The evening Argus., 1869-12-31
A COMPULSORY FREE EDUCATION.

As psradoxicAt as il may seem, Snperin'
teudent Newton Bateman has taken the po
sltion, at the meeting of the State Teachers
Association, now in session at Ottowa, that
the youths Of this State shall be compelled
by q provision Of the new constitution, to
accept free education. This is fair illus
trgtion Of the perfect extravaganza in the
science of government which is to be played
under the inspiration Of modern Radical
ism, which is upsettug and overturning ev.
erything which has come to be regarded as
settled or fixed, apparently for the simple
reason that it is SO accepted. The common
school system originated III desire to afford
educational facilities to the children Of
those who were ungble to pay their tuition
nt private schools The cost of maintain.
ing these schools was at first inc9nsiderab,e
in amount compared TO the mountains Of
school taxes now piled upon the people Of
most Of the States. The system has becn
gradually expanding I'LL it now has IFS army
oi salaried officers, among whom are mauy
sinecures. From the humble school house
in which the schools were originally taught
we have progressed to magnificent temples
costing from $4,000 to 100000. These
are being rapidly multiplied all over The
States. With the princely sums expended
in maintaining our sch0ois aud their officers,
if the system shall expand and increase
during the next twenty-five yeas in the
same ratio that it has during the past TWEEN
ty FIVE, it will he imperial in all its proper
tlons and movements, and will come to he
an establishment over us instead Of sub
ordinate agency in our hands in the educa.
ton Of the youths Of the State who may
desire to avail themselves of its advantages.
There is but little probability that the
Constitutional Convention will do SO foolish
thing as TO provide in the instrument
which they may frame that all the oys and
girls in the State Of Illinois, between certain
ages shall be required, under pains and
penalties 70 attend the public schools. That
should propose such piece ofuonsense is a
most huniiatiDg fact. But the fact that u
man in his position deliberately advocates
such measure ahould lead the people OF
the State the tax payers-to exercise more
Watchtul supervision over our common school
system and its officers aud see to it, that it
sha! not become an instrument for political
power and sectaran prOpogandlsm ia the
hands of ambitious and plotting men.
Nearly every officer and teacher in this
branch Of service, religously believes that
the Bible should be used in the schools, and
many OF them gegerd those who oppose it,
whether Catholics, Protestauts, jews or in
ndels, and 10 matter what proportion
OF the taxes are paid by them, AS
lot Of heretics ead nealhens a.
most unworthy the privileges of citizenship
With Mr. Superintendent Batemau's coustl.
tutioual decree thai every body shai, attend
the public schools, followed up by egsla-
tive enactment that the Bible shall be read
in the schools, this to be followed. as the
result of fearful contest on the subject,
with another requiring sotne particular
version OF the Bible to be read, aud some
particular creed to be taught, would make
our common school eystem one grand polt
ico religious, tax-ievying, tithes gathering,
conscience. sitting system.
II is enough that oferouS taxes TO support
schools are compulsory Attendance upon
them, religious opinions and everything else
IN connection with them, should certainly
be optional.