Relieve parents from much of the anxiety and uneasiness of distant separation from their children.

Save a considerable amount of our circulating medium among strangers.

Prevent the impression upon the minds of our youth, of unreasonable predilections in favor of alien institutions. and manners, as well as of prejudices against those of our own state, and against the condition of society, of which their interest and duty require them to become members. Enable them to acquire an early and more intimate knowledge of our own municipal institutions, by being situated where those institutions are more often the subject of conversation and enquiry. Attach the respect, gratitude and reverence of our youth to persons and places within our own limits, as being their guides to science and virtue, and the scenes of the juvenile exertions and amusements, and give them a more intimate knowledge of the principles and talents of those with whom they are afterwards to act in scenes of real business.

-House Journal, 1809.

1810

1. GOV. STONE'S MESSAGE ON EDUCATION.

2. EDUCATION IN CASWELL COUNTY.

3. EDUCATION IN EDGECOMBE COUNTY.

4. EDUCATION IN NORTH CAROLINA.

UNIVER

CALIFOR

1. GOV. STONE'S MESSAGE ON EDUCATION.

tional facilities

late the task is not

The education of our youth of both sexes, as indissolubly Because equcaconnected with the vital principles of our Institutions, will have improved of deserve an important place in your deliberations. Those yet finished. of us who can look back a few years, must view with heartfelt satisfaction, the multiplied facilities afforded at this time for procuring a virtuous education, beyond what then existed among us. But I trust we shall never consider our task as finished, until preparation shall be made, and opportunity afforded for the most obscure members of society to procure such a portion of instruction for their offspring, as shall enable them satisfactorily to discharge the most important duties in society. It is by this alone that our country can obtain, in the management of its high concerns, the full benefit of that dispensation of intelligence which shall be made to it.

House Journal, 1810.

From 1750 to 1775 not one-third people could read; much improvement since.

Robt. H. Childers' work as a teacher.

Caswell academy and its teachers.

2. EDUCATION IN CASWELL COUNTY.

The progress of society and civilization depends upon the education and virtue of the people; great improvements, therefore, have been made since the first settlement of the county. From 1750 to twenty-five years after, it is computed that not more than one-third of the inhabitants could read, and scarcely half that number could write a legible hand; from 1775 to 1800 what was then called a common English education, viz: "to read, write and cypher as far as the rule of three," was given to a little more than half the inhabitants, but from 1800 up to the present time the progress of civilization and literature has been greater than for perhaps fifty years antecedent to that time. The great revival of religion about that period seems to have contributed much to the dissemination of morality, sound principles and good order in society; but as the naturalists have observed every calm is succeeded by a storm, and accordingly many of the inferior class of society appear now more depraved than

ever.

For the progress of literature in the inferior branches of an education, such as reading, writing, and arithmetic since 1800, the people of this county are much indebted to Mr. Robert H. Childers. Greater improvement in writing could not be expected from any man; at least one-half of the youth of the county who write well, were taught, either directly or indirectly, by this excellent pensman.

Situated within a quarter of a mile of the Court House is Caswell Academy. The plan of Caswell Academy was first conceived and brought to public view in the winter of 1801. Early in the succeeding year between five and six hundred dollars were subscribed, and during the year 1803 it was completed for the reception of students. The Rev. Hugh Shaw and Bartlett Yancey were the teachers for the first two years; the number of students was from fifty

five to sixty-five each year. From that period the institution was not in a very flourishing state until 1808, since which time it has prospered much under the direction of Mr. John W. Caldwell-a gentleman educated in Guilford by his father, the Rev. David Caldwell, well known in the State for his services in disseminating literature, morality and religion among his fellow citizens. The funds of the Academy at present are low; it is now, and always has been, dependent on the liberality of the trustees of the institution, and a few other public-spirited gentlemen of the county for support; no library of consequence is yet established a plan has, however, been suggested and is now going into operation by which it is hoped that a good library will be procured in a few years. The number of students is at present thirty-eight.

Hico Academy, situated near the "Red House" in Cas- Hico Academy. well, was erected, it is believed, in 1804, by a number of public-spirited gentlemen in that part of the county. Mr. Shaw, after he left Caswell Academy became the teacher at this Academy for two or three years, during which time, it is believed, it had between thirty and forty students. It has since that time been on a decline, and about the middle of last month it was consumed by fire. There had been a school taught in it this year, but no fire had been used in it for several months previous to its being burnt; it is generally believed that some vile incendiary put fire to it, for the purpose of consuming it. The trustees have, however, determined to rebuild it of brick upon a more extended plan.

Academies.

Since the establishment of these institutions the progress Influence of Casof virtue and of science in the county has exceeded the Well and Hico most flattering hopes of the friends of literature. The education that has been acquired there by our youth seems to have benefitted, not only its votaries, but to have imparted its blessing to all around them. The inhabitants. generally are more enlightened-men who thirty or forty