Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-01-11
SMITHSONIAN LECTURES.

SMITHSONIAN LECTURES.
Hon. Henry Barnards First Lecture on Edu-
cation
The subject announced for Mr.. Barnard's
lecture last evening was "The School. y
The lecturer stated that in introducing the
topic he might occupy proftably one or two
lectures in treating historically the subject
of schools as found in different nations,
and in different ages of the world, but as
time would not allow, he would pass directly
to the subject, and endeavor to point out the
kind of school best adapted to the wants of
our country.
The public school properly regulated and
controlled by public lands, and taught by
teachers qualified for the vocation were un-
questionably the best schools which our
country could have. By public school, he
said he did not mean free elementary or
inferior school, but one sustained in part by
public funds, protected by public laws, and
controlled by public authority; and at which
the children of all classes can be taught all
the branches of thorough education
If the American people are to be properly
educated, and fitted for a Republican form
of Government, it must be in public schools,
established, supported in part, and under
the protection of the Government. Neither
the church nor benevolent individuals can
be depended upon for the proper education
of the youth of our community if left to
them education would be only partial, and
not general.
The Lecturer, who had visited some of
the best schools in Europe, spoke of the
schools in Prussia, France, Switzerland,
and Scotland, being supported by public au
thority, a much better managed than many
similar schools in this country, Prussia and
France considering the germ of her strength
to be in the education of the masses in the
public schools.
The public school system was introduced
at an early date into New England, and
was adopted from the parochial schools of
Scotland, where all were taught to read the
Scriptures. In Connecticut the people in
every town were taxed for the education of
children, and the consequence is that
hardly one adult individual native of that
State can be found who is unable to read
and write. The same pains were taken in
the education of the children in some of
the other. New England States. In Rhode
Island, however, till about the year 1900,
there was no public school systematic ed
ucation of the children being left solely to
the church and to the efforts of individuals;
and the natural result of such course has
been that while in that State there have
been some very we'll educated persons, the
mass of the people have been neglected.
The kind of public school which the lee
turer would have should be cheap so that
all the poor could attend, and yet of so high
character that the rich would be willing to
send their children. He would not have
them entirely free, for he thought even
poor people could afford small sum. He
would have the very best of teachers en-
gaged-such as had tact, and knew how to
impart the information they possessed. 1t
was not necessary that they shonld be ed
ucated at universities, for oftentimes the
most thoroughly educated and scientific
men made the worst teachers. Females
should also be employed in every school
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