The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-06-30
Compulsory Education.


the voluntary use of the means granted hy
the State These are problems that North
Carolina will again attempt to solve The
existing Constitution of the State contains
a section that "empo,oers the General As
sembly to enact that for the term of sixteen
months every child shall attend the schools
provided by the State. unless educated else
where This IS the last section of the ar
ticle on education, and it is timidly at
tacke as if conscious that it would be
looked upon with dsfavor by the great
public. The result. was not doubtful, for
the General Assembly refused to accept the
power granted them, and section of the
school bill providing for the attendance of
all children between six and eighteen years
of age was stricken out. Time will deter
mine whether this was wisely or unwisely
done. No doubt it was a concession to
popular prejudice that looks upon su,h obli-
cations as restriction of liberty in the
citizen. We do not propose now to find
fault with this action, or to insist that pop
ular feeling should be disregarded by the
wise and honest legislator when the welfare
of the State is interested. II the State re-
ceives no advantage from the diffusion of
education-ift to have ev,ry citizen an edu-
Gated man is no benefit to the State, then
why does the State interfere in the matter
at all, and why make provision for any part
of her children? The general intelligence
of the people either does or docs not di-
minish crime and pauperism. If it does
not, then why tGe the citizen to educate
part of the peopes But if 1t does, then is
it nnt the States duty to rduce crime and
pauperism to its minimum by taxing the
people to educate euery child in the State
The general intelligence of the voters is or
is not the safeguard of the liberty of the
State If it is not, why do the guardians of
popular rights impose burdens upon tax
payers, then, for that which will not advan-
tagc our Republican institutions, but if
such be the result, then is it not public
duty to secure to the liberty of the people
the most ample security that can be given
it by educating every becoming citizen, and
securing the general intelligence of al
classes? This appears to be the idea that
underlies the whole system OF popular edu-
cation in free States.
1t would follow, we judge from this, that
i if the permanence of free institutions and
the largest freedom from crime and pauper-
ism in State depend on the universal edu-
cation of the people, that then the State has
j power vested in it to preserve its own exis-
| tence to relieve her citizens from the oner-
Gus burdens imposed by crime and poverty.
| This is simply claiming for the State the
right of selfpreservation"--a right inherent
in all States. and which now, after the crush
ing of great rebellion in which this right
was denied by the defeated party, no one
should question. 1t now resolves itself into
a question of experiment. to find out whether
on the proffer by the State of the privileges
of education all tine children of the State
will avail themselves of it or not The ex-
perience of this State in the past has shown
! that the very large number of the children
| of the State do not avail themselves to any,
or at least to very limited extent, of the
generous and wise provision ofthe State to
make of them good and safe citizens.
Without question this will still continue to
be the case. Now, what will our General
Assembly, or what should it do in the prem
ises? Concede TO ignorance its right to fill
the State with unsafe and ignorant citizens
to .ieapard the safety of republican free
dom and fill the State with criminals and
paupers, to the wrong of taxpayers and the
! detriment of public morals-or use the
power conferred upon them to require at
tendance upon the public schools? The
! State requires men to attend courts as jurors
and witnesses that the ends of public justice
may be attained. The State requires men
to train in the militia that a guard of her
liberties may be educated. The State COM
! pcls men to pay taxes that its existence may
be preserved; and now, we ask, may it not.
without prejudice to the rights of the peo-
pie, require every child to attend some
school for limited time ,.s 5ea
m This is not a question that can be disposed
of properly by uns easoning prejudice. 1t
reflected from the experience of other States
should be sought. Pass down Fayetteville
street, and the other streets of our city, to-
day, and every one of our adopted citizens
who is a NATIVE of Prussia. will be found
able to read-has intelligent views, and is
qualified to discharge the duties of a citizen.
1t may be a question involving the existence
| of civil liberty, and deserves attention. u,
b.. The Brooklyn Eagle thinks the Republi-
can party has been too much, troubled with
'.moral issues. ."-Erehange.
oi Tbatisa charge that can never be made
against the Democrats. Allb the ''moral
issuesn they have ever endorsed wouldn't
make mosquitoes bladder halt full. .Igli
rsgy, .Yy7------ ----- - - 7it;oaq Mos
1.-The newly invented petticoats are said to
4 be nice things for a lady who desires to
dress in hurry. Exchange. ,.,.
/, Yes, but supposing the lady should get
wet in IA thunder,s er-wouldn't she
be apt to be undressed in hurry ?",e-i
Miss Susan B Anthony is out with para
| granh in the Revolution recommending that