Danbury Times

For the Times.

COMMON SCHOOLS,

Mr. Editor—In a former communication I endeavored to set forth the individual responsibility of the people to sustain and strive to elevate the character of our Common Schools. In our free popular government, all authority is derived from the will of the people. Our legislators only give public expression to that will, and the officers of our various civil institutions are only the executives of that expressed will, denominated "Statute Law." The object of the present communication is to inquire, What is the expressed will of the people, or "Statute Law," upon the subject of Common Schools? and in what manner that will or law is executed?

And here, Mr. Editor, allow me to commence at the fountain head, the source of authority. If the stream be impure at the fountain, is it not necessary there to seek to commence the work of cleansing. And if the source be pure, is it not also proper there to commence the examination, and trace the stream downward until the occasion of impurity be found?

It is the will of the people that all white male persons living within the limits of any school society, qualified to vote in town meetings, shall annually meet for the purpose of electing their various officers, and transacting the necessary business of the society. This duty is both explicit and positive, and with it no ordinary business should be permitted to interfere, so as to hinder its faithful discharge. If two positive duties conflict, the more important should take the precedence. And what is, or can be, more important than the wholesome instruction of the rising generation, upon which so much depends, even the intelligence of our nation soon to be, and the security, stability, and freedom of our civil and religious institutions. Ignorance of this duty cannot consistently exist. The statute law is only the will of the people expressed in due form. If our legislators have not faithfully represented the will of the people, they have not proved true to their trust, and it is time the people should know it. But if the will of the people upon this subject has been correctly expressed in the statute law, why is it not carried out in action? May I be allowed, Mr. Editor, to propose a solution? Is it not because it is the will of a vast majority that every one except themselves should annually meet?

But it may be asked, is it a fact that people are remiss? In reply it may also be asked, how many of the legal voters, or even those who are parents, and who are immediately concerned in the education of their children, annually attend the meeting of the school society? Not one in ten! A few only of those whose duty it is to attend, assemble and appoint the officers required by law. They perhaps appoint, (and are obliged to appoint) persons who are not present, and some perhaps who have no right to be present, to take any part in the business, and consequently not responsible to the society for the faithful discharge of the duties imposed on them, and cannot be called to an account for the neglect of any duty which they may see fit not to perform.

Then these officers who have been appointed without their consent or knowledge, if they were disposed faithfully to discharge the duties imposed on them, know nothing of their appointment, except perhaps by uncertain rumor or report. There have been persons, who, because they had been once appointed on the visiting committee, and because they supposed, as a matter of course, they had been re-appointed, have served as one of that committee throughout the whole year after they had been dropt, and those who have been appointed in their stead have never known of their appointment.

There is another duty incumbent on the people, which has not, and can not be delegated to any committee or body of men; and that is, the duty of superintending in person the education of their children. During the years of childhood the parent is charged with the education of his children, and upon him rests the responsibility of seeing that it is done, and well done. It is not sufficient that he provide his children with a teacher, and with the necessary books; it is also incumbent on him to see that the teacher properly instructs them, and that they reverently obey all the reasonable requirements of the teacher, and heed and profit by his instruction. It is the duty of every parent frequently to visit the school in person, in order to observe the manner of imparting instruction, and the attention given by his children. It is his duty frequently to converse with his children out of school, respecting their studies, examining them with a view to ascertain their proficiency and encouraging them to pursue the more difficult branches of their study. This may be done by the family fireside, around the table, in the workshop, in the counting room, and when they walk together by the way. This would be done in reference to any other business. A man seldom, if ever, employs a laborer, and shows him his field without giving him explicit directions in what manner he wishes him to labor, and without visiting him to ascertain whether he follows the directions. The mechanic never employs a workman without occasionally taking a view of the manner of working, and also examining the work, to ascertain its perfection. And why should not every one interested observe the same rule in reference to the work of educating their children?

But what is the course too generally followed in reference to the important business of popular education? A teacher is employed—shown to a school-house, the children are sent in to him, with a few ragged, dirty, half-worn out books, and he is told to go to work; and then left to drag along through the season of schooling as well as he can, or just as he pleases, without even a visit, or a word of encouragement from the parents of the children. Why, Mr. Editor, one would almost think this a burlesque—but it is too seriously true. And what is the effect of all this upon our common schools? Your correspondent thinks it has a very sensible and injurious effect. Instead of elevating, it lowers the standard of popular education. The machinery of common schools will not keep in motion of itself, and if any of the bands and joints by which it is moved, cease to perform their necessary function, the whole system must stop, or necessarily be very much retarded in its operation. The wheels of popular education will not roll onward and upward, unless the propelling power, which resides in the sovereign people, be constantly exerted; and to urge them on with becoming velocity, it requires the combined energy of every individual in the community, each in his appointed station.

This communication is somewhat extended, but the subject is not yet exhausted. You may expect to hear from me again.

PRECEPTOR.