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Popular Education--Superintendents' Tour

Popular Education--Superintendents' Tour image
Parent Issue
Day
28
Month
August
Year
1843
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The people of Kalamazoo and Allegan cotin ties, as well as those of Calhoun and Jackson have recently been visited by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, who in several instances has given public addresses on the sub ject of popular educalion. Dr. Corastocl seems to enter into the duties of liis office with much zeal, giving to the community facts ani food foc thoughts - such as they need to awa ken them to a just nppreciation of the importance of universal education, and furnishinc such suggestions as are caJculated to roust them to defirire action. While listenmg te the conslderatious presenled in his addresses, it seemed impossible that párente, or indeec any class of the community who regard the public welfare, should rest satisfied with anj thing short of carrying out the entire plans and provisions made for training and enlightening the minds of the vhole mass of children and youlh throughout the state. It is indeed true, as maintained by the superintendent, that the Btateis as much ntere6led in husbanding ond discipüning the intellectual & moral powers of the people, as in increasing, regulating and protecting their means of subsistence and sources and wealth. We understand that the visit of the superintendent has awakened euch an interest among the people of Allegan Co., that they contémplate a county convention, to discuss matteraconnected with education, nnd to take measures calculated to promote its nterests. Would it not be well if the inhabitants of each county in the State should pursue the same course? It is the interests of the people - the whole people, which are involved in this subject. Our state has done wel i to make education one of the first matters of legislation. We cojiiinence our career under auspices more favorable, perhap?, than those of any of the olderstates. The plan of our legislators, as unfolded by the superintendent, embraces the whole circle of science and literature, from the simple elements, as taught in the primary school, to the most abtruse lore of the university. Their views appear to beabout as liberal as those of George Fox, the founder of the Quakers, who directed that schools should be founded for boys, and tor girJs, and for women, "to teach them tcfiatsoever ihings were civil and useful in creation." A broad foundation has been laid; will the people rear the superstructura? Will they listen to Dr. C.'s 8uggestions and carry out the plan, so that the means of acquiriog an education ehall be placed within the reach of every minor in the State? We are glad to know that Dr. Comstock is turning his attenlion to the operation of the manifold systems nnd principies whieh have been prescribed in different ages of the world nnd among various nations. We hope ho will be abje to persuade our people to import whafever may be found among other nations superior to that which we possess ourselvses, just as agriculturalists import the best seeds and plants from abroad for their own use. The present period is one peculiarly favorable for such selection and appropriation. We have the experience of the nations of the European continent, who have made great advances in popular education within the last genenition. Every principie which they have cstablished by trial, we may adopt at once, without the hazard of experimenting. Or if lt should be said that our political institutions are different from theirs, here too we are not left to mere conjecture as to the reciprocal influence of popular education and free institutions. We have the experience of of N. York, all directly in point. But I leave the subject with a 6ngle sugestión, and bowcver given particularly by vvay of advice. The Superintendent is evidently in ad vanee of the rest of ua as regards his reading and information on tho subject. Will he not prepare a 6eries of short a nicles, containing such facts, information, hints and suggestions as would be instructive and useful to the whole mass, and have them published in the several nevvspapers printed in the State? Thi3 would give bim direct access to many whom he will never be able to reach in any other way. Indeed if. would bring the subject bcfore the whole people. We do carneslly hope that the superintendent muy be induced to take such a means of interesting the community, both for the sake of common schools and the interests of the higher departments of educ&tion.KALAMAZOO.(Cjr3 Sometime since we published an article from fhe N. Y. Courier, entiüed, "the United States of Virginia," showing what a vast number of national appointinents are filled by citizens of that State. The writer did not refer to the anti-slavery papers in the least, but to them he was indebted for awakening the public attention to the evidences of slaveholdinjr domination. The New York Tr'ie Sim has an ariicle on the North and Soulh, giving statistical comparisons of the two sections, and "warmly protesüng" aguinst a continuance of this monopoly. The fol lowing is an extract: "Now, if this system is a fair one, or even approaching to fairness, we are mistaken. - We repeai it, we do not wish to créate any eroographical divisions, but we demand justice. Our present population ia doublé that of Jhe Southern sta tes, our newspapers are live times as numerous, our agricultural products are grea'.er, our manufactures four times ns greut, our fisberies ten times greater, and we hnve twice as much domestic commerce. Yet the government, its richest offices, and its most valuable patronage, by a vast preponderance, is made to cnuro to the benefit of the Southern statcs. Against this we do protest,ond wormly. It is carrying the joke a little too far to continue Buch a monopoly of power and place for the benefit of any one part of the Union."

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Subjects
Old News
Signal of Liberty