The new North-west., 1872-11-23

SsDLNsSIIONAL AECTONE-Ou JAOuu0y
evening last. Cornelius Hedges. Esq. Super.
intendcnt Of Public instruction In Montana
delivered ut the Court House in Deer Lodge,
Public Lecture on Educational Interests.
The audience was quite large and composed
mainly Of the parents and guardians Of the
community. The speaker commenced with
review Of education in its broader sense,
the influences Of Nature and Society in dc.
vcloping, moulding and filing to lesser OF
greater completeness each individual, passed
thence to systematic instruction and intel.
iectual cultivation by the adopted system Of
schools, academies and colleges, citing the
testimony Of eminent men Of its wisdom
snd bcneficcnce. The speaker took radical
position on point that Is soon destined to
become an issue in the political world and
declared in favor of compulsory education,
setting forth the proposition that uni.
vcrsal suffrage without universal education
was rock on which the Republic would
strike and ana sink-tliat universal intelli.
gencc and education arc essential to prcservc
the ballot box from the dominion OF dcma.
gogues. and the government from the con.
troll of knavcs. With education. the fos.
tering. cullivating and cnnobl;ng Of the free
school system, With smplcst opportunity TO
those who desire, and compulsion to those
who would not seek its benefits, he had no
fear for the future Of our country. AZ .
matter Of economy alone it il demonstrated
by the statistics that for every dollar cxpcn.
dcd in the maintenance Of good schools
there Is greater corresponding decrease in
crime and its consequent expenses. ue pro.
nounced as the most short.sighted economy
the project Of employing cheap teachers,
sndinstanccd, with deserved commcndation
that by liberslity and earnest desire t. pro-
mote the welfare Of the schools, the Trus.
tees Of Deer Lodge have secured the hest
teachers and have in course of construction
the best School House in Montana. The
speaker alluded TO the School Law of Mon.
tans, not perfect. perhaps, yet continuing
much that Is good, aud giving to each Board
Of Trustees in great measure the latit ude to
establish good schools. holds them to
responsibility for the discharge of their i'm.
portant discretionary powers. He discussed
ut some length the objections urged agsins,
Public Schools. and while admitting tbcil
truth, argued forc,bly against the remedial
method Of establishing selcc, schools fol
children who in life must come in contac,
with all grades of their fellows. and it j.
better that il should be when home influen
Coz have the opportunity and the ability td
inculcatc good morals and sustain the better
qualities. He very earnestly commended
the Free School system in contrast with tht
Academic, and trusted To see in the Public
Schools Of Montana system Of thorough
ness and advance inrbe higher Us well a.
the primary studies that would give TO th'
poorest ss 10 the wealtlicst as sterling ant
complete an education as could be cOnfcrrct
| by institutions Of titled Faculty aud ambi
uous designation. The Lecture Throughout
was clear, earnest. eloquent argument TO
the Public Schools. an incentive and Ell
enlargement to our citizens and the Schoo
Board which we believe will exert bencfi
cent influence. Mr.. Hedges was listenes
to throughout with profound attention ant
the qualification OF the audience handsome.
y expressed ut the close. He designs visit
ing Deer Lodge again, during the term
and II will be . qualification to our peopl
should he again address US on the subjec
on which he is earnestly interested and 4
which Montsnians should be thorough,
alive. No better commendation could b
said of the Territory than that ''ke'''an
has the best system "f subi'c Schools O
any Of .h. Territories" nothing woul'
yield more abundant or exalted benefits
and We arc assured that to sucl, end tn
Superintendent will labor with zeal, enshu
siasm, and tho well trained abilit y 10 pak
| II n vital fact