Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-12-20
pusLrc SCHOOLS.

Nearly all our State exchanges have
more or less TO say on the subject OF
education, and with few exceptions come
to the front directly in favor of an adc-
quate public school system. We are
glad to find such an array of influential
journals on the right side Of the ques
ton, and hope that none will be found
month hence to discourage the great
movement. For once let US drop poll
ties and unite in the great work of set
ting the State on the Highway of true
prosperity, which can only be based on
intelligence. We are ready to strike
hands with any one who favors free and
liberal education. 1t appears from the
ninth census that there are in Tennessee
7O,5l0 illiterate minors from ten to IF
teen years Of age, and 6s, AS from fifteen
to twenty-one years Of age; making
total of minors who cannot read or write,
I3S, 955. The number of male adults
who cannot read is 93,940, and of
females l32,O73; total, 225, Alb; which,
added to the minors, makes 64,6b0.
These appalling figures have, no doubt,
increased considerably since the census
was taken. Is it not full time, when
nearly four hundred thousand of our
people cannot read newspaper or a
sign board, to do something toward edu-
cating,the masses? These men are voters
and the boys soon will be, and the fe-
males are or viii be the mothers Of the
generation to succeed us. They all
have minds to be impressed with some
thing good or bad. If educated, they
will become good citizens and ornaments
to society; if left to grow up wild and
ignorant, they will be fit material to carry
ont the social revolutions and civil
strifes that often destroy the founda-
tons of good society and sometimes
overturn governments. They grow up
naturally prejudiced against the rich,
the thrifty classes and the educated, and
delight to bring down with physical
force those who are above them socially
and in intellectual culture The tables
of crime correspond closely with the
ts5les Of illiteracy. For instance. |
Tennessee is second for litter
acy in the Union and third
for homieides, without reference to
comparative populations. Without pub
lie schools our jails and penitentiaries
will always be full to overlooking, and
reckless politicians viii ever lead the
untutored masses to vote against the
rights aud interests of those who own
property and pay taxes. But educate
them and they will at once have an am
bition to acquire property and social
position for themselves, and thus be-
come citizens in broad, progressive
sense. A first-class school system win
be followed by enterprise, manufacto-
ries, immigration, influx Of capital, in
creased value of property, and all the in
dustrial interests Of the State will be de-
veloped; energy will take the place Of
lethargy, and onr once proud State will
assume more than her ancient glory and
prestige. But from this side of the pic
tue we are not unmindful Of the strait
ened financial condition Of the State.
This is a practical question to be Crap
pied by the Legislature. The difficult
ties are great, but so are our educational
necessities. And il we do not provide
means and system to give all the chill
dren of the State at least common ed
ucation, the people may rest assured
that the Federal Government viii do il
for US at our expense.
-a-o-n HA.