The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1853-09-29
FOR THE JACKSON STANDARD
AMERICAN EDUCATION.
No. 8.


public education suited to the United |
States, are the making of such arrange
ments as will insure the attendance at
School of every child, Of the proper age,
for suitable length of time, free Of
charge-the establishment of Semnaries
exclusively for the professional education
of teachers-the providing of means for
their support and accommodation, and for
the general supervision and execution of
its plans. These Iregard as the indispen-
sable elements of system of public ed
ucation adapted to our wants. This is
just such a system as our political circum-
stances demand. Its beautiful symmetry
would be marred by the omission of a
single link. Its efficiency would be Grip
pied if not destroyed, by dispensing with
any of these requisites.
The time deemed necessary for impart-
ing even an elementary education in its in
tegrity, is at the lowest calculations, eight
years; commencing at the age of six, and
terminating at fourteen. During this pc
riod, every child is entitled to the leisure
and faculties necessary for acquiring the
education which it needs to enable it to
act its part upon the theatre of life.
Our Public Schools, like our public i'm"
provements of every kind, should be of
the very best order If government has
a right to take the public money at all for
the support of schools, it surely has the
right, and it is its DUTY, to give them good
ones. No matterunder what pretext gov
ernment assumes the control of education,
the obligation is imperative that she make
it good. The Public Schools should be
) so good as to satisfy the rich; so that
they can have no reason for sending else
where. The only possible way by which
, the separation of the children of the rich
and poor, and the existence of the two
sets of schools, Plebeian and Patrician,
! can be prevented, is to make the public
, schools such as will satisfy the rich; in
short the very best that can be had and
! made too entirely free, so that none may
be debarred from sending by reason of
| poverty or inability to pay. The tax on
/ property should be sufficient to support
t such system; and then the rich having
so much to say toward its support, will
| of course send their children to the pub.
lie schools, if such schools are made wor-
F.; thy; that is, the best that can be had,
and this all the children of the communi-
. tv would come into the school on an equal
j footing-a matter of supreme Importance
0 to society organized like ours.
e Our Legislation on this point, is far from
i. being as bold and energetic as it should
d be. 1t ought to impose, a sufficient tax on
r property for this purpose, without regard
to individual holders, and employ execu'
n tive authority for its collection. 1t does
+. not throw the burden of supporting gen
s eral education as much as it should upon
F.. the rich or rather it does not make prop
e erty pay as large a proportion of the cost
/. of public instruction as it ought. Ii
should pay it all About the abstract
=, right of government to even compel the
|. education of the children of the country
It and tax the people for its support, there
can be no doubt. 1t is not much more
!; noble way of obliging people to be order
!. ly than that of inficting fines punlshment'
n and erecting jails and penitentiarles fol
r their confinement? 1t Is more offensive
to employ coercion (f need be) for the
;; prevention, than for the punishment o
n crimes. .......-
Q Is it not an unalenable part of the OBJ
d legation of society to educate children eVel
. against their will if necessary. If it il
IS admitted that universal education is es
h sential to the safety and we'll being of SO
ciety, and preeminently so in republic
n is it not the duty as well as the right o
=. government to coerce (if need be) popu
lar attention to it.
:. With reference to directly coercly
e measure although they would not confic
= with, or be opposed to any moral or con
u, u stitutional principal, it perhaps would b
;" Independent and unnecessary to emplo
g, :. them. We may resort to coerclve meas
1t ures indirectly, and this we have done
reality whenever public school system
ne anv value has been established among u'
er 1t is not possible to sustain apubhc scho(
te without them. Do we not employ coel
I'd cion when we tax man against his WI
r for the erection of school house and tn
support of teacher and then compel tn
e. payment by issuing an execution again
he bis property? Is indirect taxation be
cause the authority is disguised, less til
nd offspring of authority than that which
ge direct?
n. Here however to guard against the POI
he sibility of misconception, it may be prof.
y. er to state, that the only exercise OF al
thority for the benefit of education Whic
ir. is deemed necessary, and therefore pro-
est er, in this country, is the imposition OF
- sufficient tax on property. 1t is believe
, that all our youth would obtain an educ
,ss ton without any compulSion, if the meal
es. were only provided
ed 1t is a natural reproach that most
,ur our provisions for the spread Of popul
nv education are the products Of disg"Is'
nd taxation; that we have to be decoyed /
all to the discharge of the sacred duty OF c
ar ucating our children and that the
- things are SO, we have to acknowled
lor with a blush, with morti6cion, and wi
INV wounded pride as republicans because,
ave a body, we are not sufficiently enlighte
bic ed, or liberal, or intelligent to consent
have it otherwise. Oh tell it not
,,lv France-proclaim it not in Prussia, Il
,hs the son Of the in6del and the boor OF
md md despot, float at our political pretension