in the United States in Fifty Years. 147 



portion before those of other townships are brought into market, 

 has afforded their first settlers the benefits of social intercourse and 

 of co-operation. In this way, they were at once provided with 

 places of worship and with schools adapted to their circumstances. 



The census also shows a great difference among the States, as to 

 the number of scholars at public charge ; but this difference is owing 

 principally to the different modes in which they have severally 

 provided for popular instruction. In some, the primary schools 

 are supported by a tax, as Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, 

 and Vermont ; in others, by a large public fund, as in Connecticut, 

 Virginia, and some others ; and others, again, partly by the public 

 treasury and partly by private contribution, as in New York. In 

 both the last cases, the chddren are not considered as educated at 

 the public expense, though the difference between them and the 

 first class of cases is essentially the same, so far as regards the 

 public bounty. 



Of the three descriptions of schools, the elementary, by their 

 great number, seem to be far the most deserving of consideration, 

 if we look merely to their direct influence on individuals ; but if we 

 regard the political and general effects of each, it is not easy to say 

 which contributes most to the well-being of the community. The 

 primary schools give instruction and improvement to the bulk of 

 the voters, the great reservoir of political power. The grammar 

 schools educate that class whose views and feelings mainly consti- 

 tute public opinion on all questions of national policy, legislation, 

 and morals, and who thus give political power its particular direc- 

 tions. It is from the least numerous class — the collegiate — that 

 the most efficient legislators, statesmen, and other public function- 

 aries are drawn, as well as those professional men who take care 

 of the health, the rights, and the consciences of men. 



There is another important class of instructors of which the 

 census takes no separate notice, that is, the ministers of religion, 

 who, once a week or oftener, besides performing the rites of wor- 

 ship, each according to the modes of his sect, indoctrinate large 

 congregations in articles of faith, and inculcate man's religious and 

 moral duties. The number of ministers of every denomination, at 

 the taking of the last census, was computed to exceed 20,000, and 

 the deeply interesting character of the topics on which they treat, 

 gives to this class of teachers a most powerful influence over the 

 minds of men ; but, fortunately, it is so divided by the mutual 

 counteractions of rival sects, that it can no longer upheave the 



