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

hut, IS it so many months since the
daily paper in Chicago oi. far largest cir
eulation, called public attention to the
fact that the = Public Schools Of that
city had become hot-beds Of vice-that il
had gone 50 far that any boy of four
teen years attending them was looked
on as 'spooney' If he had not laisson
with some Of the girls 2" And did nol
lending daily papers in Indiana aud Ohio
commenting on this horrible declaration
assert that The cities in which they sever
ally published, afforded grave reasons fu
drawing attention 10 the same tendency
Were cur communities homogeneous in
matters of faith aud morals. aud were
they SO small and segregated that leading
citizens could exert constant ana per
sonal supervision over them. We are MOI
such Il doetriaaise as to push the theory
of What we know TO be right principles
% the subyession ol an eAsisting system
of State, or : Public Schools" But, oll
communities being what they are. mad,
up of families widely differing from eacl
other in regard to principles-erowdet
together-the vicious and the virtuDus-
into houses adjacent, and of equal out
ward show of deceney-,he attempt at
plan of common education Of theil
children in promiscuous schools, is mon
strous and outrageous.
The Common or Public School
system is, at present. an established thin.
established ut prodigal eos;, and ex
hibiting small results, even in those end.
at which it processes to aim. Ii is not I,
declare any immediate war upon 1t L,
political action that we write. It is /,
relsew our protest against it. as a usurpa
tion. and an outrage; and to give righ
thinkin. men matter to consider-or t,
give exure, sion TO the sentiments the,
already enter ain. We repeat, then, th,
thesis we have so long maintained.
|. 1t is no more the business of tho
" Government, of the State, or of tn,
City. TO take into It's hands the sckocfaa
of the children of families, than 1t Is te
provide for feeding. or clothing them
Childrea should be Instructed ana edu
Gated They should. also. be fed am.
clothed. Their schooling, Ike their feed
ing aud clothing, should be left as u duty
on their parents, or natural
guardians. The child belongs TO the fam
iiy-not to the State; and the State has
no business with the child. except where.
by bereavement Of parents, or their mis-
conduct, the child becomes, actually, an
outcast.
II. At the present stage Of cur society,
IN our large cities. the ahand-
onel children, ike the orphans, would be
much better educated and taken care OF
by the spontaneous charity of The beney-
eieat organized into Yoinntary Societies
Tor the purpose, than they are now, By
political enactment, and official interfer-
ence.
III. There is no more right in the
State Government to tax The whole com
mnniiy for the schooling of children Of
parents able to provide for it, than there
is to make the clothing Of al the children
Of families. Gin uniform, or common
dress.) or their feeding, ton a uniform
diet, a burthen to be borne in common.
by a levy on the property Of all citizens,
whether parents or not.
II. Practically. protesting onlyA to
teach reading, writing, eyphering. and
the ike, the :. Public School system has
been skilltnlly handled engine, under
the management of New England Puritan
associations. to undermine the Christian
faith, and 10 s,tbvert the political princi-
pies and traditions Of unwary popala-
tions.
These propositions We maintained six
teen years ago, when We fought against
the extension of the Public School plan
tlEoughout the State of New York. We
maintain them now. Events have proved
we were correct. We submit them to
our readers and urge their serious con-
sideration.