The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-25
Long Time Before Public Schools
/ Will Be Able to Take
Their Place.
GREAT IRE; SPHERE FOR BOTH
Impossible to De Highest Grade
OF Work in Overcrowded
4 Glasses.
Br ". GORDON McoABE, ". A., Lit.
D., LII. D.,

(Republished by Request)
You have done me the honor to ask
my opinion touching the educa ton FL
needs In the South. trust IL is not
impairment for me to preface nav few
words with the statement that for sir
and thirty years was head master Of
one OF the largest "fitting schools" in
the South. and that for eight years I
was chairman Of the committee on
schools and courses OF INSTRUCTION In
the University of Virginia. while serv-
Ing on the board OF visitors of that
institution.
During that long time was In cor
respondence With the leading head
masters of the schools in this country.
and visited their schools. as well as the
most famous schools abroad
The matter Of education has always
possessed an intense and vital Interest
/, TO me. and were once started on my
hobby and elaborated my views" with
ca pital Vas st. ] ohm says. "It they
should be written every one. I suppose
! that even (the Sunday edition OF The
4 Times -Dispatch) itself could not con-
tain the books that should be written.
III shall. therefore. con6ne myself to
ono point.
My conviction is strong that one OF
the greatest needs to-day in our pres
ent educational system is the estab-
L
part OF our Southern people of first
class private schools-schools OF the
type OF Concord Academy" Hanover
Academy Hampton Academy and
ether university schools"-where boys
were not only thoroughly laugh; what
was In the books. but had instilled into
them. as being far more important than
any learning whatsoever, the para
mount lessons OF the conduct OF life"
where they lived in an atmosphere
OF absolute truthfulness. mauliness
courage and an abiding sense OF per-
sonal honor.
II is idle to talk OF this noblest of
all education" Gin the true sense of
tho word) in our public schools with
their crowded classes drawn from ..ali
sorts and conditions OF men"
Esg The Superintendent of Public In.
struction In this State. Mr.. Joseph Egg
gleston. Is fine man, gentleman in
the highest sense of that much abused
term. and has done admire BILE work In
Improving the methods and raising
the standard OF instruction In our pub.
lie schools. But were he ten times as
accomplished as he is. he could not do
much IN the direction OF which have
spoken. That must be left to the IN.
dtvidual teacher, and the individual
teacher must have time to study the
character of his pupils, which he does
III OF course, there will be a storm OF
protest against this statement, chiefly
from those who have never given Ave
minutes thought TO the subject
People who are ambitious for public
office are all afraid to breathe word
of criticism against the public schools
There is not to-day in this State a
polisiesi leader" 81 who would dare
utter in public any criticism of them
no matter what their shortcomings.
This is the type of leader" (D who
rs always Dragging about the increase
In civilization and education" in what
his kind calls "the New South" and
who listen, as IL one had inquired OF
on oracle of God, TO the educational
meunderings of the Miss Nancles," OF
. the New York Evening POST
!. Emerson talked much ''transcenden-
!, tai" nonsense. but he said one fine
thing, Il none other: THE true test of
civilization Is not the census, nor the
size of the cities. nor the crops-no
but the kind OF mon the country turns
OUT"
There's the root OF the matter on one
side, while. on the other. Sidney Smith
wrapped up the true aim OF education
in an immortal eplgram: Education Is
not to inform the mind. but to form IL .
ia Take Emerson's true test"-con-
slider the public men that this Com
rponwealth turned out" one hundred
seventy-hve. fifty years ago as regards
Z personal and civic virtues, their real
+ greatness OF soul. their pure an an
tiqne patriotism, their single minded
devotion to duty--consider and com
tparel s
THE public schools "have come to
stay" and no doubt. do excellent work
In various localities. But there is a
hyster1n about thcm-a blatant asser-
fnt, oe ~ at ~ t-tt ~
vate high schools that Is not only b.
surd. but to a man who knows his
craft. nauseating. 1t Is just the same
4eort OF unthinking hysteria that In
public affairs proclaims William len
nings Bryan a statesman and an eco
nomic sage.
have never been an enemy of the
public schools. For the masses. they
constitute their only chance for what
lis called getting an education I
want most earnestly to see them be-
come more and more efficient.
But 1t will be long before they can
become flrst-clas hitting schools" UP
to the mark Of those Of the noble old
s type. which are gradually disappear
ting one by one, as well-to- do people,
too stingy to pay tuition fees. send
their. children to the public schools and
try to cover up their stlnginess by
brazenly declaring that they con !
!. slider the public schools SUPERIOR"
3 It will. indeed be a sad day for the
veal of this, State. when that type of
private high school preparatory to
sthe University of Virginia, Yale, Har-
/. ward, West Point and Annapolis) is
swept away by the shabby tide OF PRO
gress" and along with 1t It's persistent
lesson. in school and out or school,
athatia delicate sense OF personal honor.
absolute truthfulncss and manly conr-
e ge5 (physical and moraD are worth ali
the Latin. Greek and plathema tics ever
put within The lids of a book. For