Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1909-03-12
EDUCATION In VIRGINIA
BEFORE THE WAR.

Advantages of domestic education,
are not of recent discovery. In Roman
times they were urged by the younger
Pliny, in letter 10 the inhabitants OF
Milan, in his language as Translated
surely it concerns you who are
fathers, that your sons should receive
their Instructions here-and under the
eve Of their parents and not elsewhere.
Though this was intended TO stimulate
individuals and not government II
pointed out the advantages OF local
institu,ions-the same principle lead
ing up to public schools. Wherever
there is a spark Of genius it is kindled
into a flame by advantages which
sound learning bestow.
After the Revolutionary war both
colleges and academies were incorpo-
prated but no money was granted to|
either. unless the Gran: made to
Gen'l Washington with the knowl-
edge that he would transfer the COM
pensation TO some institution be an
exception " Occasionally glebe land
was given 10 the academy near which
it lay, but not until after the second
war with England was permanent
fund for popular edrcation establish
ed. In 1921 the Legislature RESOLVED
that when the annual income OF the
Literary Fund shall exceed go, GOO the
surplus should be given to such
schools al the General Assembly may
direct" In 1886 the fund did exceed
that amount but instead OF carrying
out the resolution of 1921 the surplus
was turned over 10 commissioners for
urinary schools and those COM
mi ssioners generally, with the people
q, large were at that time opposed to
giving one cent TO an academy where
sons OF men of means were scholars
every man who could afford il, pre-
ferred to pay for his children's tuition,
ard ctools provided for by the Gov
ernn. ent were intended for people who
could not pay. In this way Virginia
has been more than tardy in Public
School education. Industry and
frugality was such that means were
always at hand for acquiring a COM
petent education and when wanting II
was the result Of negligence not to be
ascribed to pen or the spirit OF gov
ernment. History tells US that in lS25
acade mical schools we're numerous,
and rapidly increasing forming an
intermediate grade between colleges
and common schools. In every neigh
borhood were a number OF youth
fitted for college, or well enough edu-
Gated to enter upon mechanical or
commercial pursuits. Until recently
public schools have not been generally
patronized in Virginia hence the want
OF zeal and promptitude.
In Virginia William and Mary Col
lege became a nourshing school at an
early period-then followed Hamden
Sydney the University of Virginia,
and ashington & Lee University
known as Augusta Academy in I749-
in 'S2 a Liberty Hall, '9S as Wash
ington Academy, 1913 Washington
College, Randolph Macon College
was chartered in 1880 to be located in
Boydton Mechlenburg county, last
but not lastthe V. NJ. |, of Lexington
whose cadets fought so bravely In the
battle of New Marked.
Miss Boysen's Essay was read, we
should think by the faculty OF her col
lege and that the criticism upon the
South couched in such strong en-
phatic language intellectually dead"
was not stricken out is proof that
teachers as well as the scholar have
entirely erroneous ideas of the old
South. This paper was to receive the
prize offered by an organization
earnestly seeking to correct errors, IN
history-submitted 10 women-whose
fathers, husbands, sons and brothers
were often college graduates and in
the ranks. OF the fifteen presidents up
to the war nine were of southern birth
seven from Virginia, one North
Carolina, and one from South Car
olina, and in nearly every cabinet OF
the fifteen the Attorney General was a
Southern man. Where were these
men fitted for these positions and edu-
Gated for college courses-if we had
no good schools? The extension OF suf-
frage alone rendered imperative the
extension of knowledge.
tits only necessary TO read ;he
history of the United States to 1860, TO
locate the statesmen of America, and
little study will tell you that the Con
federate Generals were nearly all
West Point graduates. The record
| tDOSe SOlUltTs nave maui 10 ISOOShiISt
throughout the world and surely Robt
E. Lee needs no school girls effusior
to add TO his lauTels-all nations
bow to tie reputation of this christian
patriot and soldier.
Col Taylor in his letter on this
essay says ''the personnel of the Soutf
is not to be judged by the mountaneeri
of the Blue Ridge and Alleghenies
any more than the North, by the un
lettered of the Adirondacks and LAX
regions OF Maine" true, yet from
these mountains Of She nandoah fiv'
men that we know Of, and there wer
others OF this little county seat wh'
we're graduates OF the University o
Virginia, before the war, one in med
icine, two in law, and one OF thos
two graduated in law in one year
with no other pre- paration than tba
given by the little academy Of ths