The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-02-18
The High School

Appears to be the peculiar object Of
attack with the opponents of the Free
Schools. Some Of the wiseacres think
it an illegal institution. because. in their
conception, it is not common school"
It is an aristocratic institution. they say.
into which only rich mems children,
have time and opportunity to enter
Such imputations are false, and are de-
signed by those who make them, only to
excite low and groubdless prejudices
against the whole system. As Judge
Foster has remarked, the authors Of this
Islander, are the enemies Of all Free
Schools who have not the courage to
openly aim their blows at the whole sys
tein. but think by insidiously destroying
the head, they will impair the vi
tality Of the institution, and the body will
fall of itself The success and efficiency
of the public schools depend upon max
ing them superior to any private schools
in the city. In this way the rich are
forced to seek admission into them; it
brings all classes Of children together,
and unites all orders of citizens in their
support. Admission into the High
School is tie principal object of ambition
and emulation with all the members OF
the inferior schools; 1t is the reward Of
exertion, AMI the stimulus TO good be-
havior and p,rsevering study to every
scholar from the lowest TO the highest
inferior department. 1t is because tie
High School can be reached only through
the lower grades that many parents
allow their children to commence in the
inferior departments. This arrangement
secures the watchful care Of all orders
Of citizens over each department, and
gives to the poor child the same intelli-
gent and watch(ul supervision over his
instruction and habits that the richest
mans sons receive. Close the High
Schools and the wealthy would seek
other seminaries, and the inferior schools
would decline, and . difference in the
education Of rich and poor children
would Immediately arise; and distinc.
ton in the two classes in society would
be permanently tixsd, by different de-
grees Of intelligence. The success Of the
whole depends upon the preservation o
the High School which is the GROWING
benefit Of the system.
II is as much common school as any
of the other grades. Tor the right Of ad
mission to all its advantages is common
to all children. II is the department il
the system that should he the peculiar
object Of care to tho poor man, for thi'
school affords the only means to poo
boy to attain instruction in the higher
branches Of knowledge. To the son o
man who has not the means to avai
himself of the instruction Of academies
and colleges. the Free High School il
the only place where he can obtain any
thing more than the simplest rudiment
oflearniug. The High school is in trutl
the great leveler-lor it confers on tn,
poor boy, without cost. the highest ad
vantages that can he obtained by tn,
rich. 1t deprives the rich Of any superi
ority in the benefits Of education which
wealth can confer. 1t takes from
wealth its power TO obtain an advantage
over the poor. Will the poor man re
linluish this peculiar benefit? II an.
department Of the schools is to he givel
up, We say to the poor man, prt wit
any other department before you ALL Z,
the important advantages Of the Hig
Schools to be taken from you.
The assertion that only the childre
Of the rich receive the benefits Of tn
High Schools is false and groundless.
cataloge Of its inmates refutes it. 1t
benefits are equally shared, or if Their
Be any difference--the poor are the mos
uutntTOuS- OuT own eStaOifSOtnen
gives positive REPUTATION of the charge
All our carriers are and have bee
scholars in the High School. They ar
sons Of parents who could not educat
them at academies. BY their earl
morning labors. they earn enough I
clothe themselves and aid in paying thei
board. They are acquiring an educatio
equal to that of the sons of the riches
man in the city. Some who have le
US are now at college, fitting themselve
for the highest spheres of life, and hay
been enabled to enter those institution
and to secure for themselves future pro,
poets, as brilliant as the most favoIe
sons of fortune, by the instructions. the
obtained at our High School, and ii
small sums they obtained by their morr
ing's industry. The benefits which tn;
institution has secured to the BOYS WI
have labored with US, in our establish