Talents are buried in poverty

[Below is my letter to José Corrêa da Serra, written on November 25, 1817, where I discussed the need for free education offered to the public to unlock the hidden talents and minds for the benefit of the entire nation.]

To all of which is added a selection from the elementary schools of subjects of the most promising genius whose parents are too poor to give them further education, to be carried, at the public expence thro’ the Colleges & University. The object is to bring into action that mass of talents which lies buried in poverty in every country, for want of the means of development, and thus give activity to a mass of mind, which, in proportion to our population, shall be the double or treble of what it is in most countries.

The expence of the elementary schools for every county is proposed to be levied on the wealth of the county, and all children, rich and poor to be educated at these 3 years gratis. The expence of the colleges and University, admitting two professors to each of the former, and 10 to the latter, can be completely & permanently established with a sum of $500,000. In addition to the present funds of our Central college. Our literary fund has already on hand & appropriated to these purposes a sum of $700,000 and that increasing yearly.

This is in fact and substance the plan I proposed in a bill 40 years ago, but accommodated to the circumstances of this, instead of that day. I derive my present hopes that it may now be adopted from the fact that the H. of Representatives, at their last session, passed a bill, less practicable and boundlessly expensive, and therefore alone rejected by the Senate and printed for public consideration and amendment.—mine, after all may be an Utopian dream; but being innocent, I have thought I might indulge in it till I go to the land of dreams, and sleep there with the dreamers of all past and future times.