The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-04-01
an increased number of children in the

city.
The question resolves itself into this
Will the city consent to advance her chill
dren, by the public schools, beyond what
is indicated in the schedule? Suppose
there are one hundred children in town
who are to have liberal education. To
send them abroad will cost, at least, two
hundred dollars each,-beside travelling
expenses. This would cost the parents
twenty thousand dollars year :-enough
to build and conduct one of the best high
schools on our continent. Or, suppose
them to be educated in our select schools
in the city, at fifty dollars each. In one
year the parents would pay five thousand
dollars :-enough to cree. almost first
class house for High School, As these
children will generally represent the prop
erty holders, we submit the question,
whether it would not be economy, for all
parties, (save nonresident property hold
ers,) to tax the city property sufficiently
for erecting, at an early day, such building
as shall be fit and suitable, for High
School of the city for all time to come, in
which these two years of instruction can
be had at little more cost to the city than
the elementary instruction proposed in the
present schedule? In our judgment, it
would be found economy, in the end TO
say nothing of the elevating and ennobling
influence of liberal education on the
youthful mind, and the general mind, of
our city.
But the question remains, whether all
"extra studies shall be excluded from
our present schools, until the High School
shall be opened, or whether they shall be
INDUCED, as they have been, for the last
year or two, for purposes of accommodate
ton, and for the purpose of preparing the
way, and preparing material, for High
School? Some think that by stopping all
facilities of the kind, we shall make maui
fest the necessity for High School much
earlier than by continuing the present sys-
tenn OF accommodation. Our impression
is, that the school systems of all the East
ern States have bsen progressive and that
High Schools have generally been the re-
suit of Development Their schedules
have been gradually extended, and higher
classes forced, each year, until the mate
rails have been prepared for central
school, Of higher grade; and then, all the
Others lave returned to the old schedule;
the more advanced students going into
the central, or high, school. We have
the impression very distinct in our mind,
that this will be tbs better course for our
city to adopt =
Bat it may he alleged that the children
of the wealthy are the ones who desire
these advanced studies, and that by yield
ing to these demands, we shall elbow out
OF the schools the children of the poor,
Bat we submit, whether it is not as unjust
to drive the children of the rich from the
schools as the children of the poor Have
the property holders and tax payers of the
city not as much right to have the bene-
fit OF the public schools as any other
people? But if their children cannot
be taught as they desire. then, of course,
they are virtually expelled from the public
schools Besides, it is for the lowest orde-
of demagogues to attempt to create jea!-
ousies among the poor, against the veal
thy; and we cannot believe that there is
any one in our city who would give his
influence to SO ignoble work The poor
est child OF the poorest man of our city
has, and should have, the same r;ghta in
Our city schools as the children of the
wealthy To this we all assent, but we
canno. admit they have, or should have,
these rights 10 the exclusion CT the veal
thy. We would oppose domination of
the poor over the rich, just as we would
oppose domination of the rich over tie
poor. But this issue ought not to be
raised, and will not be, unless some low
genius shall call it up for political purposes.
1t is inevitable, that those parents who
have had the benefit of liberal education
will desire it for their children. They will
ask that their tastes and desires may be
gratiied and it will be difficult to show
why they should not be
Believing, as we do, that the day is not
very far distant when our city will have its
Central High School, we sincerely hope
that the Board will reconsider its late
action, and permit the "extra studies" to
90 on, as heretofore, SO as to prepare
material for the H gil School by the time
it shall be in readiness to receive them.
The allegation that the old schedule is
liked by ordinance is of no great weight.
Our ordinances are certainly not like ssthe
laws of the Modes and Persians."
FAST TRAvELING.-The following is the
time made by the Congressional Naval
- Al