Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-05-01
Gitp skaters, &f.
politics and our Public schools

Our neighbors o: the Democrat, are growing
fearful, Under the above bead, last week, they
waded through very serious and grave article
TO prove that our public school was in danger
of having its character and efficiency very much
injured, by the introduction of a little political
heaven, which they fancy is fraught with evil
The cause for this auttering was one of the
declarations, which they thought reflected upon
the Democracy of the State. We regret that so
slight cause produced so serious an effect but
after the alarming results that were SO wildly
portrayed, as likely to flow from an indulgence
in such infammatory declarations, we presume
steps will be taken to prevent a recurrence in
the future of the offence.
We must Danish from our schools Cicero and
Demosthenes, and the orators and statesmen, of
our own country, whose speeches and orations
are generally found in our text books in elo-
cutiOn and defamation, because they are quite
too personal on modern democracy. We must
have censorship established TO guard against
any such IMPROPERLY as allowing child to
speak piece in public, that squnts towards
political honesty, integrity, or patriotism, be-
cause there may be some present who will
make a personal application. We hope our
Board of education viii see to this matter at
once, and appoint some discreet person who has
due sense Of propriety, whose duty it shall be,
at once to examine the text books of our school,
and see that all obnoxious exercises are duly ex-
plunged, so that pupils may not be liable to i'm
bibe ideas derogatory to modern democracy.
And further, let his censorship extend to the
compositions of the pupils, and If there appears
in them throb of patriotism, spark Of the
Promethean fire, or an expression in favor of
universal freedom, by all means, let him have
the authority to doom the incendary paper to
abe flames, and its author TO some severe pun
Ishmcnt. Our Free Schools" must not be
endangered by any such monstrous perverson
Of their aim. All this would be but the carry
ing cut of the ideas expressed in the Democrats
article to which we have alluded
But really and soberly, is not the Democrat
needlessly alarmed and over sensitive We do
not believe there was another person in the au-
dience who took umbrage at one of the pieces
spoken, on account of its political character
The passing defamation of a school boy need
brighten no one. We have frequently heard it
remarked that these original declarations ad
ded much to the interest Of the exercises.
1t may be well enough to guard against evils
real or imagined, but for Heavens sake don't
let our caution degenerate into foolish squeam-
Ishnoss, Let us have Free Speech and Free
thought, as well as Free Schools If the vile
Nebraska act is open to censure in the estima.
ton of any one, lot it be censured If the "Eor-
ty Thieves" have laid themselves open to COM
ment, let them be commented upon, or if any
particular 'autocrat" has audaciously "vaulted
into the chair of State" let him bear the ''chacc
rhetoric" ofeven schoolboy, in condemnation
of his vaulting ambition. We are not educating
our young men to be governed, but to govern,
and he cannot be more than half educated for
the station he is to occupy as one of a million
sovereigns, in this "ger-cat and gel-lorious Ked-
ptry,' without taking note ofthe passing events
.of the day.
"Despotisns like Austria or Prussia or Rus
STA may need a censorship Of the Press of
speech, and even of the school room but Re
public and Free Institutions has 10 fear of the
highland men, or even bogs may speak or write of
the Powers that be-" without fear ef dungeon, |
or the caleys. We do hope orr Democratic
friends viii not be too easily frightened by the |
defamation of a school boy, or the composition |
OF school girl, even though these determinations
and compositions be .'all one side