Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-11-08

sands of other improvements which the ingenuity
Of man has brought into existence These 0thingt
have, within the memory Of living mon, changed
the face Of the country and enlarged the bounda'
rios Of knowledge In every department OF life. All
these things require a higher degree OF general
education to qualify the youth Of the rising gcat
Grafton for those duties which belong to eysry
American citizen. Thoy also require a higher
education In each particular department We
should not forget that VIC live in the hiheta0ltg
eentuTy-this busy stirring, advancing age---and
IN country whore great responsibilities ap9 dutios
fall on every citzon and Il is but right that ,ho
children now growing up should be co instructed
as TO ut them for the country and the age in which
they llYe. Tho common school System is in0rc
important than any Of the improvements Which
have been mentioned. We may well love our great,
grand country, with ts rivers aud its lakes, its
spreading prairies and It's high mountains and lis
great extent, reaching from oceanic ocean. Aud
we may feel glad in beholding the material la
provcments which cover the land For all these
things we have reason 70 thank God and rejoice
But, more important than these is that system a.
Instruction which educatcs all. Most other I'M
proycments operate upon matter, but this upon
mind aud rs tendency is 70 qualify each succeAl
sive generation TO act properly their part T.. gil
zens worthy of 30 great country.
The common school system is based upon two
principles. The first is Tho riyh of every child
to have such education will properly qualify
him for the duties Of life. The duty of q parentto
child includes maintenance and educa;ish. This
is an elementary principle Of law, The Parent who
wlfully negleots TO provide proper food aud cloth
ing for his child, is universally condemned as act
ing contrary to the dictates Of common humanity.
The law would not tolerate his conduct, hui would
compel him to discharge bis duty. And does MT
that parent commit as great a wrong who fails TO
give his child proper educaiionl who turns hin.
| out upon the world untitled for dischargng in an
honorable manner those duties which belong 10 him
as man and eitizcnl Such a paront, in fact,
degrades his child, aud compels him to take
lower place in society than he otherwise would
occupy. lie sends him forth TO contend in the
battle Of life under disadvantages which con,inu-
ally cripple his powers and hinder his success
The second principle is; That here universal edu-
cation is a national necessity. II Is important in
any government, but in arepublic it Is necessity.
Through the ballot-box all have an equal voice IA.
ruling. But, to do this properly, there must DO
that Intelligence in the voter that enables him to
| Judge rightly OF public measures and public men.
/ To do this properly requires more mental trimming
and ability than most persons suppose. The eoun-
try is vast in extent, diversified in It's Interests
and in this moving age all things pertaining,
we'll to nations as to individuals, are continually
changing. To act wisely and correctly in regard
to public affairs, requires more intelligence than
can be possessed by apeople where education is
despsed or neglected.
! Much has been done In improving the common
school system, but much remains to be accom-
| plshed Public schools should be opened ten
months in the year, instead Of four and they should
\ teach than the simplest branches 1t is be-
meath the dignity Of the great country in which we
live to aim so low in a matter important Tho
doors of the common schools should be con
tinually open, and every child that enters should
there receive such m education as is worthy Of a
| free people. To raise the common school system
to this high standard Of excellence il is necessary
70 bring public opinion TO understand It's import
ance. You who are engaged in education must do
leading part in this great work. II Is your bust
ness. Let, then, meetings like these continue to
| be held. They are doing great good. Let the
Importance Of the subject be held up in every ight
and the time will come, and is not far distant, when
our public schools will open their doors, not four,
but ten months in the year; and when every child
may there learn, not only the simplest elementary
branches, but also all that constitutes good edu-
cation, qualifying him to take an honorable part
in the events Of this eyentful age. porseycro in
your efforts This may not, indeed cause your
names TO appear In history, but you will have what
i better, the consciousness Cf having done your
duty and of having contributed your part in laying
the foundation Of system Of universal education,
upon which our free institutions may safely rest
while time shall endure,
The chairman of the committee on
resolutions submitted tho following:
Rssolrei, That the thanks Of the institute
are due and are hereby rendered to II. Houck,
Deputy State superintendent to Hons VIM.
Bigler. @. X. Barrett, Wm. A. Wallace, and J. b.
McEnally Prof p. L. Harrison; Rey's. J. II.
McCord aud H. s. Butler DR.. A. VI. Hills aud
j. II. FullOrd, Esq for their interesting nnd in
structiyc lectures aud readings
Rssoirsi, That we hereby tender our thanks 10
the Cearfeld Orchestra, for the excellent music
discourscd by theIa, aud the important interest
which they contributed to the exercises Of the In
| s'itute
Res,ired, That by the death Of James S. Smith.
our Institute lost one Of its most worthy members,
and we deeply regret his early separation from our
number.
Select reading. Music by the Or
chestra. Select reading. The Prcsi-
pSfGst az NHS HSadi di'iS S,d''oSsSS A"HS la,'s ~
Institute, after which il adjourned
sine die.