Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1872-01-10
-CWrllss1 E1nRfisn.

cwpdlsssy Dassstisn.
Compulsory Education has numerou'
advocates. Professor Wickersham. 10
however. not an advocate of this doe
trine, which has more danger in it to fre'
government than is feen or acknowledg
ed by its advocates. In lieu of the An
ii Republican or Democratic doctrine o
Compulsory Education, the professor
proposes:
'Afler having carefully considered
this delicate and difficult subject, hav,
about reached the conclusion that ",
must firrt do what remains to be done ir
the way Of providing good schoo
grounds. good school houses and .good
teachers for our children, and we have
yet much TO do in this direction; and
then supplement our present voluntary
system by enactment as follows -
First. A judicious truant law.
! Second. A judicious law preventing
the employment of children in mines
manufactures, &C., without some provi
sion for their education.
Third. A law authorizing Boards ol
Directors in cities and large towns to ap'
point and pay, when needed, schoo
missionary. to visit the parents of chill.
dren not in school or attending irregu
larly. and endeavor to secure their at.
tendance.
Fourth. A law 'legalizing. if not re.
quiring, the establishment of home for
friendless or neglected children in every
county in the Commonwealth, and Civ
ing the boards of directors of the several
school districts power to send to these
institutions such children as the safety
Of society might justify being disposed
Of in that way. These homes should
be established, suppsrted and managed
by the same authorities that have the
care Of the almshouses. aided, perhaps,
at first, by appropriations from the State.
They should provide maintenance and
clothing as well as instruction for the
children. They should train the chill
dren up to habits of industry. and when.
ever suitable opportunities presented
Themselves. they should place them in
good families or where they could learn
useful trade.
A compulsory law, even if fully en-
forced, cannot bring into the schools
children suffering for want Of food, cloth
ing or shelter, children who must work
or steal in order to live, children who
have no parents or friends to care for
them; and large proportion of those
growing up in entire ignorance are Of
this class. The county home is just the
place for them, and tens of Thousands
might BY its means be plucked like
brands from the burning" and made
good members of society. have almost
unbounded faith in the effect of good in
Auences upon the character Of the young
l believe most firmly that if all the ig-
norant, vicious boys and girls in Penn
sylvania. could be at once brought into
properly managed homes of the kind
just spoken of, nineteen ont of every
twenty could be made good men and
good women-good members of society.
If society is ever reformed. it will be
done in this way. If the evils we com
plain of and suffer nnder, are ever reno
we'd, rooted out, it will be effected by
the right education of the young.
1t is in favor, also. Of the plan propo-
sed, that it does not disturb the sacred.
ness of the family-a matter so dear 10
the Anglo Saxon race. The S ate VOC
not be called upon to overrule or break
down parental authority, but merely
step in to take the parents place where
children either have no parents or none
that cared for them
! cannot too earnestly press this cub
ject upon your attention and upon the
attention Of all good men.