Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-03-08
THE PROPOSED SYSTEM OF Ma
TI0NAL EDUCATION


the exciting events of the last decade,
somewhat overlooked; but of late there
seems to be an awakening of the pub
lie mind from its apathy in this par
ticular, and, with the impulsivcness
characteristic of the American people
the reaction bids fair to run to a hurt.
ful extreme. Tho first manifestation
of this awakening was a complaint oi
the inefiiciency Of our public school
system. Parents, whose whole time
and thoughts were engrossed by the
pursuit of wealth, left the training Of
their children to the State, and when
they thought them prepared 20 take
positions Of usefulness in life, or as
! ornaments to society, were surprised
TO find them sadly deficient in both
mental and moral culture. Instead
of polished, erudte, earnest-thinking
men, and accomplished, gentle, Iowa
BILE women, the adolescent generation
were found TO be fast young people,
with certain slangy smartness and
free-and easy style Of manners, bdt
with a notable absence of those i'm
proved qualities of head and heart
which alone could make the men good,
honorable and useful citizens, and the
woman tutelary saints of happy homes
i'm both sexes growing irreverence
for all that our fathers and mothers
were wont TO hold sacred, positively
shocking TO the thinking mind of the
old shoo.
The disappointed and disgusted pa.
rent, without rejecting how far his own
neglect of obvious duties was respon-
siblc for the deplorable defects Of the
rising generation, at once arraigned
the management of the public schools,
and finding it in many respects vul-
nerable to censure, rashly condemned
the entire system.
The fault is not in our public schools.
Badly managed as they may be, they
fulfill I'M a great measure the purpose
for which they were instituted, by
placing within the reach of all classes
the facilities for obtaining the rudi
ments of common education. They
were never designed TO do more
Those who expect more Of them labor
under a grave mistake-a mistake
fraught with incalculable mischief
The unwise parent who is deluded
with the idea that the public shools,
common or high, can confer all the
education his children need, discovers
his error only when il is too late TO
remedy il.
Unfortunately for the interests Of
humanity, the troubles of the time
have placed in positions of power and
influence class of political economists
whose zeal in behalf Of universal edu-
cation far outruns their discretion
These enthusiasts, by their extrara-
CANT iauuatlon OF what is miscalled
our "system of popular education" I"
have created in the public mind an cx.
aggerated idea of its functions, and
when it has become apparent that the
great expectations they have encour-
aged cannot be realized, instead ofad-
mitting the fallacy of their views,
they have attributed the failure 10 the
depravity of the people in not avail
ing themselves of the profIered bles-
sins, land the remedy they benevolently
propose is compulsion.
Compulsory education, entirely at
variance as it is with the spirit Of free
institutions, and repugnatit to all Re-
publican feelings, is becoming rapidly
familiarized to the popular mind. 1t
has been gravely discussed and found
respectable advocacy in the meetings Of
our teachers institutes; influential
journals have recognized it as being
"on the cards for the futures" New
England Senator and Radical leader
has announced it as the great measure
of the dominant party-the objective
point TO its "new departure and, to
crown the whole, il has within few
days been sprung upon Congress, in
the shape of bill for national sys.
TEN of education. In view Of these
facts, il is certainly time that public
opinion should be aroused 10 the IN.
vestigation of the subject. To raise
at once the warning inquiry of"whith-
er are we driftiugl Z" in this matter,
becomes the special and imperative
duty of the press.
That compulsory education is i'm
practicable in this country, and in.
compatible, in any country, with free
government, seems to be susceptible
of easy demonstration The example
of Prussia now so admiringly cited by
its advocates, should really be the
strongest argument against it. Only
under the most despotic of European
governments could the system be on.
forced, and the fruit il has borne is as
opposite TO Republicanism rs anything
that could well be imagined-no less
than the consolidation of number of
petty monarchies into powerful i'm
perial despolism, with the assertion
of the ''dvine right Of kings, and the
denial of the capacity of the people for
sell-government as its cardinal prinei-
pies.
To dispel the illusion Of this national
scheme il is only necessary to inquire
what constitutes education. The mere
acquisition of knowledge is not educa.
tion-still less the smattering ofknowl-
edge acquired by the transient attend
ance, voluntary or compulsive, upon
the best of public shools. A reference
TO the dictionary would evidently be
of service TO some of the fippant ad.
vocates Of the compulsory system
Webster gives this definition "Edu-
cation comprcbends all that series Of
instruction and discipline which is in.
tended to enlighten tho understand.
ing, correct the temper, and form the
manners and habits of youth, and fit
them for usefulness IN their future
stations. To give children good edu-
cation in manners, arts and science is
important to give them a religious
education Is indispensable, and an i'm
mense responsibility rests on parents
and guardians who neglect these
duties"
In the light of this dofnition--and
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