The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-09-23
From the n. Y, Daily Sentinel
PUBLIC EDUCATION.

only capable, of regencfating this nas
ton, and of establishing practical Wis
tue and republican equality among iss,
is one which provides for all children
nj all times; receiving them at the Iears
hest age their parents choose to entrust
themtothe national care. feedipg, cloths
ing and educating, them, until the ags
OF majority.
We propose thet oil the children sJ
adopted should receive the same food:
should be dressed in the same simple
clothing; should experience the same
Kind treatment; should be taught (nna
ti their professional education cons
niences) the same branches:in n word,
that nothing savoring of inequality,
nothing reminding them Of the pride
OF riches or the contempt of poverty.
should be suffered to enter these rcpubS
lican safeguards of young nation Of
equals. We propose that the destituts
widows child or the orphan boy should
share the public care equally with the
heir to princely estate; 80 that all may
become, not in word but in deed and
IN feeling, free and equal.
Thus may the spirit Of democracy,
that spirit which Jefferson Iabored for
half century to plant in our soil. be-
come universal among us; thus may lux.
ury, may pride, may ignorance he ban.
lshed from among us; and we may bc.
come, what fellow citizens ought to be,
a nation of brothers.
We propose that the food should be
of the simplest kind, both for the sake
OF economy and Of temperance. A
Spartan simplicity Of regiments is he.
coming>o republics: and is best suited TO
preserve the health and strength rnims
paired, even to old age. We suggest
the propriety of excluding all. distilled
or fermcn'ed liquors Of every descrip-
ton; perhaps, also, foreign luxuries,
such ms tea and coffee, might be bone.
ficially dispensed with. These, inslu4
ding wine and spirits, cost the nation
at present about fourteen millions Of
dollars annually. Are they worth so
muchi
Thus nigh, the pest Of our land, iin-
temperance, be destroyed--not dis
couraged, not lcssencd, not partially
curcd-but destroyed; this modern Gree
that dcgrades tue human race below
the beast of the field, that offers her
poison cup al every cbrnet ofour streets
and at every turn ofour highways, that
sacrifices her tens Of thousands Of vic.
TINS yearly in these states, that loads
our country with tax more than suf-
| IN r.. A
Gus training Of her childrcn-night
thus be deposed from the foul sway she
exercises over ireemen, too proud to
yield to foreign enemy, but not too
proud to bow beneath the iron rod Of a
domestic curse. Is there any other
method of tearing up this monstrous
evil, the scandal of our republic, root
and branchl
We propose that the dress should
be some plain, convenient, cconomi-
: cal uniform. The sil!iest Of oil yani-
tiles (and one Of the most expensivc)
is the vanity of dress. Children trnin-
ed to the aye Of twcnty-one without
being exposed to it, could not, in after
iifc, be taught such folly. But learnt
as IL now is, from the earliest infancy,
do we find that the most faithful preach
ing checks or reforms III
The food and clothing might be
chiefly raised and manufactured by the
pupils themselves, in the exercise Of
their several occupations. They would
thus acquire a taste for articles produc-
ed IN their own country, III preference
to foreign super1uities.
Under such a system the poorest pa
rents could afford to pay moderate
tax for each child. They could better
, afford it than they con now support
their children in ignorance and misery,
e prorided the tar were less than the
lowest rate at which child can now
!. be maintained st home. For day
: school, thousands of parents can afford
20 pay nothing.
We do not propose that any one
). should he compelled to send child To
i these public schools, il he or she saw
, fit to have them educated elsewhere.
: But We propose that the tax should be
} payed by all parents, whether they
send their children or not.
We are convinced, that under such
= a sy,tem. the pupils ofihe state school,
would obtain the various Offices of pub
lie trust, those Of representatives, &c.
n inpreference ofany others. Ifso, pub
II lie opinion would soon induce the mos,
|, rich and the most prejudiced, to scnt
their children tbitber; however little
/, they might at first relish the idea o
i giving them equal only with
those Of tho poorest class. Create