American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-02-20
CITY CoI,NCII. vrnsu4 EnrCATION.


{d3-I happened 10 be in the Second Branch of the
Ciiy Council when the resolution came up relative 10
giving the High School College Charter, and was no
httle interested in the discussion. As this was inca
sure every way calculated To do good, (and harm by
no possibility general appreciation might have been
expected, were it not that aristoctatic narrow and
Liberal feelings prompt all that some men do. The
President of the Branch has been uniformly hostile to
the High School. In former speeches he has declared
we 'need no High SCHOOL," and has nsulted the feel
ingS of the community by asking ''what have little
ragamuffinS To do with classical education" That
he should oppose it is not strange. Yet he who him
self came poor into this community, and who has
amasScd wealth and risen 10 place by means OF that
wealth. should not take advantage of his place TO vio-
late the feelings OF the people To whom he owes every
thing. II is instance however of iorign arrogance
by no means rare, to which we are accustomed to
submit. AvaricOus considerations no doubt incline
him to put down the school tax By the destruction OF
the school system, through the High School. Hence
his hostility This purse proud foreign lording should
not object 10 his portion OF school aN that Is com
mon under every government, when our aImshOuses
and other public institutions are bnrdened with greater
expenses than our school system, incurred in no in
considerable degree by those from his own shores.
The Declaration of independence, while we boys
studied in the High School, taught us 'ihat all men
are free and equal" and by parity of reason sup
pose boys too. Our teachers there always inculcated
the idea that intelligence aud moral worth were re-
spectacle though in rags, and ignorance and vice dis
reputable though in purple and fine linen. II the gen
tleman had ever visited the High School, he would
not have found "raSamufns, but pupils as gentetly
no doubt many widowed mother has set with weary
eyes at her sewing by the midnight lamp, and many
carewOrn father, with exhausted body, has spent an
additional hour Al labor. The course of this
not TO be wondered at but cannot express the
surprise that felt at seeing the member from the sth
ward trying, indirscy to defeat the bill by stating the
change was unnecessary now, Sc as 10 give effect to
the substitute OF the Pre- Sdcnt, intended TO destroy
the whole, and which, from the whispering and other
indications, had evidently been preconcerted.
In the failure of this substitute, the gentleman had
prepared of his own, which by its delays and
wire pulling facilities intended to defeat scheme
he had not the courage 10 attempt in direct FORM
To make assurance douby sure, in event Of the thing
passing contrary to all these plans, is to be rendered
of effect by continuing the Institution school,
if any one in creation ever heard of school confer
ing degees His aristscratic feelings will not let the
sons OF our plain citizens have college degree at ALL
and especially as they boys, He was yoRig men
when he went to college. True, SONS persons viii Ne
longer than Others in learning, and some will never
learn He states that the "School shall be q col
Iesen He will not let the Board apply for charter
and the Council shall not do it forever. Is this man
AUTOCRAT beth Of the Board and the COunciR ''It
shall not be done foreVer''-this ia the edict of the
GriSfocracy of the eighth ward hut mistake much if
the demscrdcy of Baltimore does not annul il. The
interests of the citizens are too much identified with
this schools the sons of the poor cannot 20 to college
from home; many parents will not send their sons
from home 10 college This is an institution in which
there is no sectarian bias; is declared to be equal to
any institution in the state; why should it not be
college? Will it make il less respectable or useful
VIII IL not decrease the expenses, by securing the do
nation for which Dr. Graves has applied? The with
holding of it will be injurious, because all the better
boys will be taken away from the school 10 finish in
other institutions | felt the blood in my youthful
veins glow with honest Indignation at an nsnvation
that this thing originated for ACKNOWLEDGMENT
in the ambition Of our teachers who have done SO
much with school-whcn il ia well known that
the founders of the school, many of them at least,
always contemplated it. The charge comes with ill
grace from men, one of whom has heen known to
legsae with direct reference his securing interest
and the other from personal ambition to have set
foot ca tico resolutions, which in the first branch
did not receive the sanction of single vote. Our
school has had every thing 10 contend with avarce,
prejudice, and secarian intrigue. We for years
injured in building little better than the Black Hole
of Calcutta. The cry of injustice and oppression has
gone up from the wasted constitutions of children
and the ashes of Teachers brought to untimely
grave by the efforts made 10 crush this school-yet
has gone on to bless the city, and to 60 up in popular
form and take the system with it, AVID shall il now he
kept down by arstocratic intolerance and the still ac-
tive Vaccinations of sectarian intrigue:
IT. FORMER PUPIL OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.