Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-12-24
EDUCATIONAL.
Common school, v. select Schools

EDI CATIONAL'
Gamma, school, v. select schools.
We copy the following from the Rochester
Democrat most fearless and able advocate oil
, b;-b., adu,atiou in uusectarian free common
schools
There Is no doubt that one obstacle to the .
eomDlete success Of our common schools, Is
found in the tendency Of human nature n ID
dulre IL the spirit OF ezclusiveness. Anything |
thst if beyond the reach Of the common people |
H. in the eyes Of certain class, 81 once invested
with excellence This class will always prefer .
u nstronize the select school rather than the I
common school, for the simple reason. Il ior no /
other. that the former Is beyond the reach Of .
their poorer neghbors OF the spirit that dc .
tate. TINS action. We have nothing 70 say al pres
emit The fact alluded TO exists. and is patent
70 all We have before called attention 70 II, f.
and pointed out what We regard a. the best, Il .
not the only eficacious mole Of counteracung /
the bad results likely TO ensue to the common .
schools from the tendency in question lhll ]
mode Is. 10 make the common schools SO much I
better and higher In every respect than any I
r-ivate school teaching the same branches car /
possibv be made that those who choose 70 ~ /
dul-e n the foolish and snti-democrstic spirit I
Of exclusiveuess referred 10. vii do So ri the
expense Of ineyita,le iuferiority IN the quahiy
Of instruction conferred upon their children
We believe the commen schools, especlal-y 10
cities. are noF better tnsn private schools
nm their supremacy should be 50 greatly and
undeniabiy established as 70 Command universe!
assent When that IS done. private schools vii
no longer - extensively pstroElzed, except by
that s9rer-refnei css- of snohb.sh exqulsiies
vbas. opiuiou or actions are Of no apprecabie
reirht or scsouut IN forming public opinion, or
directing public affairs, IN this country. Mr.
R.s-bsr RECENTLY called attention 10 tins neces-
si-y If .1alriur the character of the common
schools To his sermon on InanksElvlng Day
he said -'' Il Il important that all the schools
should he free No com munIfy can ah5ri
L. have ITS academies better than lts common
schools Rich men are opposed To- having their
children educated with the common herd. They
should not he forced to do il by law, but be
cause thev cannot md private school 81 Eool
~ the public schools. This is substantially
what We have urged IN these columns, and We
are convinced that 1t Is the true method OF pre-
serving our school system intact
That II is perfectly feasible &c make sud keep
the pubIic schools superior 10 al others admits
of NJ question. That fact is conclusively settled
bv statistics showing the relative cost Of public
and nrivate schools. Il has been demonstrate
nv those statistics that il w0nld cost the people
Of this state many millions more 70 educate
their children In private schools than IL con
mon schools. The same holds true IN every
State where the matter mas been investigated.
Thus. 10 Wisconsiu, 10 lo6', the average
monthly cost for tuition for each pupil IN the
nubIc schools. was about f0rty-siI cents, while
IN private schools it was almost two dollars.
In Connecticut. the cost in public schools, taking
the average number registered is one dollar
and SIX cents. while II private schools i costs
from two olive times as much In lenues-
SEE. the cost of instruction IN the private scno Is
is more than twice as much as ~ the puo-a
schools, au1 tue quality Of the instruction Is ID
ferior al that
Thus. economical reasons. IS well as those lt
higher character, admouish Us to jealousy
guard our common school system from the Cd
croachmeuts Of private and sectarian ins-itu-
lions Since II is SO important 20 make our
uublic schools better than the select semluarles,
We should see to II that every dollar of the pub
nc fund Is used to secure the desired superiority
EnrcArroN N TuEKEY-A new public education
law has been promulgated AZ Donstautlnople- by
article g. primary instruction Is made compul
sorry for every Inhabitant Of the Turkish empire
The period Of instruction for girls is Fixed 81
from SIX TO ten years Of age. anu for boys from
SIX 10 eleven Under article TO- the magistrates
of districts and villages are TO keep register Of
the names Of bows and girls whose age qualities
them for instruction. together With those OF their
parents OF guariisns II any Of these do not 20
10 school. the magistrate j. 90 warn the parent
or guardian 0f his obligation. and 4 after such
notice the child i not sent 70 scnuo. within d
month, and no valid reason ls given for lis ab-
sence. fine Of from 70 100 piasters Is 20 be I'M
posed. according TO the means Of the parent, and
the child Is to be taken L school by 5he autnor-
ties These fines are 90 be pad into the educa-
tional fund. The case IL which exemption is
allowed are-hrst. when the cRlld Is shown %
have some constitutional defect. second, when
the parent is poor, and would suffer loss from
bis child being sent 10 school; third. when the
child is employed in agricultural labor al har-
vest time. fourth when the distance from The
residence Of the child TO the school Is more than
half An hours walk fifth. when there Is no
school ID the district, OF when the school Is NOT
sufficiently large TO accommodate all the pupils,
sixth. when proof Is furnished that the child l.
being educated either al home or ID a private
school The primary schools are to be either
Nussulmsn or Christian, according TO the relig-
ion which Is most prevalent IN the district The
higher schools. however, are To receive Mussui-
mans and Christians unfortunately. An elm
perisl Council for Public Instruction has been
established 20 see TO the due execution Of thIs
law
How AND WHY These are questions be-
tween which there are great reasons for a choice
Teacher, be sparing Of the Hows IN school, but
let the Why's meet the pupil at every turn
There sre many pupils, and teachers, too, who
can tell how TO do things, but cannot tell why
Such persons are no, educated. Ply your pu-
pills with thst little query, Why, If you wish 10
make thorough scholars Of them
A scboolmaster IN Pontiac, Michigan. sdver-
tises as follows Sc propose 70 spell with amy
man, woman or boy IN Oakland county for 500
the words TO BE- selected by commirty Of iterry
gents, aud prise 20 be rewarded by the empires
to the one who misses the fewist words. II you
here Of amy one who 1sre take up this challenge
lie; them pitch in, sllus bolus, n redy.'
Railway Carriages In Different Part, Of