The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1867-09-05
Original Communication.
THE TEACHERS ADVOCATE.
Compulsory Education.
ARTICLE NUMBER FOUR.

tenn of compulsory education. As it has
really abandoned the controversy by declin-
ing to publish its articles in the freeman in
place of the Adcocdte, which circuates only
among few dozen school teachers, who ale
not permitted to see my articles, it might
seem ungeneI GUS in me to reply. l certain
ly would not think of il were it not that |
find them persisting in statements in direct
contradiction to their own articles.
AS they have been compelled to acknowl-
edge the relevancy of my questions, after
perSisting in two articles that they were en-
treiy tTrelerant, | shall not annoy them fur
ther on that point. Nor shall tresspass on
your columns by further exposing their ef-
forts at attempting TO apply the rule regard
ing exceptions. ! shall merely remark that
if they are correct in their application, Their
the majority of schools in which there is bad
attendance are only carrying out the princi-
pie to its logical conclusion, that the eXcep-
ton proved the rule to be good one! They
complain Of me for asking 80 many questions,
and seem to think they are not bound to de-
feud from my attacks. They were unfortu-
nate not to rt feet Oh this sooner. as they
might have saved themselves from a great
deal of labor and exposure.
They give us statistics regarding the at
tendance at the Common Schools throughout
the State from 1855 TO 1866. From these
it appears the average attendance in 1855
was 68 and in 1866 but 63 per cent! Now
ii | was writing for the purpose of proving
that our Common School system is to great
extent failure, aud in bad repute with the
people, | could not give more striking
proof of it than these statistics they have
published; and that is the only point to
which their statistics would be relevant.
They decline to give us the name Of any
person in Cambria county that attempts 10
deprive his children Of education. This,
they think, would not be proper, and yet
they seem to think it entirely proper to libel
the people Of our county and of the State,
by cndeavoring to make it appear that
large percentage of them are opposed to ed
ucatiou, and that this compulsory law is ne
ccssary in erdcr to prevent parents from &C.
priving their children of education.
But here is a disclaimer which certainly
would astonish me had / not some specimens
,-nf. the same kind from them in former arti-
cles. They positively deny that they advo-
Gated the sending of children to house of
correction. | shall let the reader Judge how
much truth is in this by giving their own
words. 1t viii be seen to what desperation
they are driven. In complaining of irregu-
lar attendance, in their first article, they say:
"Wc repeat, then, that We see no remedy by
which this evil can be arrested but law
compelling attendance 1t school. OF course
such law would have to be framed with
much care, and should not be made too strin-
gent at tirst''!I! The last sentence. it will
be remembered, the editors complained of
me for emitting in my first article l gave
them the benefit of it in my next. Now
they have it again. Newlin's recommenGa-
ton to send the delinquent children to
hnDca Of cOrrartio far ,,rl.. less the
editors of the Adrocdte suggested might be
too severe at first! Hence they did not ad-
vocate such severe punishment! Humiliat-
ingl A County Superintendent and prom
inent school teacher endeavoring to sneak
from the responsibility of the meaning of
language that will bear but one construction.
WHAT is the plain meaning of their language?
1t is this Sneak this law on the people by
being jltdici0uS in not making it too severe
at first but when they become submissive
make it as severe as you please. Then the
punishment recommended by Mr.. Newlln,
of sending the children 20 a house of correc-
ton for one year or less, after while would
be carried out in accordance with the recon-
mepdatons of the editors, by making the
punishment one year or more And yet the
editors, with their own words staring them
in the face. deny that they were in favor of
Mr.. Newlin's plan. They are not in favor
If making the punishment too severe Gt trSI
Remarkable distinction!
But here is something equally good, if not
better. 1t is in reply to my quotation from
the Constitution which forbiGs cruel punish
ment. They say: "But it surely has no
application in the case, for tce HeUer suggest
ed aug punishment. for a UjOlatlon of the pro-
posed law" "C) No, not ever that sending
children to house Of correction would be
too severe at first! They advocate COM
pulsory enactment law, but suggest no pun
iShneHt for a violation of it 1t is to be a
magic act that is to have the desired effect
without being enforced by fines or penalties,
amy other punishment, for its UiOtGtion
l must ask pardon of your readers for con-
tinuing this discussion at such length with
these gentlemen. To do Sc any longer in a
serious manner, would 10 some extent, I
fear, be as humiliating to the people of our
county as it is to me.
1t had been suggested to me, some time
ago, that the allopathic system of treatment
was too severe for their constitutions.
was urged to prescribe the homeopathic.
Did | spell that right? Our pedagogues
will inform me. / never had much faith in
Hahnemann's system, but have been tempt
eG to try a mixture which think will have
the desired effect.
AS our friends are still in favor of compul-
sorry education, although they suggest no
punishment for violation of the law. we
would prescribe system somewhat like that
of the Lillputians described in Gulliver's
travels 1t bears such a striking resem-
blance to their system. that, with few
changes. have no doubt it will suit their
taste. Dean Swift describes it thus: Their
notions relating to the duties Of parents and
children differ extremely from ours. For,
since the conjunction of male and female is
founded upon the great law of nature, in or
der to propagate and continue the species,
the Lilliputians will needs have it that men
and women are joined together like other