The New York herald., 1873-01-20
ENFORCED EDUCATION.

The Value OF Education rs Qualihca.
tion OF Citizenship-The Uneducatesf
Glass Not the Most Dangerous-COmpul-
sory Education IncOm patible with Our
Institutions and Civillxa ion-Prfest.
craft Brought Back-Our school system.
Not q Failure-The Machinery Theory
Of Progress.
The Rev. ]. N. Pullman, OF the Church of ()ur
Saviour, delivered the second lecture OF the seres
on ''sOclal Problems" at Lyric Hall, Sixth avenue.
last evening, to large and attentive audience, tho
subject being ENFORCED Education Z.
In opening the reverend gentleman proceeded
to consider the true value OF education, first, a.
means Of individual progress, and, second, az q.
qualification for citizenship. As means OF prog
ress its value is the greatest but as qualifications
OF citizenship it IL 0ver-estimated by those who
favor o compulsory education. In substantial
ing this he called attention to the fact that the
statistics show that but thrtythree per cent Of the
criminal class Is ierate out Of the entire citizen.
ship Of the State Of New York but six per cent il
iterAte 1t is not the uneducated class that is the
most dangerous in citizenship.
THE CLASS MOST DANGEROUS
to our political institutions Is that OF the educated
schcmers for power and wealth. The class which
refused to vote when New York most needed the
vote OF every true man was not the Illitcrate one
II feducated men were best qualified for citizenship
certainly all possessing education would exercise
that first duty Of good citizen and vote. with
these qualifications upon the value Of education the
speaker proiessed himself in favor OF the widest
reach offt-even Of an enforced education but one,
enforced Dy public opinion rather than by legal en-
actment.
idea OF compulsory education Ia so taking. First,
because when duty has been neglected for long
second, 1t promises swecpnc reform thir, Il \,
done for u.s. and we are relieved OF all RESPONSE
Iility-the government takes it or our hands. But,
though this idea OF compulsory educ6 ton Is thus
taking he regarded the reasons against 1t as con-
trolling, and proceeded TO enumerate them. 1t ls,
he said,
LEGIsLATING BACKWARD,
ana admitting That the people are not equal to
inc inc antes th 0i selgpvernent Again. it Is exceed;
world has just decided that the State must not,
teach religion and Tor the same reason the state
should not compel education. The functions OF
government in this age are not carried on under
the Old paterna idea OF control In every relation OF
how to do for himself and protecting him mean
while. But II Is claimed that this is q measure Of
sELF-PREsERvATiOS.
If so more direct measure would be law COM
pelilng every man to vote THIS would be no,
greater infringement . OF private S rgs and as the
educated, the desired end would be more surely
gained There is m, no proc, tnat tns law II enacted
The truth Is government interference is not neces
sary. our school system has not proved failure.
Mr.. Beecher said In q recent discourse on this sub
ject, 'sThe masses are demanding TO be taught to
think.n II So, no compulsion Is necessary He
thought that the chief argument In favor or COM
pusory education. Is drawn from anomalous COM
munities like great Cities Every great city is alb
Its condition foy the whole country. We are In an
abnormal connition here on account OF the great
innux OF emigration and the CONSEQUENT large
tlhterate population. But for such a conditions
special legisatou n required aud not one applied
To the wh0e country. But legal cnactment5 In the
matter Of education would not stop there. The
government says we have u right to educate men.
10 De good citizens. VINO Is to Judge rs TO what
constitutes good citzcnf Why, the government
OF course And so 1t has the right to prescribe the
text books aud the course to be pursued In order
10 form good citizen. And so we shall 70 back
TO the condition In Prussia, where all private
schools were abolished and the government con-
trols all that relates to education, or In China,
where everything 10 be taught the child is laid
ernment Will be taught, whatever It's character.
Itis
PRIEsrcRAFT BROUGHT BACK AGAIN.
In considering the practical working of CON-
pulsOry education he thought the tendency would
be to change the character OF the great educating
become mere government ofncisls and only respon-
sibe to It, an6 the same evils would creep In as In
oil governmeu ~ Offices. Thc teachers now exrend
all their Ingenuity and ability In their proiess;on
because IL II necessary. But the change would
take the spring or life out Of them. Again the law
would destroy one OF the most valuable forces in
our system OF civilization, the sense OF respon.
education OF his children And finally, our wbole
theory OF political progress Is based upon controi
not by law hut by public opinion, and II we once
CONTINUED ON NINTH PAGE,