The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-09-14
Correspondents Of the Hillsdaie Standard.
FREQ schools or Indiana snd Democratic
| % Consistency.

u /
ed .o,ne interest int smoug theAiehds II cdn-
cation with whom have convcrsed during
the past fcw weeks, I send you few uotes
for the information Of your readers A
| few years since "Frce School Lawn was
passed, granting to all the white children
Of the State, between the ages Of five and
twenty -one years, free tuition in all tho
Public Schools In all the cities Of tho
State, fine school buildings were erected !
| and the schools were commenced under
very Hattering circumstances. q s-s5sa
Considering the unfortunate condition
Of schools previous TO this time, the friends
of popular education wero encouraged by
the prospect of speedy diffusion OF intel
ligence among all classes of society.
The privilege Of obtaining thorough
education was thus granted not only to the
children of the industrious poor as well as
the rich, but also to these of the reprobate
and out cast, whose lot, under less favora-
BILE circumstances, would have entailed
misery upon their offspring. II was with
especial pleasure that the lovers of our
own free institutions looked TO the nfiu
ence of these schools upon the children OF
the vast foreign population that has taken
possession of the fertile plains of the west.
Here their ideas of government were to be
changed, and they to be prepared to dis
charge the responsible duties of freemen.
In short, here they were to become Ameri-
canized. The habits and customs of an
Aristocracy were to be laid aside, and they
were to imbibe the spirit Of our own free
institutions.
But their hopes Of Immediate success
were doomed to meet with sudden and
bitter disappointment. The provision made
for the support of the schools by tho law
of tho State was not suficic-t TO maintain
them more than three months in the year
Even, if efficient teachers could DO obtain
ed for so limited time, the schools must
then be abandoned, because they could
: not accomplish the result so much desired
During the past year, in accordance with
IT an aacient democratic principle, that the
- - will of the majority shall rule, the people
rc of some cities voted to tax themselves fol
re the support of their schools. Some hav
r ing refused to pay the tax, the case wac
10 ~ at length, brought before the Supreme
a a Court, a step of late very unfavorablc t
n. the advancement Of moral reform and th
nd cause of suffering humanity. need onI.
n css. refer, as proof of this to the di,"''rou
y. -. preme Court of New York upon the Llquc
on aw, which led to the opening OF thos
no dens of vice, crime and liccntiousness
ey tho towns and cities of that State,-tl'
at notorious, extra judicial decision IN IL
Dred Scott case--and the decision OF u
o,, spnreme bonch Of California, rcmandlr
- 20 the accursed bonds Of American SLAYER
the free citizen, 10 direct violation OF t
ma law Of that State, with this import"
,". a" promise: "The laws shaH be Jd'Ay"'
,ub ereeuted IN the future"
The decision in relation to the Sch'
are Law of Indiana was, that while the p'
lical pie of corporate cities have the night
q tax themselves for the purpose oi erect'
- :, " magnificent school buildings, 1t rs unc'
rs ia st;tutional to tax themselves for the 8
and mort of schools. This decision beautliu
q for | l-1x..t,n onpeiefprcv and
' .nS undoubtedly given for the purpose OF
once curing the favor Of certain class
ing! cherish ignorance, and whose existence
have pends upon the ignorance of the ma
made now under their control. Too we'll do
WI. leaders of that class know that genera
dono tellipence-the natural result of free sch
what would Immediately destroy their aal
t and ity. as il is always destruction to th'
very ranny and oppression Of dcspotical gov
East, menis. The Free School obliterates c
. only distinctio, Of caste in society, The he'
press and energetic children of the indust
nee of moor. almost always excel the emery
publ off spring Of those more favored ol
,on all goods Of this world. Hence we re
ltively perceive from the Necessity VI VIZ
r own tho arstocracics of the Old World
to be educate their pampcred offspring IN
C; co lies. @ tutions beyond the reach OF the peas
! ~ facts and poorer classes of society.
icau to In all the cities of the State, wit
s coun- execution, hourishing schools have
3, that abandoned after unsuccessful attemI
10 posi- raise funds by subscription to support
ye have as Free ochoois' -. a.. r. COZ,
public The schoo@ o' '"'' '.' ~ -.
health, during the past academic year, 1ec'
aud va a large school fund which has beer
learn molating for years. from city hne
II is NOV o,her sources. And through the u
Ii the wi. energy OF some of the citizens to
ces. If the success of the schools has been
r,akae n .l..~;ct;nr haa bean raised