Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-12-01
AMERICAN POPULAR EpUoA.
TON.


We can best understand our own ad-
vantsges and privileges BY contrasting
them with the wants Of others who are
less favored. At = recent meeting OF
toe "Natioual Educational Union,'
held in Manchester, England, the Earl
Of Hsrrowby, on taking the chair, spoke
at some length. The "National Uoion
differs from the +" National League" in
this respsct-thst it proposes to "'up
plemeut the present UNCONVENTIONAL
system," while the League would 'eeu-
lsrize all public schools. But the points
which are Of interest here are not 80
much the religious aspects OF the de-
bate, as the painful suggestion con.
tanned in q sentence or two Of the chair.
mans remarks: "Ths promoters Of the
National League had proceeded" said
the Chairman, "upon the principle that
every poor man and poor mans child in
,ti, country (Great Brittany should DO
from nine to twelve years at eohool.
Was that compatible with the existence
of labor a. all. or with the proper train
ing Of the lsborers' children, to assist
in the maintenance Of their families and
the ultimate maintenance Of them
selves z"
This question seems to have carried
with i. its own answer, and an EN-
pha,ic negative. The proposition that
o lsborer's child in Great Britain could
receive from nine to twelve years
schooling, condemns itielf by its own
absurdi.y. How is it with US? Take
frst the population Of our cities, the
large elias, who live by their daily labor
A child may bsgiu education at Tour
years Of age, and many such children
arc sent to 40 infant school to keep
| ,hem out OF tbs way. 1t is mo- the chill
dron Of the rich, but OF those parents
who cannot hirs servants to take charge
of them, who are earliest sent TO school.
Blu, say Eve years Of age. At that age
they are admitted 70 some primary
schools. Five and niue are fourteen.
Is it anything remarkable or absurd
tha, the children Of working mon in oar
cities and larger towns so to school till
they are fourteen? The exceptions are
the other way. Only misfortune, or i'll
health, or the Sad habits Of the parents,
or foolish and criminal neglect, deprive
children under twelve or thirteen Of the
opportunity for obtaining tho rudiments
Of an English education.
Blu! a due appreciation Of the value
Of an education will enable almost any
passn, in America to give his children
tho advantages Of such carly training
"a will enable them TO pursue theil
education in their leisure moments
even AFTER they 20 to learn trades or ar,
put in some other way Of earning thei'
living. OF course, in sparse!y settled
| country districts the opportunities are
not so COED. Yet observation hal
! shown that in the cnses OF country
children the limited opportunity is more
than compensated for by the value
placed upon it.
Without going further into detail, we,
ia the United States, may congratulate
ourselves that no such question as sh'
need Of the labor Of children uude'
thirteen to support their parents euser'
into the question of popular education
Even where children are "tsksa' BY
strangers, to support for their services
such "tskcu children are guaranteed
the opportunity to acquire the rudi
msuts Of an education. If their taste
and INCLINATION lead them to desire
knowledge, this opening leads to such
requirements that they may pass re-
specially through life.
Our great popular want" 10 not the
opportunity to learn, bu. a due sense Of
the value OF learning. Every thought.
full man is panied at the indifference
shown upon the subject by 80 large a
proportion Of the youth Of America,
particularly the city boys. There is not
a clerk or an apprentice who has not
opportunities equal to those enjoyed by
Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas aud
many moro distinguished men who
might be named. Iu the early youth OF
these men tho facilities for acquiring
knowledge which are open to tho young
men of to-day would have been held
above all price, and improved to the
last moment. But too many young
people prefer street and corner lounging,
low amusemeuts, trashy sensation
novels, and any other style Of idleuess,
more or less miscbievous, to self-im'
proremert. They waste the time which
might be improved in laying the fouuda.
ton for a prosperous and useful life,
and wonder, as they grow Older, why
they have not got ou in tho world.
Az accurate statement Of the be.
quests Of Mr. Peabody has never yet
been published. The following is an