The Grand Haven news., 1859-01-05
Ought the Rate-Bill System to be
4 Abolishedf


ly Eagle, of recent date, that the Ed
ucational Association of Kent county,
composed of the first educational talent
of the city and county, at their first meet
ing, passed the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Rate-Bill system
ought TO be abolished, or, in other words,
our public school ought to be Free"
This sentiment finds with us hearty
response. We can give forty reasons why
that odious system should be abolished
and that is one more than the maiden
lady of forty-fve could give why she did
not marry, neither of which was that she
considered herself too young.
But our limited space will only per-
NIT us to give two or three of the most
cogent ones: In the first place, it is a
most formidable barrier to universal ed
ucation; and so long as the Rate-Bill
system prevails, you will find the great
mass, in every community, but very in
differently educated. Look at the dele
terious influence in our own village, and
a similar result is found wherever the
Rate-Bill system prevails. According to
the census of children between the ages
of four and eighteen, residents in our
own school district, at the close of the
last school year, there were some four
hundred who ought to be constant in
mates of the school-room. But instead
of being found there, busily engaged in
treasuring up, day by day, lessons of wis
dom and virtue, and thus laying for them
selves a good foundation for future useful
ness and greatness, where do we find
nearly or quite one-half of that number?
Step into that saloon a moment, where
you may at all hours of the day, and
night too, find half a score of those who
have assumed the epithet of men busily
engaged--some, in draining TO the very
dregs the cup that is stealing rapidly away
their better senses, and robbing them Of
the noble impress of manhood; Others,
indulging freely in coarse jest and low ri
baldry, spending the energies of the inn
mortal mind in striving to handle skillful-
and, ever and anon, as "High low Jack
and the game" is announced, some bitter
curse on their bad luck escapes the pollu-
ted lips of Of the unsuccessful party; and
who do we find there, spectators of the
debasing scene? A half dozen lads, from
the ages Of seven to twelve years, eagerly
imbibing the spirit of the demoralizing
lessons there taught, whose sparkling eyes,
broad and well developed foreheads and
vivacity Of expression, show them capa-
bic, with suitable training, of enjoying
far more noble, exalted and useful sphere
in society, than the examples there shown
are calculated TO elevate them. Others,
the companions Of these youths, are TAX
ing similar lessons at the billiard-table-
at the corners of the streets, where the
idle and vicious often congregate to ex-
change their coarse, vulgar greetings, and
make ridicule of every honest upright
citizen that passes by. And if every man
is the architect of his own fortune, what
will be the character of the fortune reared
upon foundation laid under such inhu-
ences and associations AS next you meet
the parents of these neglected, misguided
youths, tell them of the debasing, dead
ly influence that is poisoning their minds
and moulding their character for every
species Of guile, deceit and wickedness in
the future, and inquire why they do not
send them TO school, where they may learn
10 be men, and what is the replyl "Sir,
| can't afford it. / am the father of a
numerous family. All my exertions are
required to procure them comfortable food
md clothing. / would most gladly send
hem to school and thus get them out Of
he way of temptation and evil, and have
hem taught the useful and the good, but
can not pay Tie school BIZ, that is nre-