The following is extracted from a letter from the Dr. Cornett spoken of above.

The Duty of American Women to Their Country by Catharine Esther Beecher, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here. The following is extracted from a letter from the Dr. Cornett spoken of above.

THE FOLLOWING IS EXTRACTED FROM A LETTER FROM THE DR. CORNETT SPOKEN OF ABOVE.

Strange it is, that while the benevolent among our people are exerting themselves so much at home and abroad, that the thousands and millions in our own country who cannot so much as read one word in the Book of Life, should be overlooked, and no organization effected in their behalf. It is absurd to think of a Republic being long sustained without the people generally being educated. To talk of their maintaining their rights when denied the means of knowing what their rights are, is to talk nonsense. If our whole people could be educated by the right sort of teachers, there would be little need of temperance societies, and temperance newspapers, and lectures, and other means now so properly employed for moral reformation. Our children would enter on the practical duties of life with pure minds, well fortified against vice in all shapes. In Indiana we are in deplorable want of good teachers for our common schools. Why cannot some plan be devised for educating intelligent boys and girls for these duties, and then finding them situations?

In reference to the school fund, he says,

Many of our state legislators seem more disposed to favour the borrowing of school money than to promote education. If competent lecturers were sent among the people, urging the value of education, both in a pecuniary and political view, these same demagogues would find it for their interest to become clamorous for the cause. I have been at the head of the Senate’s Committee on Education, and have had great difficulty in sustaining the integrity of our school fund. The term of my services has expired, and I cannot resume them. From what I know of our Legislature, I believe there is great need of a stir being made among the people in reference to this matter and the cause in general. My isolated condition, laborious profession, and poor health forbid my following my feelings in going forth as a voluntary lecturer; but let some organization be effected, and numerous and efficient lecturers would rise up to do gratuitous work.

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