Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-03-16
THE EDUCATORS-THE RIGHT
TO EDUCATE.

Few men will deny that an educating
force is an actual demand of human soci-
ETY.. No thoughtful man would for a mo-
ment separate the family from a system of
instruction which at once insures its hap
piness-nor would it take away a system
Of rules which protect its individual men,
bers. Even public security demands these
things. The family is the unit of society.
The unit is the basis of the whole social
edi6ce. Its stability depends upon the
principles imbibed, and the kind of in
struction received around the hearthstone.
Every child sent out into society "with
evil thoughts intent"-with uncomfortable
desires and passions is but a disturbing
influence which will do a vast amount of
mischief and hinder much good. When
the parental arm is palsied society sus-
tains a dreadful shock.
Since these are the inalienable rights of
every family. society must gather up all its
wisdom and throw around each family the
strongest possible means of protection
must secure the enjoyment of these rights
for they are indeed its oscn elementary
principles and dearest rights. The strong
est possible means of protection is the
full enjoyment of life, freedom and all
the means of happiness-not only to each
family but to each individual member of
that family. The first of these may be
very easily secured. The second is, in
some sense, dependent upon the third, for
how can a man be free until he has learn
ed of all his powers. Whatever then, will
facilitate the use of individual powers in
the right direction lisa means of happiness,
and whatever is a means of such happi-
ness will tend to insure freedom. A pro-
per education will facilitate the use of in
dividual powers-and these will reach out
after freedom in its deeper, higher mean
ing. If these be true the family has a
right to such enjoyment. If it has a right
there must be a corresponding obligation.
for there can never be a right without
such obligation-if there be an obliga-
tion it certainly rests upon society at large.
There is never an obligation where there
are no possibilities. Society, then, by
the necessities Of the case, By moral obi
qdtion is made an Educator.
What is society that it is thus made
such a responsible creature? Simply an
organized community-hence a State. 1t
is argued that the means of this educa-
ton are not withheh even when the State
does not provide a system of education
that parents are educators of the children
and the professional teacher. the instruc-
tor and that the State has nc such care.
A sterner logic thar the world can frame
the logic Of events, denies the truth of
such an assertion. How many parents
have not the means to educate their chill
dren? Without it these grow up and go
out into society. without it they enjoy the
high privileges of American citizens, and
without it, as history proves, they multi
DIV crime and ~unsettle the foundations of
good government. The history of our
own State will prove that wherever intel
ligence prevails the good order of society is
more easily preserved. Nay further. it
will prove that the punishment of crime,
which the want of intelligence has bred.
has cost the State far more than it has
ever paid for educational purposes.
Every child in the whole commonwealth
must be educated. Teachers are not
philanthropists, though they are too often
regarded as such. When well paid their
labors are still unrequited. They cannot
be expected to gather up all the destitute
children and educate them for nothing.
No doubt, they have willing hearts and
ready hands but the work is too great
The State must stand up against this ele-
ment of its own weakness.
The good of society demands that the
| State should foster education. There can
be no such thing as good society without
at least a stable form of government. His
tory declares that a virtaOus intelligence
is the surest basis of government,-and
that intelligence without virtue defeatsthe
| object of education, and virtue without IN
! telligence ssdies amid its worshippers."
The two must 60. and be taught together
and it is the duty and the right of the State
to foster these that it may preserve its own
vitality. There is no surer and better
way of doing this than in providing a
system of education which will insure the
teacher a remuneration for his services.
Then he can 90 quietly about his work
with the assurance that his wants will be
supplied while he will have the means
of preparing himself for the most resron-
| sible work which has ever fallen to the
lot ofindividual man. Then the poor man s
child need not grow up in Ignorance,
but can be made a power of good. His
soul freed from the bondage of weakness
by the work of the teacher weaves a beau
ty about his every action and freights his
whole life with such meaning that he, in
| stead of the State, is the benefactor. Mo-
new spent for the education of the young
is nobly spent. 1t may free mind and