New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-01

4.
eomparstiyely a very small portion Of the eouie
assigned 10 the former and in many Of the schoo,
they are quite too imperecfiy taught Inc ee. nj.
Crude and standing Of the several classes are .a
70 DEFEND 10 an undue extent, in both the maze
and female departments, upon mathematical s'hin
meuts; and consequently the great stress ana eui'
d-n of the instruction communicated l. brought 20
bear upon these eranche, 9daSS. .,waen the On.
pIs of these two departments, and just prominence
allowed In both TO other branches of equal pIac-
teal In portanee in the future Conduct OF me.
whole subject ola revision Of the cour-e OF stuuy
all departments is again respectfully aho ealhesnt
commended 10 the carly and mature CONSIDERATION u
the Board.
Moral and Reiteioas InsaeEces OF the Schools.
Public attention having been recently and repeatea!
directed 10 this subject the present seems 10 De 30
snnyonrate accession 10 correct misappTe III rel
10 II and by the exhibition of the simple facts
of the case 10 our public school system rom
the unjust and uniounded imputations which have
been preferred against il in this respect.
The allegation has been made IN different ana ihuu
entail auarters that the obligations and sanctions o.
the Christian religion not only not recognized
our public schools, but that they are positively ana
directly excluded from the course OF instructor oy inc
EXPRESS provisions Of the law under which the steih
ex,,s IL has been charged that open vice and I'm.
morality and even the deepest and darkest shades oil
guilt and crime are restrained only by appeals 10
general expedency and the fear OF temporary punsh-
ment that while the Intellectual faculties have osen
sharpebed and polished, the effect has peen 10 enhole
the recipients Of this species Of instruction more skill
fully ara nCeuiouslv and with greater IMMUNITY TO
violate tie Vas If the land and trsmple upon ali the
obligations OF religion and morahty-and that the
ffghtfu increase of lawlessDe-s, violence and crime
which il an parent in our midst Ii attributable To
very great extent the legalzed absence in our IN
stutions of pablic instruction, OF religious teaching
and Christian 6rd moral discipline.
These are grave and serious chnrges-anectlng,
if well founded, the very constitution and struc-
..hn.l -
il up 10 descgyed reprobstion as the nursery
of open iIfdelity and public and private prohigacy
and corruptor-and calling upon every good citizen,
and every Christian parent every friend 10 good order
and viruOus principle, TO dsc"untenance az c'slnts
and preiensioDs and to Withdraw their children from
it, vicious and concentrating influences. we are,
with all our shortcomings, our Alarming ana reVOrng
annals OF guilt and crime, and our excessive devotion
TO the accumulation of wealth. and tie atfaninnt OF
personal and political power and Influence, essentially
and in the main n moral and religious community-a
community where the pure precepts ana divine adino,
nitions of Christianity are acknowledged and revered
where vice III all its shapes and forms IS compelled
to submit to the supremacy Of yrtuewhere crime OF
every grade is not only dscounenanced, but promptly
and effectually repressed and punished-and where,
from thousands Of public temples OF religion and tens
of thousands OF Christian homes the incense OF praise
and thanksgiving, the sublime teachings OF the nOro
of God and the solemn sanctions OF another word are
perpeually dfusing the highest and hottest influence
which can adorn and elevate our common humanity.
j. il then to be supposed, or for moment tolerated.
that We are atsduOusly cherishng IN our nds cost
ly and well organized system of daily public nstruc,
ton in whose spacious halls more than one hundred
II 1usand of our children are annually congregaed,
and where their young minds and hearts and charac
fers and lives expected to be nodded for time apd
for eternity, yet in which no vesiige OF the religious
element il permitted to find pace-wbere the funda-
mental Obligations of Christianity are not only nm
known and untaught, but authoritsiively ignored
and where while every effective snncton TO integrity
and morality j. systematically for the mos. am
full prosecution of dishonesty, viilany, protgacy and
crime ! The supposiiion amounts TO d most serious
and njustfable reflection upon the Intelligence and
good Of vast majority of or felow-citizens- II
is utterly absurd, baseess and detamatory What
ever may be the motives however high the standing
or wide the influence OF It's asseTtors, the allegation
rests upon no substantial foundation OF truth, and con
veys q most erroneous and unjust idea OF our public
school system of education.
In all our public schools and departments, with
very few and nconsderable exceptions, the exercises
of each day are commenced by the reading of selec-
tons from the Bible by the Principal some one OF
the school officers succeeded by the solemn and rev.
erent repetition OF the Lords Prayer by al the pupils
and teachers in concert and by the singing OF one or
more appropriate hymns of Christian Thanksgiving
and praise In many of them these devotional exer-
cises are repeated AT the close of the school, In all
of them without Il solitary exception, at frequent and
appropriate intervals during the day, songs nnbued
with the pureSt principles OF Christian morality form
portion Ui the course ol Puiti'i-
pa,ed in by all the pupils. In all of them, without
solitary exception, lessons and preceps OF ylrtuous
and Christian conduct daily nculcated by the
teachers school officers, superinendents or visitors
the fundamental principles Of religion recognized and
enforced; and the importance and necessity of strict
honesty and integrity undertaking truthfulness, frank
ness, sincerity, mutual affection and regard, ODE
dience and respect to parents, and the CONSCIENTIOUS
and uniform observance of all the acquisitions OF
pure Christian morality taught by precept and exam
nj. In oil nft them NE daily dl-ClDllns of
the school directly and powerfully adapted to the
formation and porpetuaon of habits of order quie-
tude, neatness, punctualty, fidelity, industry obe-
dience, honor, truth, uprightness, Difference TO the
wants the rights and convenences Of others. aud 10
the assduous culture of the highest and nobest prnci
pies of action and conduct in all the varied relations OF
life. This is the character of the teachings OF our pub
lie schools these The agencies and instrumental
ties in daily operation within their walls; and no in
Huences at variance with these are permitted under
any pr, tense 10 find access or gain footing among
them. Neither the mind nor the heart of the child
most relgousy aud scrupulously trained and dlsci-
pliped in the domestic circle the sanctuary Of the
church. is exposed to the slightest contamination by
the instructions or discipline OF the school; while on
the other hand every lessono of pure Christian morality
ethics, communicated in either Of the former Is
strengthened and confirmed by the pervading instruc
tons and influence of the latter.
The sole conceivable pretense for the unne assured
denuncaton of our public school system 10 which
allusion has been made, consists III the prohibition
contained in the statute authorizing lis establishment,
against religious StctGriaA instruction. This provi-
sion clarngy msconstrued and misunderstood, is in
the following words:
'No school shall be entitled To or receive any por-
ton of the school money, in which the religions doc
fTihtS tHftS Of PARTICULAR Christian or other
religious sect shall be taught nculceted practsed
in which any book or books containing compo-
sitions favorable prejudcal to the particular doc
trnes teaets of any particular Christian or other
religious sect or which shall teach the doctrines or
tenets any other religious Sect which shall refuse
TO permit the visits and examinations provided for in
this act.
But nothing herein contained shall authorize the
Board Of Education 10 exclude the Holy Scriptures,
rIthOst note or comment, any selections MeretrOn
from any Of he schools prorided for IN this act but
il shall not be competent for the said Board of Educa-
tim 70 dn1ide EEnt rersinn Il anx ~ IN. uol,.