American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-12-02
Onr PubIie eehooIs.

swher6 ikn6rknce Is Bihs, rls folly obe WISE"
Our attention has been called to the dis
cussiop between MesSfs. CONEkLL OF the
Ohio Eagle, and Mr.. RfssEh. tie suPerin'
teudent Of our Union Schools, upon the
subject Of our Common School System
Mr.. COSSELL appears as the advocate Ol
the old and anliquated theory OF private
schools and most heartily condemns our
prossnt common school system. while Mr..
R,s1ER attempts to defend the present sys-
Vefo Of universal education, as being deci'
'dsdly preferable.
We will not stop to discuss the merits OF
either system, but SIMPLY give it as our o.
binion that nine ten his Of oil the evils that
lafiiet the human family originate in ignO-
rance, and to overcome this hydraheaded
monster. intelligence. and knowledge must
be distributed to the masses, as the loaves
and fishes were to the multitude, or hun
ger, famishipg and misery are the inevita-
ble consequences. knowledge cant be
well communicated without teachers. and
teachers cant live upon the wind, there
fore the necessity Of system by which to
raise means, and distribute them upon
some equitable principle-for be it remem-
bered, We boast Of our liberty, and equaI'
ity.
Promising then. that liberty. equality.
and knowledge are prerequisites for a lib
eral form of government, aud the prOmO>
tion of human happiness. it necessarily
follows that property should be snbserVien'
to that end. We affirm that physical and
Intellectual labot are the subsratum o'
Foundation Of all values. or property, and
consequently that all who contribute tS
the value Of property in the land have
legitimate lien upon the same Tor all thu
practical, and necessary purposes OF lie
True it is, that men Of superior skill Hnt
business attainments frequently accunu
. late large amounts of property, which Il
the common rcduct Of the physical an'
intellectual labor OF the masses; and where
as the property and happiness Ofany peO
pie depends mainly upon their moral AM
intellectual at,ainments, it follows tia
property, wherever found, should contrib
ute it's proratra amount for the purposes o
education; this. our present school law at
Temps to do. The aaodas operandi Of sp
plying the fund is another matter, and i
our humble opinion, belongs solely to tn
sovereigns in the several districts. The
make the Board Of Directors, whose dut
it is to employ teachers, fix their salarie
and prescribe rules and regulation Tor tn
school generally; it would seem tNen' tb'
the intelligence and moral bearing OF pt
rents and guardians, properly rePresente
by Board Ct Directors are the grand PR
requisites for good schools. The idea
The application Of the cat o nine tails
any other mode Of punishment by Il
teacher to ouf children for acts committt
upon the street, or through the city, is'
our opinion, prepostereus. You might
we'll say to the teacher. we shall hold y'
responsible for the conduct of our Chi
dren at home. and charge TO the scho
law all the outrages perpetrated in tt
land by bad, and misdirecied children
The teachers duty is to impart moral al
~ intellectual instruction, and maintain go
or Ter during school hours, after which
parents jurisdiction commences and
conduct Of our children, both in and out
school, depends more hpon the habi
manners, and customs Of The parents th
upon all the other departments combine
We have no desire to see private scho
put down, let those who have the he0
and the inclination, patronize them.
we do say, that the abolition OF our Co
mon School System, would be unwise. 4
would deprive large portion ofthe cl
dren Of the laboring classes from gett
even the elementary branches Of ptat
cal and useful education.
But say our opponenls' many OF
poorer GLASSES do not send their children
school, but suffer them to run at lar
committing all sorts Of depredations
True, very true .and thereby hangs
these children m;Dgle with ours, and he
Che odtrsges upon the streets.
Query: Would IT not be good polict
Introduce the "Prussfan drill" and &C
pei these parents to send their children
school. or suffer the penalties Of an {
ragged community?
FArAL AccfDrNf Mr.. BrNJAKIa "
y.