Excerpt from The Beginnings of Public Education in Virginia, 1776-1860: Study of Secondary Schools in Relation to the State Literary Fund

Before 1776 in Virginia there were very few ideals and there was very little legislation in regard to educational matters. But from'what legislation there was had come a well equipped and well endowed col lege, and What ideals there were led-to a pretty thorough culture among those who were considered as having any concern with culture, to employ the language of that time. For more than a century and a half, Virginia had been a tobacco colony, drawing to itself many people of good tradi tions and sound heads, who by the year 1776, had organized a Little England in a new world. From the founding in 1607 there had been a great deal to do, severe work of many kinds, and although the Rights of Man had not been greatly bruited in the process, it is unquestionable that the principle was never much obscured, as the times were. There was opportunity, and many a man who could not 'trace himself far back in the annals of England, ' was able to establish himself on the soil of the colony, and 'found his family' in the conventional way. The business of the colony had to be performed by many persons, and participation in it was fair training for the Wits.* The Church was there, and if you had a mind for Latin and Greek and the Mathematics, you need not go denied. The Law was a disciplinarian in many forms, as is plain enough from the records preserved. England was close to every man, the exam ple of England was before men's eyes, the machinery was moved from England, too much so the people came to believe in the end.

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