The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-11-02
A Plan Of State Education.
BY PROF. FoNTAINE.
From the Picay une of October 18th J

is here presented. 1t was prepared for the
State of Texas. after a careful examination of
Denmark, France, England, Scotland and of
the New England States, and presented in
various lectures delivered to the Texas Legis-
lature, while 1 was chaplain of the Senate,
during different sessions. Its leading features
were adopted by the State, and the plan was
working we'll when 1 removed from it in 1859,
although its efficiency was somewhat limited
by the incorporation in the plan of some of
the Objectionable features of the common
school syetems in operation in the older States,
and which, in its incipiency, could not pre-
vent.
1t is based upon the following simple and
just principles, which adapt it to the condition
of independent and enlightened States:
l. 1t is not the duty of a State to teach reli-
gion. The ministers of God, whoever they
may be, are required to teach His truth. A
free State, whose citizens are Jews and Gen.
tiles of many sorts of beliefs, as well as Chris
tians who profess los various forms of faith,
cannot in it's governmental capacity NEEDLE
with their conflicting creeds, or trespars upon
their rights of conscience. Its Legislature
cannot with propriety decide " 10 are orthodox
teachers, or appoint school boards to deter
mine questions of controversy argued by q
constituency so variant in their religious
opinions.
2. 1t is the duty of the State to punish crim-
nails, and to protect all classes of obedent
| citizens in their lawful pursuits, in order that
| they may support themselves and the Govern
ment which they have established for their
common good
3. No State can be stable and prosperous
whose power is in the hands of uneducated
| education, aud for those whom they elect to
represent them, ought to be provided.
a. If this fund is provided by means of tax
alton, or by the sale of public land or other
common property, it belongs equally to all of
| the citizens of the State and to their heirs
who are the children of the State. each one of
whom is entitled to an equal share of it, or of
the educational benefits of it,
.. Where tho dom nion of conscience begins,
the civil power of the State should end 1t is,
therefore, wrong to force a parent to send
! child to q school whose teaching, religious,
or moral influence he does not conscientiously
approve.
| Surprising that an educational fund sufi-
GENTLY ample is in the public treasury with
out discussing the mode of accommodating or of
managing it most efficiently, I will consider
| the question how it can be utilized SO as to
satisfy the judgments and consciences of the
citizens who have paid it for the education of
their children.
Some of those taxed to raise this fund are
Jews who are not willing for their children to
education to becoming either Christians in
fdels. Many of them are Roman Catholics,
| who will not have their offspring trained by
those who despise their igon and who they
fear will endanger their salvation by teaching
what they regard as heresy. Other classes of
citizens belong to organizations of more than
los different kinds of churches religious
communities in this Republic, while others are
skeptics and independent free-thinkers, disso-
ciated from all the rest. Yet majority of
this discordant multitude who compose the
body polite termed the State are parents who
desire conscientiously all their offspring to be
educated, patriotic and useful citizens. They
ought to be supposed to be equally scrupulous
in regarding the dictates of their consciences in
relation to their education. 1t is impious and
tyrannical to coerce them to send their chill
dren where they do not wish them to 60 to re-
ceive their mental and moral training. In ad-
dition to the impractcable element of ortho-
doxy, which has rendered abortive very
inefficient all the plans of State education
heretofore tried in the older States, there is
another disturbing cause with which all our
present plans are troubled, especially in what
were the slave States. 1t is the education of
the children of the emancipated colored peo-
pie. 1t cannot be doubted that they ought to
be educated; and if it is possible for them to
receive it, an education should be given to
them equal to that which is bestowed upon the
white caildren, for they also are the children
of the State. But many conscientious parent Is
would suffer tho extreme penalty of any de-
spotic Ia VS. rather than mingle their chill rem
with those of another race in a common school
l have no time or space to discuss the ques.
ton whether plan of State education should
embrace mixed schools" The plan here pro-
posed will eliminate whatever difficulties in
the way of education they may present, and it
will rid the State effectually of the task OF
meddlirg with the subject of religion aud the
rights OF conscience l think it will be accept
able to all classes of our citizens. and be
equally beneficial to all the children of the
State, no matter what may be their complexion
or parentage. do not fear that any honest
and Intelligent citizen will object to it when
he weighs we'll its impartial Justice aud prac
ticability. 1 am certain that 1t will be adopt
ed ultimetely by every State in the Union, and
| sincerely hope that the next legislature will
enact it.
]. The law should require all minors be
tween the ages of six and twenty -one years &c
he registered in the Office of the Treasurer oil
the State. The usual limit of what is termed
the scholastic age OF these children of the
State is sixteen years This should be eX
tended to twenty one, in order that after they
have left the primary aud academic schools
they may be aided from the fnnd TO complete
their education IN some State college or uni
versty.
2. Make it the duty of the Treasurer, in ad
dition to his annual report of the condition Of
the finances, to report semi ann ally, 10 tn,
Governor of the State, the amount of the edu
cational fund, aud the proportion of it tc
which each minor child of the State is en-
titled, " hich pro rata share shall be uscerta ain
ed by dividing the whole sum by the number
of registered children, which reports shall b'
published.
3. Neither the parents, guardians, nor chill
dreD, nor any other person, shall draw thi
fund, or any part of it, from the treasury, ex