The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-12-28
Petitions for the Repeal of our
School Law.

Petitions for the Repeal of our
School Law.
To the Editors of The Enquirer:
A copy of a petition to the General AS
sembly of this State, praying for the repeal
of some of the most important provisions
in our school law, and now being circu-
lated in Ashtabula county, to-day fell un-
der our observation.
Their petition is vulnerable at allpoints.
alluslon 70 facts, illogical in its deductions,
and old fogy in lis spirit.
The petition says: 1--WE believe the
School laws Of last session to be unjust,
cumbersome. and unnecessary to the fur
therance of the Common Schools, or the
benefit to be derived iherefrom.' This is
a broad and sweeping assertion; such as
no discreet, intelligent citizen would make
III regard TO law'so maturely considered
for two sessions, as the School law was,
until it had been fully and fairly tried
The petition seems to regard the School
law unjust, cumbersome and unneces-
sary," because it is an innovation upon
former usages. "9
1t treats progress and improvement in
constructing educational systems. as rank
heterodoxy. and to insist that we ought
through all time, to adhere religiously to
the educational system Of our fathers, as if
they were fully authorized by some higher
power TO irrevocably stereotype it.
Again, the petition declares, with won
derful gravity, s.that the Common School
is domestic institution. and individuality
the finest fruit on the tree of Liberty"
We say the Common School is not on
ly domestic but STATE institution; that
the State has deep interest in the matter.
lf it be true that there is no security for a
Republic but in the intelligence and virtue
Of its citizens; il it be true that our system
Of education ought TO be in harmony with
our political institutions, and the spirit
which pervades them; il it be true that the
proper education OF all our future citizens,
is political necessity Of our national fu.
ture; if it be true that the power OF self.
defense, of selfprotection-the power to
strengthen and cultivate its own being, to
improve its own nature, belongs as much
to every government. as to every man; il
it be true that knowledge is power. and
that. in this country the people are the real
sovereigns, the real government; then it is
certainly true that the Common School is
governmental, as we'll as domestic in.
stitution; and the State is in duty bound to
see that the means ofeducation are brought
within the reach OF every child, however
humble his lot, or limited his pecuniary
ability.
! In reference to that provision of the
School Law which Hconstitutes each or.
ganized township in the State, one school
district for all purposes connected with the
general interests of education in the town.
ship, and confides its management and
control to Township Board OF Educa-
tion," and which we regard as one Of the
admirable features, if not the crownine
glory of the new law, the petition says:-
ave are opposed to b-districts in rural
townships-we believe that single districts
create responsibility on the members
thereof which will be nearly lost by aggre.
gation.' We would ask the author OF thai
| petition, on what grounds, on what facts
educational or historical, he POUNDS his be.
lief? We would ask him why 1t has al.
ways happened that, under the old indie.
pendent district system, there was such
great inequality in the educational priv.
leges ofthe children Of the several districts
| in the same township2 Why did it hap,
pen that in some of them they uniformly
had very good schools, and in others, as
uniformly, very poor schools? Why did
the directors in some of fthem always say
sour school is backward, the people poor
the district small. therefore, as we do no
need teacher of much education or ex
perience, give us cheap teacher?" Why
was there such great inequality in the mum
ber ofchildren belonging tothem-inequal to
1ity in the amount of money appropriated
for their use. and inequality in respect L
school houses, length Of terms. and th.
general character of the schools?
The answeris, that it was the natura
result, the practicalworktng. the legitimat,
fruit of the independent district system. |
{ was these results that induced Hon. Hor
ace Mann to declare, in his tenth annua
report: 81 consider the law Of 1899, au
thorizing towns to divide themselves int
independent districts. the most unfortunat,
law on the subject Of common schools ev
er enacted in the State"
It was these numerous inconveniencies
incident to the old district system, ths
II com nelled fha rrosert ahle Suneriofox,d 4 an