Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-05-20
NATIONAL EDECA77ONAL BIZ

Nd1IONAL EDCCdIIONHL DILL.
A bill was presented in the House of Rep
resentatives in February last, by Mr.. Hoar
of Massachusetts,, providing for the estab-
lishment of system of national education
in this country The design of this bill is
to compel the establishment of common
schools in all the States. Where the COM
mon school system is already established,
or may be established, by State authority,
this bill will not interfere with or super.
sede the existing or contemplated condition
of things, The Washington Chronicle has
the following article upon the matter. fully
explainingit.
1t is unnecessary for us to say, in reference
to our admirable system of common schools,
so widely diffused over the land, that there
have, from the beginning, been provisions
made for education by authority of the separ-
ate States. and without any dictation from the
National Government Nor does Mr.. lIoar's
bill, providing system of national education,
contemplate the slightest interference with the
existing school system as established by the
State, but its grand aim seems to be to supply
the deficiency yet unreached by this system,
and make the common school universal over
the land. 1t is hardly necessary to state that
this common school, excellent and necessary
as the institution is esteemed to be, has never
yet been national in this country. The Gen
eral Government, while it has ever look ed
upon the institution with favor, has never yet
arisen in its dignity and might and declared
that it shall be part and parcel of the national
policy. And one may be inclined to wonder
at this attitude of Government We think,
q. e 4 L.. a. To-
stehce and demands of that horrible system
of slavery which has so long cursed the land,
and tended to crush down every uprising
agency for the true prosperity of the country.
Long ago, doubtless, the nation. as well as
different States thereof, would have adopted
the common school, an institution so nearly
and Intimately conn etcd with the nations
welfare and with its very life, and would have
ordered the universal diffusion of its privi-
leges and influence. But slavery, long the
detestable arbiter Of the national policy and
destiny, said mo ! Stand back, and forbear
10 encroaeh on my domain. Your common
school system and my system are incongruous
and Incompatible" And a craven Govern
ment yielded to its dictator.
SO the sehool-hitherto State, instead of
national policy-went not amid slavery.
There must be no ssreading. writing, and
cyphering" among its millions of crushed and
benighted victims. 1t would be to slavery
what fire is to powder. There would be an
explosion, and the '.cherished institution
would be sky-high. But in Gods great provi-
dence the incubus is lifted off for the pre-
amble of the bill alluded to will, henceforth,
recognize the education of all the citizens as
IAN object of interest and concern, and indis-
pensable TO the general welfare"
We add brief synopsis Of the provisions
of this bill of Mr.. Hoar for the establishment
of a system Of national education.
Each State is to be divided into districts,
identical with the Congressional districts.
For each State there is to be State superin-
tendent, appointed for four years by the Presi-
dent with the consent of the Senate. For
each district, Is TO be division inspector, re-