American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-11-18
Common schools.

nly striking at the Common Schoois OF ou'
city. Wereit not for the poisonous effects
of this article abroad, we should not re-
pIy. At home our schools need no de-
Tense. They tell and have told their own
story--they stand and have stood theirown
buIwark. The rapid advances our citizens
have made, in morals. refinement, and
knowledge, since the inaugura ion OF our
Common Schools. has reared for them a
monument that scoffers never can defaee.
The universal satisfaction they have Civ
en-, can never be effaced by the shallow
rhetoric. empty dsclamstion. or sophistical
reasoning OF one pr5udiesd mind. Pr'Ju-
diced we say, not that Mr.. CoNNELL would
willingly or willfully misrePresent our
schools, nor that he would do our teach
eYs positive wong, but that he, never
having visited them, or experienced their
benefits, is either ignorant Of their opera
tions, or. having received hlsseducation at
the hands Of private teachers, ,imagines that
true knowledge can only be acquired in that
way.
Mr.. CoNSELL is opposed to the Common
School System. This win account for his
attack. removing at the same tme' half
the venom heaped upon the schools at
Lanoaster. In this opposition tif he is con
scienlious) we justify him. and in his
possession of manly Independence enough
to avow it, We congratulate him; but IN
his resorts to misrepresentation or sophls
try, either to Justify himself. or heap ap'
probrium upon our SC" "cOls. we hold him
responsible and deem him justly deserving
OF the severest oensure.
In his efforts to show the present system
of schools more expensive than private he
takes as his da,a the tuition fees of the lat
ter. "before our Common Schools had
driven them out Of being" or twelve
years ago, refusing to be governed by what
they are to day Who is there SO weak
so silly, or so prejudiced as not to see the
glaring unfairness Of snch an argument!
Who is there who will not ceusure Mr.
Conuell for suoA an underhanded effort at
advantage? Estimate the cost OF private
education to day by what it was twelve
years agol What an absurdity! Would
it not be quite as Legitimate to estimate the
cost of a meals victuals to-day bv the price
ofbread, potatoes, &C., in l846? Would
it not be equally fair to estimate the cost
Of barrel Of -four at it's price per po1nd
twelve years ago? Shame on suoh an ar,
pument: It's author must have blushed
when putting it forth, or presumed much
upon the iguore nee and credulity OF his
readers. Let US take the true data and
show the result. The published rates OF
our private schools are "a per quarter for
primary. and IS for principal department.
The average daily attendance upon our
schools last year. las shown by the Super
inteudent) was 696; 42l in the primary
and secondary. 9ls in what would he call
ed the principal, and Sc in the High School
department, The latter having the benefit
aud receiving the advantage OF classical
education. Thus allowing S8 per quarter
for the High School department. which
we think low, would amount in the aggre
gate to SO, 999 per quarter, or Sl9'8sS
per year.
The total tax paid by our citizens for ed
ucational purposes. State levy, special dis
trict library tax and all. according to Mr.
U.'s own showing, amounts to but $9 9.o88''
S3, thus showing clear saving OF $685.
IL per annum in favor Of our Common
Schools, or considerably above one third,
Thus it will be seen that even IN Pc
cuniary uisw. the Common School system
surpasses any and all Others. Ourpa'rons
will excuse as for discussing the question in
this light;.thay will pardon us for presuming
(even for the sake of argument that they are
either penurious or avariciOusi that they
would suffer, even were it required. their
devotion to their offspring, hope of their
future worth, or their love OF morality and
truth to be measured by the depth Of their
pocket, or abate by their love oil Paltry
piles Of glittering dirt
One other argument and one only, is
adduced by this champion of private. and
chief among the enemies of Common
Schools. II is this:
"Esesy year each property holder has
to pay for the tuition Of his own and his
peighbors children. So on each $1,000 he
may Be worth, to teachers not Of his own
choosing.
confess my utter inability to compre,
hend either he truth or force Of this ar.
gumet. confess my utter amazement
that gentleman Of Mr.. Connel's caliher,
should publish suoh a falacy. "Pay S5
on each $1,000 for the education OF his own
or his neighbors children" What an ex-
tortion! What an outrage!
Upon the education Of our youth de.