The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-01-10

painted as black as ink can make them. The
children are obliged to commit these histories
to memory, and of course their minds take the
Gated to vote with the Republican party, and
teachers have told me that if it were not for
immigration, New York would become o Radi-
cal city. few evenings since heard girl
of nine years say she had voted for Gen. Grant,
and on questioning her / learned that before
the election all the children in the school she
attended were obliged to express their choice
for President by voting for either of the candi-
dates. The number Of children nominally at
tending the public schools is two hundred
thousand, and as these are instructed in poll
cation, the school system is made to serve one
political party to some purpose, and the party
thus served comprises about one-fOurth of the
population The great mass of Taxpayers are
Democrats, and their money goes to educate
their children against Democracy.
Here is one place, then, where the school
is made political engine, not merely for
doctrinating of children.
And is this not perfectly natural People
usually act from interest. This is the gen.
eral rule, to which there are honorable ex-
captions. Parents also act from interest,
but their controlling interest is the welfare
of their children. A mere citizen might
very we'll incline to favor fellow partisan
as applicant for Il class, but father seeks
only the best teacher for his child. A school
director could listen complacently to the
application of lady lily suited to the desk,
though quite an ornament in the parlor,
but a mother would look elsewhere for her
little girls model and preceptress. The
whole Board of Directors might order
arithmetics which would teach Radicalism
or Democracy, Secession or Federalism,
while the parents would prefer books which
confined themselves to the text.
We would recommend to Governor and Di-
rector alike, let parents select both teachers
and books. Then we shall have no charges
Of sinister motives in the matter of school
control; the whole and sole aim and end of
any choice so made will be purely the good
Of the pupil.
We have no objection in the world to the
payment of tuition by the State or munich
pality, especially for poor children; but
leave the control of details where it pro-
perly belongs-with him whose motives
must be beyond question. Let government
BUICK W AIS own Ousincss, anu uot mouOpo-
lie the functions of the family, the associa-
ton or the individual.
AS we say, we have no objection to being
taxed for the tuition of poor children. On
the contrary, we would approve such tax;
but let its distribution be disconnected with
State patronage or control. There is very
little prospect of success for such a scheme,
however, even if the present one should
be abandoned. The much Wanted plea of
popular education is mere subterfuge.
There is no real, pure, charitable desire to
educate the poor for the sake of education.
The object really but secretly aimed at is
to place another engine of power in the
hands of the controlling class. Education
is the plea; religious or political effect is
the motive.