Weekly Trinity journal., 1871-08-19
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.


the support of dcnominationnl schools, is worthy
of the warmest commentator. We are not
aware that any political convention of either of
the two great parties, has hitherto embodied the
idea of compulsory education in its platform
and we proud that our State has taken the
initiative in the reformatory movement.
A few months ago we had the pleasure of list
enng to an address, delivered in New York by
Hon. j. j. Mundella, NJ p. for Sheffield. Eng
land, in which that distinguished reformer gave
deeply interesting account of the demoralized
condition of the young people in that country
during past years, and of the happy results pro-
ceeding from the system of constrained attend
ance upon public schools, which had recently
been inaugurated Mr.. NJ gave to Germany the
credit of originating this method and proved
that its thorough execution had immensely en-
hanced the virtue and Intelligence of that ma
tion, and developed alike its civil and military
power.
tits, we presume, not generally realized that
there are about five million children in the
United States who are totally destitute of even
the rudments of education, and who are grow
ing up in vagrnncy and this number is daily
enlarging. Statistics show II fearful increase in
the amount of crime and vice of every descrip-
tion, and in the expense incurred in building
and maintaining State prisons and penitentia-
I res throughout the country. These startling
facts command the serious attention of every
true friend of the Republic. Something must
be speedily done to remove this growing evil or
the nation will be overwhelmed with crime aud
degradation.
In any of our large cities, there are streets filled
with decaying and pestilential tenement houses,
which swarm with human beings young in age
but old in depravity, and from these schools of
! iniquity graduate thieves, burglars aud rascalS
of various grades reinforcing the ranks OF the
unfortunate whose natures are perverted past
reformation. There is another class of young
people, whose parents are in limited crcumsta tan
ces but pursue honest avocations who through
Inconvenience or Indifference neglect to provide
proper instruction Tor them and in consequence
they employ their leisure hours in vicious prac-
tces, aud while retaining an appearance of re-
spectability they become versed in wickedness,
and dangerous to the peace and safety of n com
munity This city in proportion to the number
of IT'S population will almost equal New York in
its haunts of vice and we have feared that it
may become, like the commercial metropolis of
the East, n reproach upon American civilization.
| All systems of instruction hitherto tried
whether secular or religious, have failed to ar
rest this growing evil /; and we should hasten to
adopt the effective method Of our German friends
from whom we have much to learn, and whose
conspicuous success in the educational devel.
opement OF noble people is worthy of emul,,-
| tion.
With this idea engrafted upon our public
school system, upon which much talent and
labor have been bestowed and with National
Department of Education to direct and super
wise its operations, no country will excel our
own in provisions for the Improvement of youth
of Doth sexes.
The instinct of self protection should be sulli.
cient to compel compulsory school attendance
to our favor; for measure not only of hu-
maully but OF economy, it is clearly for the in.
terests of society to educate children, and, If
need be, to clothe and support them entirely,
/
! than spend twice the amount to protect the body
! polite from their depredations. There need be
no conflict between the public and private or de-
nominalonal schools No one desires to force
children into public schools if the parents prefer
to send them to other institutions. But it is
mperatively required that every child shall be
instructed in some school, and this is the ami.
mus Of the important movement now fast gain
! ing in the public estimation.
The Republican Convention emphasized its
admirable resolution upon this issue, by the NOM
ination, for Superintendent of Public Schools,
Hon II. NJ. Boauder, n celebrated scholar of Ger
man birth who has for several years won de-
served laurels as Principal Of the Cosmopolitan
High School Of this city. This significant ac-
ton inspires us with the hope that the new
movement may acquire an impetus which will
spread throughout our country, until every safe
guard of law sustained by healthy public SEN
timent, may be employed to relieved our coun-
try from one of the greatest obstacles to its pros
perly and progress.--S. H. Piebian.
LAWYERS BorHERED.-0ne of the oldest ques-
] L..