Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-06-08

10 COHSs lCdl II " ltl SOhNse4AA
-lAfnetS- hut heIicying they will not
be taken advantage Of if it ehcifs discus
sion, but that the principles themselves
will be met, l am
- r., Yours respectfully,
ACE GREGG.
Mr.. PREsrpENr:- Compulsory School
Law desirable in this Statc?''
/ do not know by what authority my
name has been used IN connection with this
subject, or why have been announced as
the speaker. l can only account for it on
the theory that the Committee of Arrange
ments have not only concluded Compul-
sory School Law is desirable, but that
compulsory attendance and strict compli-
ance with their arrangements are also de-
sirable. Neither do see how a discussion
can be elected from the question, as pre-
sented to us. If | were asked, Is Com
pulsory School Law DESIRABLE in this State
Iwould answer, mo- Because it is a sub
ieet upon which the masses have made no
investigation. 1t is subject that has new
ery as yet, so far as | haye any means of
knowing, been agitated in our country. But.
if you were to ask me whether CompuI-
sorry School Law would be BENEFIT,t to our
State and the masses of our people should
answer you :;Itwould.H Taking this view
of the question, will state, as briefly as |
cam why | would so answer:
Let us look. for moment, at the BASIS of
our Public School system and see what OBJ
IEcT our lawmakers have had in view, in
fafming that system. w hat did the trainers
of the Constitution mean, when they said
''rhe General Assembly shall make such
provisions by taxation or otherwise; as.
with the income arising from the School
Trust Fund, will secure thorough and et-
ticient system of Common Schools through
s-out the State?'' What import shall we give
the words, thorough and efficient" as
used in that connection? Shall We say a
system is thorough and efficient. when not
more than one-half or three fifths of those
For whom it was ipausurated receive its
benefits? Or shall we say, sit is thorough
and efficient" when ALL of those for whom
it was intended receive its benefits? Ger
tainly none will doubt that the latter is the
true proposition.
/ : Again, what was the intention of our Leg
fsiators, when they enacted a set of laws
for the collection of taxes, the appropriation
of lands for school purposes, the election of
officers, the building of school houses, en-
ployment Of teachers, and thus providing
means whereby every youth in the State
NAY.attend school? Shall we say the pur-
pose for which all these means are provid-
ed is executed by the attendance, daily, of
less than one-half the youth where they
may receive the benefit? or Shall we saw
| theypurpOse is peter executed when the
entire object at which it aims is effected.
| zsIhe gist of what have been aiming at
i is thise That the OBJECT which the franz
erss of the Constitution and our Legislators
/ had m view, was universal instruction in
our Common Schools for ALL youth within
| the proper ages. And that said object has
not been effected under the present laws.
ALLOW nae tosslook at the Statistics on
/ plished as that is the only way. we can as
certain the exact state of afflirs Taking
the last enumeration a basis, there arc
now about l,05O,0O0 youth in this State in
round numbers, between the ages of 5 and
21 years. OF that number not over Ia per
cent. are enrolled on our school register.
and the average, daily attendance is about
45per cent Thus, it will be seen at a glance
that my former statement, that less than
three-fourths receive any benefit, and only
one-half receive the daily benefit of our
/ Common Schools, is correct; and that in
stead of universal Instruction, it is failure
as to onezKatf..-=
But would4a compulsory School Law
harmonize with our systemf.of Common
Schools?t obtaining the great end al
which our system aims is harmony, We
think it would harmonic. AYE not only
would it harinonizeSwith that system, bu
it must actually exist in order that those
laws may accomplish the desired purpose
and | have not been able to find anv-wel
grounded reason why it would not work
well with our people.
Under the present laws it is the poorer
people, generally, that detain their childre1
from school Should this be so? Let u!
L ~ - =
now collected yearly insfllis State-or abou
$6 per capita for the youth. A large por
ton of that amount is paid by the wealth,
classes. The object of such heavy schoo
tax is not alone for the children. of the tax
payer, but that the children of the poo
may be educated also; and that not Onl7
; for their benefit butt the good of tn
community and State at large. Now tn
legitimate proposition, which we deduc
from the above, is simply this: That un
less ALL of those for whom this tax is pal,
| receive its benefit, its payment to the ex
t tent of those who fail to receive such bene
=; fits is an outrage on those who bear tn
, burden of the tax. Or in other words
those who bear this burden should not b
compelled TO pay it unless those who pa
5 but little or none, should be compelled t
receive the benetit for which it is paid
! And the very fact-that they pay no tax, an
thus have no pecuniary interest in tn
school, is that which has impaired the
: interest in the matter, and this causes theI
to detain their children at home, and the
! thereby loose its benefit. do not say tn
\ as rejecting on the Public School system
r, for that is founded on the liberal basis, tn;
n the poor who have no means with which
educate their children, are entitled to sue
= means at the hands of those Axho are able
Is This, indeed is grand conception to rea
e ize that the poor are the favored class III
der the law. And it should be a most G.
nobling fact for the poorest children of-tl
country te=know the way is thus opent
to themfor their future prosperity and CT
Is inence. In this connection, allow us
lr say, that the parent who cannot aid
70 child pecuniarily-which in itself is 10 di
- advantage to the child-should be compe
re ed, by law, to give him that which is
e. more valuable, namely: good educatio
~ And this r,flc would apply equally well
;" all classes srr
Sc As another induecment to the enactne
of the proposed law, we think CRIME wou
thereby be lessened. 1t is an old, bui
e true saying That Ignorance and Crime
>. hand in hand" They have been allied I
ga gether for the purpose of fighting Educati
ly and Morality for ages. How are we
to break up this great confederation of force
ok The answer must be, by educating the
as who would otherwise become recruits
A the ranks of the ignorant" Remove t
Ia cause, and the effect ceases. 1t has be
-, ~ stated, and statistics confirm it. that thu