great wealth and
property such as existed at the time
of the breaking out-of the war, have,
the most of them, been raised with the
idea before them that they were never
intended to perform the labor neces-
sary for the welfare of their native
State, and that their aristocratic hands
could touch nothing connected with
humble tol. The consequence has
been that most of them have not re-
ceived an education that fits them to
turn the fertile fields into sources Of
revenue and abundance, but have rath
er received higher degree OF educa-
ton, and one which in reality fits them
Tor the work incident to any ordinary
calling. As a result of all this, the fine
old estates and farms for which this his
toric old commonwealth has long been
famous arc rapidly passing to ruin and
decay; the once fertile fields Of 'Old
Virginia" are, a large share of them,
hardly more than dense wastes grown
up with thistles, briars and daisies,
while the sons Of the sold Dominion"
can be found practicing law, or at
lSL JtiuS W JitiStlSO W III siluiOSb SNCly
large city in the land
If, instead of bringing into our public
schools so many elements of higher ed
ucation, a plan were adopted so that
while still within the bounds of the
primary branches the talent of each
child could be followed and developed
in the right direction, and instead Of
pushing them forward through Ian
guages, higher mathematics, literature.
mechanical and practical trades and
occupations, were given an equal show
with art and science, and each pupil
made to follow that particular branch
for which he seemed fitted and quail
fed, few of them would go out into the
world with a feeling of contempt for
manual labor and useful trades.
Why not teach the boy who exhibits me-
chanical turn OF mind, how TO build home
instead of teaching him to talk French or
drive him TO desperation in a scnseless at
tempt to master few unpronounceablc Greek
words which lie will forget before he is away
from the shadows of the school building?
Why is it thought so cf-cntial for boy to be
able to tell Saturn from Mars when he does
not know the right time of year to plant pO
tGtocs: Why not instruct the boy in the
process of extracting sugar from bccts or sugar
cane. as well as instructing him in the pro-
cess Of extracting the square root.
But no, he sails away into ports of learning
Of which his forefathers never dreamed, and
no matter what may be his turn Of mind lie
is carried far beyond the haven for which he
was destined.
Thus does the higher education given by
our present public school system, rctard the
progress of prosperity. Thus does it aid to
bring from other shores pauper labor at the
expense of the American citizen who scorns
not the practical trades and occupation Of the
humblier walks of life. Thus does it hold its
sway, diverting woithy ambitions from their
rightful channel. spreading the rays of its un
holy light over useful things and making
them appear small and mean in proportion as
its influence grows and magnifes. rendering
the poor unfit for labor and honest toll and
causing dissatisfaction where once content
ment rcigned supreme. w. E. c.