The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1873-01-31
Cor,,u,sory E.,ucation.

A ATenncssce correspondent of the Coa-
'-;e--Jouraal advosates Com pulsory Edu-
cation thusly; The State should make
provision for the education Of all her por-
ulation, and then make education com.
pl1sory. Those who would leave this
duty to parental instinct alone, fearful
that government may gather into its
hands too many Of the private and per-
sonal rights of the individual, forget that
it does absolutely interfere to protect the
child against the negligence Of The parent.
The line where private right ceases and
public duty begins is not, and can not be
clearly defined. The State has always in
terfered to make the parent feed and
clothe the child. What jeopardy of our
private rights can conc of making him
educate it? These duties are essentially
Of like grade, dignity and character.
Statute law intcriercs TO shield the child
from the improvidence of the testator, and
he can no longer ''cut him off with
Il shilling" True, the parent may make
his will, but he is restricted in this exer-
else to the extent that certain of his prop
erty shall go to the little children; prop
erty exempt by the State to their benefit
and bchoof. Is the bs,iy-of the Child
worth more to society than its immortal
soul? If cares for the zone it must care
for the other. The feeding. clothing and
training of the child are properly left to
to the instinct of natural affection, but
where this virtue is wanting the State says
''you shall Is this a trespass on private
rights: If yea, ;hop has the State been
always a trespasser; if nay, then neither
is compulsory education trespass.
This sort of "compulsion' is nothing new
in theory, but only in application. The
Stat, compels the performance Of each
and every Of those private duties with
which education is especially homogene-
Gus. The State has need of all her chill
dren. She conpels them to train as SOL
diers; let the training commence where
it will avail most. The better the edu-
cation the better the citizen, the better
the saldicr. The spirit of Leonidas lives
again in him whose hear; g,ows over the
historic memories of Thermopyl'e and of
Marathon. There are now and then ex-
ceptions tn the rule exceptions OF rare
physical courage-but, as general thing
in republican government no ignorant
man makes good soldier. He knows
nothing to emulate. Frederic the Great
lived in vain if the lesson he taught the
world a hundred years ago-a lesson
which establishes that the invaded as
fifteen to one before he can hope 10 con-
quer-is no, studied as an example.
Withal, compulsory education works
hardships for no one. To the parent who
is willing to educate bis children, the law
Is in effect a dead letter, for mo law
touches man whore the man is higher
than tie law An educated conn ar;@-
furnishes protection To The Uealtfyws
mere question ofeccnomy they should see
to it that the poor are oducated But il
fear of taxation or il a morbid greed of
gain has blinded the rich to their own in
terests and the States, let the poor men
become the champions of this policy.
They are everywhere the msiority--they
do the largest share of votng--lsi them
say TO the State; My child fights your
battles; educate him.