Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1854-10-19

bu'ae are quiet, unobtrusive printers, ma
king no boasts, and the farthest removed
possible from pedantry, and yet their pa
per, in literature, is as far above the Dem
ocrat, as true learning is above school
boy ranting. : { Fl
We have done with this subject. We
Administrations boastershould
be properly exposed, We have done it.
We shall not trouble our readers witt
this subject again.--p. - s7,a47 -
81 For the Telegraph.
Prayer and Morality in our Common
- aagse3f8ll schools. .l -1r
MEssRs EDiroRs:-I am impressed to
say q few words upon the State Super
intendant's letter npon this subject, pub
lisiied in your paper of Saturday, and also
upon one remark made by you, in your
comments. thereupon. .H sy
With the provision of our State Con
stitution, which says that no Sectarian
instruction shall be allowed in our Dis
trict Schools, l heartily concur. 1t was
a wise provision, and one that receives
the general acquiescence of all classes.
and the regret of no one who rightly APP
preciates the blessings of civil and reh-
gious liberty. But does it necessarily
follow that prayer, virtue. morality, or
even religious instruction" is prohibited
by the constitution because sectarian
Instruction. is inhibited Aside from
the closing lines of the State Superintend-
ants letter, we certainly should infer that
be deemed the Constitutional provision
a sweeping one, that banished all religious
and moral instruction from the school
room, even in its broadcast toleration,'
that their fred destiny was to be what
our Catholic friends have tauntingly call
G them Goddess schools"
Now, | am not tenacious about prayer
being offered in school, yet if the teacher
believes he can in that way most effect
ually reach and guide the moral sentiment
of his pupil, carf best prepare himself for
the labors OF the day, in other words, ,an
make it an effective instrument in the
moral government Of the school. it is his
duty, privilege, and in my judgement, his
constitutional right SO to do,--a right
which as teacher he never should rclin-
quish. If however such course was
d,stasteful to portion of the District he
should endeavor to substitute some other
mode TO reach the moral sentiment Of the
pupil. The government of any pattera
school now daysis accomplished almost
entirely by moral means, and to exclude
this element would be retrogradc of at
least fifty years. -s.
But aside from the government Of the
school, 1 take issue with your emphatic
declaration that children 'are not sent to
school to learn morality" Our laws re-
quire that the teacher shall possess and
obtain certificate of three things, ''n,or-
al character, learning and ability to
teach" Why should the law require a
qualification " hIch Is neither to be t4ugtIt
or upheld in school Why is it placed
first in the list Of qualifications, or why
Is the teacher to have it at all, if it is not
to be taught in the school If pupil
swcarS, or fights and violates every prin-
ciple Of virtue and morality, is no warn
ing voice to be heard from the teacher
Would such a school be fit nursery of
self government and Republicanisni? Are
we to forego and abrogatc all religion and
morality in schools and school books for
fear that some other ism than our own
ism may incidentally be advanced and
let Deyilism, which is the worst kind of
sectarianism, rule sovereign of the as
cendant" For my part, wicked as am
| had rather hear the Lords Prayer sung
in school than to hear his name profaned
had rather hear the opening prayer and
closing hymn than the grating of prison
on doors upon juvenile offenders. x.