Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-02-04
EDUCATION AL.

For the Chronicle. -
EDITOR CHRoNICLE:-"Queren in his
readible article winds up'' as follows.
at is not enough that we provide. the
means of education, we must enforce
attendance at our schools" (see Chroni
Gle Jan. IA, 1862 Mr.. ''Quere" has not
yet given US the tchy, but, supposing it
to be true-will he or some enc else give
us the hoao?
What system shall we adopt,-The
Prussian or Chinese? From valuable
little work called The Lawyer in the
School Room" much Information may
oe obtaii.ed in relation TO the various
systems of the world. The Prussian
system requires all the people to be able
10 read write and cypher," and then
crushes out the hopes and ambitions
thus enkindled in people sf obscurity
and humble origin, while going through
the educational mill, set up by the gov
ernment, their natural ideas and in
stincts are dwsrfed. 1t does not impart
to and develepe new hopes and desires
in the young.
The Chinese is said IL be the best sys-
tenn in the world. 1T has stoOd the
test for more than two thousanu years"t
and 10 this system more than anything
else (tor they are not u fighting people,
is attributable their great adhesiv. ness,
prosperity and impor;anre, and tneir
wonderful stability, antiquity a.iG ...n
sistency us d nalian. hey have ,Ac-i-
lent graded schools, whose ptIurii,i
aims are:
l. The honors ;.n,! enioiunei,, al tl.e
government.
=. That men whs sii,iG iiiese, m,ist
be highly and similarly educated.
3. TO make education in Itself nigh
honor and AN acknOw lodged badge o..
superiority As we'll as social an,i ~politi-
cal advantage.
The result Is, greater pride of country,
a more generally diffuseu popular edu-
cation and u more solid social structure.
There is no nation OF Europe that is
anything more than pigmy 10y the side
of China. Distinction i'll public life is
attained only by. scholarship, and when
this is attained by person. no matter
how low his origin, he is venerated, and
eligible to the highest Office in the State.
But the education of the poorer class of
females is not SO well provided for.
=, 1t has been said that education is the
cheap defense of nations" but what kind
of education? But to return to "Quere"
I'VE must enforce attendance" &c
Who told you SO, Mr.. or Mrs. or Miss
"Quere"? Are you right sure, or were
you not quite sure, and is that why you
did not ''gO ahead"?
If school is well managed, and
taught l agree that all the children
ought to attend, but if it is not well
managed, andIwrong ideas are impaired,
must We enforce attendance? Must we
by legislation or otherwise compel the
little ones to''gO to school" where the
means tgood 'or bad of an education
good or bad) are provided. Tell US
Quere, is not the root of the evil OF nom
attendance in the means and manner
of educating. And will We not do well
to renoyate them, so as TO invite, irresis-
bly, invite attendance --pi...i r.i
Make our schools what they ought to
be.
+ s ''Hear the Children Pleading"
"Give us light amid our darkness,
Lei us know the good from ill;
Hate us not for all our blindness:
Love US, lead us, show us Kindness
You can make us what you will,'
I'VE are willing we are ready;
We would learn, If you would teach,
/ We have hearts that yearn 10 duty;
We have minds alive TO beauty: '.
Souls that any hight can reach.f
Tell US "Quere," is it better that we
enforce" or that we stimulate and sim
site.n These are questions of vital in
terest to children, teachers, Legislators
and A. PARENT.