The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-03-17
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PUBAgG
CRIME.

the attention of every parent, and to
Ireaders generally What the writer says
is as applicable in Oregon as in New York:
Mr.. S. $. Randull has published his
lannual :. Report, as Superintendent of
the Public Schools of New York Mr..
Randall is not man to learn anything
from facts that reflect adversely on the
system of which he is prominent ofieial.
I lie deals. as in former years, in lamenta-
tions over the progress of vice aud crime,
and the non-attendanee of children ON the
i Public Schools He argues away. as if
the latter was the result of the former.
i The JaotS are, that very small percent
age of all the more serious crimes against
person and property are committed by
those that have not the instruction the
Public Schools profess to give. Have
the crimes of adultery and abortion that
have been before the courts during the
last year, been olnmitted BY persons that
did not know how 10 read and write? Oi
] the assassinations and deadly assaults paF-
/ aetfs'ted, u larger number. in proportion,
have been by those tEat knew how 10
read and write. When we come to crimes
again st property, the numb er, aud. espe-
eially, the aggravation of these, take
huger proportions against those that have
had school instruction The totaly un-
lettered may, here and there, have stolen
some old article of clothing. or a few
S'uoons, or a dollar or 50 Of S. z. G. greer.
bae Ks. These poor wFetehes are awkward
In Their rOguery, and are readily detected
The poor ignorant man or woman that
tries to make off with few pounds Of
provisions frCsa a grocery, or n pair of
woollen stockings from dry goods shop,
is easily caught. and quickly punished.
They have not the education to fit
them Tor studying the ..Rogae's Manual,
nor TO read the police reports, IN the
papers that publish such
| But seho are the fofgersP are any of
them untaneht in the lore of the Public
Schools? We have had rather starr
ling array. the past year, of gigantic
iswindles and robberies, by Bankers and
/ Bank-elerks-was it for lack of having
| the instruction protessed to be given in
the Public Schools? Is any one so fool
iish as to suppose that the organized gangs
Iof pick-pockets, burglars. and highway
robbers that infest this city a.e not "edu-
Gated up to the Public School mark
Pooh snch would be TOO stupid to aid in
these highly advanced pursuits Of civil
ized communities Those who cannot
read and write must plod on in the
humblest spheres OF honest industry. or.
i rogGisA Ilske desperate plunge into
f1petty pilIefine School instruction ena-i
bles the rogue 10 strike incomparablY
heavier blows at the public. and, alse. IN
most cases, to escape detection. Or, ii
caught, it is in so grand thieving as to
excite the admiration and sympathy of
the great financiers. So it was with the
young ketchuhl. when he was Ketehea"
himself. His Public Schooling" and
iprivate schooling, enabled him to steal BY
the million There was a felf0m- feciiag
among other great fnaneiers. that soft
Iened his lot for him, and even that mag
nifcent financier, that, keeping, (by his
school learning9 within a statute for his
case made and previded-though By a
plain and palpable violation of the funda-
mental law-the Constitntion-Yhile he
/ did the people out their hard money. and
gave them for it nothing but s. p. c.
Shin Plaster Currency. irredecmable ex-
cept in other shin -plasfers-he, S. p. C..
Salmon p. Chase. in his new position as
Chief Justice Of the Supreme Court Of
the United States, petitioned Governor
Fentea not to let so hopeful young
Treasurer as Ketchum 90 to State Pris-
on There Is an example Of what Pub
| lie Schooling can effect for the morals,
and foF the security of the people. 1t
gives power, without moral principle 1T
gives intellect WITHOUT conscience. 1t piles
gunpoWder among the combustibles of
mart of commerce.
Ketchum's is but one of a long array of
robberies and thefts that have occurred
within the year, to the extent Of shaking
lpublic confidence in our monied instita-
tons Air. Randall, we suppose, puts
them down to the want of Public Schools.
IF smaller rogues, having learned to read
oasa cipher, have studied the doctrine of
chances. and arc tempted to try their
luck in narrower spheres, we suppose
AIr. Randall viii put all their mishaps
down to the score of their not having
attended the . Public Schools" But
thoughtful men viii conclude that read
ing, writing, cyphering, and all the rest
that the :. Public Schools" profess to
teach, can only make rogue more dan
gerous. by giving him more expertness.
Facts authorize us to go farther.
Within the circle Of our own observation
In the last twenty. years, in this city, we
have noticed the debauehing influence of
these schools on many children. Can it
be matter Of surprise Men of true
virtue, and most estimable women, are
yet. as heretofore, teachers in these
= Schools" Some of them have had sore
trials II keeping their places, against the
general corruption of the system But
public scandals, and many scandals that
have been hushed up. have proved that,
within the period of our personal observa-
tion, lewd women, kept by persons iuflu-
entail IN the Board of Education. have
been teachers Ii these Public Schools. u
Is it strange, if young girls, sent to sneh
places, become immodest? And, no
matter what the good character of the
teachers, the more potent influence is that
Of association with the pupils. Where is
the guard possible, In this respect, In so
,,3Sead q colnrn11ritv srhu,.a hrr tha ixv