The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-12-13
Education in England and A america.

Great Britain, by universal acknowledgment
stands next to the United States in liberty
and general intelligence. But the difference
between the two is nevertheless vast. For
while, IN the United States, the rule is that
every citizen has vote, aud the exception
that be has none, in Great Britain it is the re-
verse. Nor is The difference less in the difTu-
sion of education. The statistics, on this
point are not properly known, and, therefore,
we shall devote few moments 10 them.
1t appears, from the census of 1851, that
| there are, in Great Britain, about five mill
ions Of children between the ages OF three
and fifteen. or these thlee.fiflhs of mill
ion are at work, two millions go to school,
and two millions and quarter neither work
nor go 10 school. Half of these scholars,
moreover, are taught al private schools, pro-
! wing that they belong 10 families of The mid
die class. 1t follows that only about one
million of the children of the laboring popu.
laton go 10 school, while two millions and
a quarter grow up in idleness at home or in
the streets. In other words, but foriy.two
per cent. of the English people, not belong.
ing to the nobility, gentry, or richer portion
of the middle classes, enjoy the advantages
OF education.
Now, how is il in the United States? We
have no statistics at hand which exhibit the
| condition of education in the nation al large,
FOR the Southern States, owing 10 their divis-
! ION init Jo6n - H.
But in the Northern States there is no def
cheney OF accurate information on this sub.
ject. Generally, in those States, about sew
nty-fve per cent Of The children between
| the ages of three and fifteen attend school
| Even in Wisconsin, one OF the newest States,
there are nineiy-fve thousand scholars, in a
population between four wears of age and
twenty, of one hundred and thiry-eighl thou
sand. In New York, out OF one million one
hundred and fifty thousand, between four and
twenty-one years CT age, eight hnndied and
sixty-seven thousand attend school. In Con-
nectcut, there are seventy -four thousand
scholars. in population, between four and
sixteen years of age, of ninely-six thousand.
1t thus appears that education is dlffused IN
the Northern States to nearly twice the ex-
tent it is in England Can we wonder in
view OF this fact, at The superior capacity of
the American for self-govenment.
The educational statistics, in England, re.
veal other facts, alarming 10 those who wish
well to liberty in tina. country. The great
majority OF the children of the British labor
ing population never attend school after they
are ten years old. Two millions never 90 10
school at all. A large portion consequently
grow up 10 ignorance and unthriil, if not TO
vice and crime. This fact explains why il
is SO common thing, in Great Britain, for
panperism 20 be herediary-"why," 10 use
the words of an English writer, "falhe:, son
and grandson, with their respective families
at their heels, go lrooping 10 The overseers,
every Saturday for their weekly allowance"
1t appears also that the laboring population
does not avail itself even of the educational
advantages offered 10 it. The poorer class,
in Great Britain, are neither educated, nor
wish 10 be educated. The peasaniry
has been kept down, through so many
ages, that they are without even the energy
10 rise.
While this condition OF things continues
England will never be republic. Neither
a nation, nor a class within a nation, ever
becomes free, TILL its members are capable
to earn and hold their freedom. If the suf.
frage was bestowed on The British people, in
Discriminatory, to-day, they would sci! their !
votes, tomorrow, as TOO many of lhe free.
holders do now. Until education becomes
more general ia England, the educated clas-
ses will make tools of the ignorant. While
half The children of England continue to grow
up illiterale, the English aristocracy, and
commercial classes will rule that fair land.