Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-12-07
IL - . a Y .
READ BEFORE THE
TEACHERS INSTITUTE.
Free Schools the Safety of Free
Government.
ny MR. B.1rEy

colony of Massachusetts, as early as, the
Year 1910, when they required schoo
house and teacher for every fifty hous
holders; and the message of Governo
i Berkley to the Legislature of Virginia
near the same period, when he said: q"
4 thank God that we have no free school
nor printing presses, and hope We shal
not have these hundred years" arc til,
representative ideas of civil and religious
liberty on the one hand, and Of aristocra
cy on the other
The liberty loving American colonis
early conceived the idea that the mos
successful method ofresisting tyranny wa.
to Undue the minds of the whole people
with true and intelligent love of liberty
This of itself would create necessity fol-
free government. Governments move
most safely by the impetus of true and
loyal men, rather than by force of law
These colonists, driven from homes in
other lands, for conscience sake, felt that
all men were essentially equal before the
law; that noble blood is found only in
harmony with noble minds, and that the
| power of rulers must be derived from the
people. They conceived that no earthly
power can absolve man from hi obliga-
ton to his creator ard that knowledge
and learning generally diffused through a
compunity are essential for the freedom
and happiness of any nation, and that the
orphan and friendless, as well as the more
fortunate child, are wards Of State.
The world had long been in darkness,
and governments had been more accus-
toned to study into the means of securing
the recognition Of their prerog9tives, than
of searching for their obligations and du-
t., according to hedivine law. The his
tory of the reformation is history of the
restoration of civil liberty In the olsen
thrallment Of the human mind. Men saw
that the elements ofpowcr were not in the
union of church and state, but in the pat
riotism and loyalty developed under the
influence of that intellie nee which is
tolerant and appreciaive, and which ac-
cords to every man his natural right to
life liberty, and the pursuit Of happiness.
OF these moral and political elements
were framed the Constitution Of the Amer
can RepIblic. In this admirable prodrc-
ton of human wisdom, are recognized and
blended all these agencies which conspire
to make us a great and happy people.
Every class Of loyal hncn can rep3se in
safety under its "&csis," and commerce,
science ald art can keep TIE busy world
astir in all the forms of industry. " hicl
increases wealth, comfort and happiness.
IL contemplating The political, religious,
| and social policy, (tor ii comprcicnds all
in onel, We are impressed will the com
plete freedom il gives to the development!
OF both mind and heart. 1t aims at a
perfect union-the establishment of Just
ice-domesiic tranquilifY-the common
deience-the general Wcif2:e, and the
blessings of liberty to ourselves and pos
teTiiy. For people to be able to main
taidand trans nit to o:licr generations hesc
elements Of power and greatness, wemusr
OF necessity, be an intelligent, as well as
Il free people. But the world has taught
us the fact that virtue is no less necdfu
than knowledge, and in the constitution
OF Our own State, we have the truth.
clearly taught, that knowledge and learn
ing generally diffnsed through commu
nifty being essential to the preservation O
IA free government "it shall be the duty o
the General Assembly to encourage by al
suitable means, moral, intellectual, scien
tific and agricultural improvement, and tt
provide by law for a general and uniform
fsystem of common schools, wherein tn
ition Shall be without charge and equally
open to ALL"
The General Assembly of Indiana ap
pear to have had an appreciation of thes,
obligations, and have shown that the grea
and first requirements of a sovereign ant
free people is TO recognize and inculcat
1moral culture, as essential to the prcser
walton of a free government.
As a lasting proof of the many excellen
cies of our school system, We have onl
to refer to he genera condition of til
same, as well as the efficient workings q
our State Normal Schools at Tcrre Haut
and other points, in which the s,uder
teacher is thoroughly trained in actu;
school labor. It is made up of student
ranging from the lowest grade to the il
teiinediate or grammar school Til
teacher Of the Normal school is thus pr,
! pared by practical school life, for any d,
partEcnt of labor in our common school,
: Economy and success. both defend th
! kclainis of Normal schools as a State pit
vision. Either State must do this wo
itself or derend:on denominatienal or il
dividual enterprise. But denomination
nor individuals CAM % so large worl
at low cost, without sinking capital larg
/ y in preparation, and sustaining it by el
dowment funds. tits purely & State wor
!, and its great ainiSthe scientific gradatio
i of the, general freeschoQl system.
Z In State educational REPORTS. the mo
iattering res Its are everywhere foun
land the work of education is more rapid
reaching higher and more profession
standard Our common schools ha'
their model systems in all of the cite
and many of the villages, districts, &C.,
our State, made out and adopted by loc
authorities, and varying with the opinic
] of those who, for the time being, are Il
controlling minds of their reflective cel
ters of labor. l refer here, If you pleas
; in part, to the Teachers Institute now
session. Economy to the State, and jus
ice to the public schools of our count
both call loudly for these model system
to be adopted and sustained, and, as
union there is power, SO in union Of sy