One academy in each county. Course of study: no dead languages; French may be taught. Trustees. Corporate powers. 3. O'FARRELL'S BILL TO ESTABLISH ACADEMIES IN EACH COUNTY. A Bill to establish an Uniform and general system of Education throughout the State of North Carolina. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, that from and after the passing of this act, there shall be an academy established in each county in this State, to be called the academy of Sciences of the county of SEC. 2. That the course of education to be established in said academies shall consist of the study of the English language, writing, arithmetic, Mercantile book keeping, geometry, trigonometry, mensuration or surveying, navigation, geography, natural and experimental philosophy and the laws of North Carolina. That the study of the dead languages as being useless in a republican government and a great waste of time, shall form no part of the course of education of the academies of Sciences. That the study of the French language would be very useful and ornamental to the citizens of this State, therefore, when the funds of the academy of sciences of any county will admit of the expense, a teacher of that language should be added. SEC. 3. That the Justices of the Peace and Field Officers of each county with such persons as the court shall from time to time think proper to appoint shall form a body politie by the name of the trustees of the academy of Sciences of the county of SEC. 4. That they shall have perpetual succession and` a common seal, may sue and be sued in any court of law or equity in the State or elsewhere, that they may receive donations of lands, houses or other property, buy land, agree with workmen for the building and repairing of houses, fix the salaries of teachers, the sum that each scholar will have to pay annually, and also every other thing necessary to the good government of the said acade mies. landed property. SEC. 5. That all landed property acquired by the Management of academy of Sciences of any county by donation or purchase shall remain attached to the said academy forever, and be rented out from year to year, for the use of said academy to the highest bidder. Provided nevertheless, that any property given for a particular purpose, shall be applied to the use, and in the manner ordered by the will or deed of the giver. tees. SEC. 6. That one-third of the trustees of the academy Quorum of Trus of Sciences of any county, assembled at the court house of said county or elsewhere by adjournment, shall have power to make laws and regulations for the government of said academy, appoint a treasurer and other officers. trustees fail. SEC. 7. That in any county where the trustees of the Court to act when academy of Sciences of said county, shall have neglected to act in their corporate capacity, the court of that county shall receive and appropriate all donations made to the academy of Sciences of that county. This act shall commence and be in force from and after the passing thereof.' failure of the bill. In House of Commons 10 Deer. 1803 read the first time Clerk's entries; and passed. In Senate 10 December 1803, read the first time and passed. In House of Commons 13 Deer. 1803 read the second time and rejected. -Unpublished Legislative Documents, 1803. This bill makes no provision for any certain revenue for the support of the academies. 1. GOV. JAMES TURNER'S MESSAGE ON EDUCATION. It is a truth founded on the experience of the age, that Desires to see a plan of education knowledge is one of the firmest pillars of national strength; introduced. and believing that nothing would tend more to the adornment of the character and respectability of this state, than a general diffusion of learning, I am desirous of seeing a plan of education introduced, which shall extend itself to every corner of the state. It is true that many respectable academies have been instituted in different parts of the state; but it is also true, that several of them have failed for the want of sufficient support, and others are in a languishing state. Since the prosperity and happiness of a Prosperity and nation depends so much on the education of its citizens, State ought to aid individual exertions ought to be seconded by public patron- viduals. Were this the case, our schools would be placed on a solid foundation; and the children of the poorest citizens might have access, at least, to necessary instruction. The best method of effecting this desirable end, will be devised by the General Assembly. It cannot, I know, be accomplished without an addition to our revenue; but certainly every citizen will be willing and desirous to contribute towards an expense so well applied. age. -House Journal, 1804. happiness depend on education; the efforts of indi Will require additional revenue. Sees disaster in the increasing salaries of members of the Legislature. Details of the increase in salaries; vote against responsible for increase. 2. "SENTINEL" ON EXTRAVAGANCE. To the Citizens or Electors of the Legislature of North I think it is time to awake and open your eyes of understanding, and see the approaching bane of distress in its tender bud, before it gets a strong root. If I am rightly informed, what has ruined monarchical and republican governments, has been extravagancy; the means of heavy taxes-and I think our State is making some progress in that road of destruction. I am informed our Legislature, at their last session, allowed each member per day for his attendance, thirty shillings. A member's wages, when we were under his Britannic majesty's government, was seven shillings and six pence per day, and a dollar was worth eight shillings. The progress of our Legislature respecting their wages, asks the people to since peace was proclaimed between Great Britain and the United States of America has been as follows, viz.: Their first allowance was twenty shillings per day, and a dollar was then worth twelve shillings; their next rise was to twenty-five shillings, and our currency had appreciated to ten shillings a dollar; and their next rise was, as above inserted, to thirty shillings. Fellow citizens, I think it is time to be alarmed, and shew our resentment, and to reject, at our next election, every man who voted in favour of thirty shillings, or perhaps at the next assembly they will allow each member thirty-five shillings per day. SENTINEL. [The name of the author of the above is left with the Printer.] -From Raleigh Register, May 7, 1804. |