The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-10-08


these epithets to other institutions, and call
Congress an irreligious body. all iron foundry
goddess or our banks goddess banks No
our common schools are not religious, and they
are not designed to be, and from their nature
never can be, until the nation shall mainly con-
sist OF regenerated persons. They are designed
| to promote secular education. If the Bible is
admitted, then, 1t as not to iuculcate religion,
but the very best morality. You cannot be
very spiritual there. You cannot require a re-
Hgious test Of any teacher. Teachers are not
preachers, nor necessarily religious themselves.
Thus our civil government cannot secure the
religious education of our YOUTH
At the anniversaries of Bible Societies, the
speakers frequently urge that the religion of Je-
sus should be taught in the schools But good
men forget that it is not in these days as ii was
in the good old times" of the early Puritans
Then the colony of Massachusetts required an
individual to be member of a Congregational
church in order to hold civil office. Every child
was instructed in Christianity. as interpreted
by John Calvin. and those who were Baptists.
OF Qakers, or Infidels, or Blasphcmcrs were
whipped OF fined, and sometimes branded with
''scaret letters Now, the State and the Church
have dissolved partnership with each other, the
motto of the former is 50 My Kingdom is of this
w0yld," and of the latter My Kingdom is not
of this world.' The Church has no more right
to inquire concerning the religious life of the
teacher of District School, than it has of the
Governor of a State. If an instructor passes
the requisite examination, and has good NOR
al character, the Trustees of a school have no
right to know whether he is a Catholic Prot
estant or lniidel. The complexion of his faith
cannot be made test, any more than the color
of his eyes.
Upon this point we cannot be too explicit, as
the public school has frequently been battle
field for excited religiOnists, and thus public
confidence in it has been much impaired. The
trustees of schools in California would be trans
ccndng their powers as civil officers, if they
should compel Chinamans child to read the
Douay or Protestant version of the Bible, as a
religious exercise and so in Minnesota, school
officers would be without law in requiring the
child of infidel parents contrary to their wish,
to attend any religious exercises.
But though the district school is no place to
train up child in the nurture and admOnitiOn
of the Lord, it is nevertheless an institution OF
VAST IMPORTANCE TO THE RErUBIIC.
First. In view of its influence in rcpressing
vice and crime. Idlencss and ignorance are the
prolific sources of disorder. For the encourage
ment of both, despite all the restraints Of law.
there are schools of instruction in almost every
cOmmuty. TOattract the public. they are made
seductive as possible. and around thcm idleness
and ignorance herd as naturally as insects swarm
around confectionery. Ia those communities
where education for the people is not provided
by the civil authorities. there are numbers
who never take the trouble to obtain education
for their offspring. From the time that they arc
able to walk, their children are permitted to go
wherever an idle curiosity or Il love of excite
ment directs. From morning to night their boy
hood is passed in lounging around the wharves.
or dcpots of travel, and from nj Ght to morning
they herd among the vile i'll the pit of the the
atrc, or prowl around the streets seeking that
which they may pllcr--in time becoming like
the "Artful Dodgers" +" or Jack Shepherds " OF
English novelists the incitcrs of riot Or the in
mates of Pententiary.
When the State, however, makes it Il duty to
provide school houses and teachers for the ms
tructiOn of every child that chooses to be taught
there is great decrease of idleness and crime.
Those who under other circumstances would
have wiled away their time in making mischief
seek the instruction and hcalthful excitement
obtained from the mastery of the studies allOt-
ted by the teacher. They become acquainted
with the first attempts and subsequent success
of great men; their selfrespcct is aroused; they
long to become hOnOred among theirf fellow Cit
izens and when they have left the common
school they have too much pride and knowledge
to seek the porch of a tavern. in some low place
and spend the day in lounging upon the bench
es, reciting and listening to low jokes, OF deeds
of lawlessness. To him trained by the State to
think aud act for himself, it appears the hardest
kind of toll to be obliged to stand idle all the
day long in the market place. The statistics of
crime and vice furnish ample evidence that
youth that has been instructed in the elemental
ry branches of knowledge, such as are taught
lin common schools, seldom finds the house of
shame or the home of the convict. More than
3
tary are unable to read or write with any cor
rectness.
Secondly. Public instruction increases the
wealth of every community. Among the hea-
West burdens upon a pOpulOus State, is the sup
port of paupcrs and criminals. BY diffusion
of knowledge. as has just been shown, the sour
ces of supply to the almshOuse and the prison
are much exhausted, and thus the tax to sup
port pauperism and its kindred is largely dimin-
ished. The cheapest police arrangement of q
city, is in multiplication of common schools.
Every dollar expended in the purchase of pub
lie school ediiccs. and in the salary of teachers,
is a saving to the State of twice the sum, in the
treasury which defrays police and criminal en-
penses.
The wealth of community is increased by
popular education, because more rOrk is dOne.
An educated mechanic is a very different being
from him whose mind is almost as dull as the
Drute. lie taxes an lHtelllSeHt view vi lie. anu
sees that it is better for him and his employer
to be punctual and steady, ard performs as
much work as possible. He desires as few hOli-
days as are consistent with health, and only de-
sres those in order that he may work the more.
The State also obtains much more ,cOrk out OF
her population by public instruction, because
she trans forms into producers, large class rho
,Difh0ut popular education ,rOn/d be non-pr0-
ducers. Where the State instructs her people.
the long lines of beggars that are seen on some
of the highways that lead to the large cities of
Italy and Ireland, and who literally besiege the
traveller for aims, to enable them to lead a life
of Incidence are missing and long line o. day
laborers are witnessed with ruddy faces, and
brawny arms and healthfnl children, in making
excavations, and blasting rocks for the railroad
or canal and all full of hope that the day is not
far distant, when they shall retire from that spe-
cies of labor, and cultivate a farm in some re-
tired spot, in the vicinity of the road which they
assisted to construct.
By popular education, not only is the State
able to do more work but better tcork. He who
has not been walked up by the influence of pub
10 ,ob,~t totoS b,,f Iittio iDtcrost in his Labor