The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-03-05
PHILADELPHIA MARCH 5, 1870.



WORxNsSAHs ADvocArx-Phlladslphm or.
Ace, liz South Fourth Strest-EzRD yLooa-
where subscriptions and advertisements win be
received and sample copies may BE- had.
O. BrE J., Reporter Agsst
CoMPULsoHx EDUuAr1oM. Board Of
School Control 10 engaged In considering the
advisAbility Of asking the Legislature 10 enact
law requiring all children to be sent to school
during certain period IN each year. The pre-
amble 70 q bill, drafted by committee Of the
Board, recites the deplorsbls fact that " 9O, 900
children between the ages Of ix and eighteen
years have not attended, 90 do not not attend,
airy public, private or parochial school" The
bill contemplates the imposition Of Ane Of
SS0 upon any parent or guardian having under
his or her care a child between the ages Of
eight and sixteen years Who falls 70 send such
child 20 some public or private school during
ak consecutive months in each year within the
period named. Perhaps the greatest blessing
within the legitimate province Of Demoeratic
Government to bestow upon its people Is pub
lie schooling system, conducted 20 a 70 enable
the children Of the poorest 70 become. BY pa
tience and perseverance, the peers i'm knewl
edge Of those who enjoy the advantages wealth
confers. Our system aims to accomplish that
fact reclted above conclunvely attests and
that fact is, that &c, 600 Of our immediate pro
geny are approaching the estates Of man and
wOmAnhood in the grOssest ignorance, the
major portion of them forced by poverty into
associations in the extreme corrupt and degrad-
ing. In support of the proposed bin, t 10 ar
Eued that the absorption Of 60 large a number
Of persons into the body polite, and their in
vestment with all the privileges Of citizenship
without any fitness for the exercise Of such
privileges, cannot but be dangerous Nothing
could be more evident than the truth of this
claim, for not only are these miserable 10000
deprived Of educational advantages, 6ut their
surroundings are such that they can scarcely be
expected to avoid contracting vicious habita
We have already too many voters in whose
hands the ballot il an instrument Of oppression
instead Of the blessing II was intended to, and
Of right ought to be. Wendell Phillips, Ia q
recent discourse, asserted that In Boston City,
at every election, 5000 votes are bought with
liquor, o. at least are Influenced by the devo
tees Of that liquid demon, and there never wal
an election in that city ic which the transferral
Of that number of votes from the majority Il
the minority side would not have revolutionizeG
the result. This is an appalling exhibit, ant
what is true Of Boston IL certainly true Of othel
cities. We merely cite this fact to show wha
harm can, and does, result from even 90 smal
proportion of ignorant and vicious voters
We are unwilling to suppose, however, that AM
will be base enough to oppose this bill from
other than considerations or Differences for the
difficulties with which the poor are forced Il
contend, and which, in many instances, rende
them unable to give their children the time re-
quisite to the requirement Of even funda-
mental education, though no actual outlay o
money may be required. There are many sucI
in oVer-crowded cOmmunities, and there ar,
many faint hearted ones whose children ar
compelled to toll when they should be learning
because their parents have not the mora
courage to bear up against reverses, and fly 1
desperation TO the rum-shor. Some provisio
. should be made for the children Of this elias,
for IL they are left alone they will, In a msjort
of cases, follow the parental example. an
grow up in the viciousoess they thus inherit
, Perhaps NO plan possible Of conception unde
the existing regime Is better calculated to effec
: remedy Of these evils than the cOmpulsor
J, education system. But In the preparation Of
basis for such a system, great care should
exercised lest the children Of the poores
I whose cases are most difficult to reach, shouI
Q be, as in th. prevalent system, discriminate
against. Greater school facilities are neede
State and local governments should be moi
liberal in the endowment Of schools, ar
J. should, 40 far 90 possible, monopolise the bus
cess Of primarily educating their peoples Chi
drer. The General Government should ceai
subsidixing railroads and give what It has
give for educational purposes Schools Il
teachiog the cardinal elements Of education a
4, far more necessary than colleges for polishiI
m a select few. In cases where parents are four
70 be too poor to send their children to schot
the latter should be subsisted, necessary,
the public expense. All these things are LEI
~ innate subjects for the most careful oonsade'
u, tion and unless they are % considered,
:. cannot hope TO effect the desired and nan
needed result There are many who opro
y this proposition, on the plea that 1t n wrong
~ force a man to send his children to school v
d. l. too poor to afford them that "luxury,"
a capital considers schooling poor mans luxu
for which be 10 indebted 70 the philsnthrop
Of concentrated wealth. We, howsvss, mol
q. 70 favor the pFupos itiOn 10 mach upon that
re- ! -. :. ..or .uw nAha~ Ear uuAep Tea nOet