Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-04-08
Letters from the People
Reply to Farmer. :"

Eaply TO "Earner
Editor Spectator:
If ''it costs no labor and
needs no intellect to pronounce the words fool
ish, stupid, dull, odious absurd, ridiculous,
it is likewise easier to ridlcule an opponent than
to answer his arguments. But, as Dr. Blair
observes, ''rdicule is far from being test OF
truth - and do not choose to engage In a
contest of bandying insinuations and personal
tiles with one protected from similar attack
by his impersonal anonymous No discourtesy
was intended in my former reply to Farmer,
and yet he who charges another with publish
ing false state nents is not usually regarded as
being entitled to much courtesy at the hands OF
him who refutes the accusation.
Lest silence should be construed into an ad
mission of the correctness of Farmers cal
cuIation in his first article. undertook In my
reply to explain that the comparison between
the cost Of public and private education should
be made by considering the cost per month,
per pupil, enrolled in the pubic schools and
per pupil subscribed in private schools. | am
as willing to compare the cost of those in ave-
rage attendance in each case, and Farmer"
cannot obscure this point, and with his long
sheep story, draw wool over the eyes of his
neighbors so as to prevent their seeing it. If
they had been 10 the habit of paying only for
every day each child actually attended school,
then it would be fair to consider only the av-
erage attendance in public schools. But
Farmer objects to the subtraction, before
this calculation is made, OF certain sum, the
bulk Of which was consumed in the construc-
ton of school houses, making desks, &c. Now,
if the children, like sheep consuming their food,
had eaten the houses, desks, etc, the point OF
his argument would have been as sharp as that
of his wit
The greater economy of public school system
over private schools is generally conceded, even
by those who oppose it on other grounds, and it
admits of proof that the money expended on
private education, under the old regime, would
be sufficient, under public system, to give a
common school education to all the children in
the State.
While weighty and unaoswerable arguments
might be adduced, showing the right Of the
State to educate, not only declined entering
upon that discussion, but attempted to prove
the folly Of anyones undertaking it-that it
was resisting the inevitable. In this connec-
tion, another incident in the life of Paul might
be appropriately recalled. As he was journeying
to Damascus, tor the purpose of prosecuting
unto the death" any he found of this (new)
way" suddenly he was struck to the ground
and he heard a voice saying, ''it is hard for
thee to kick against the pricks.
The following words occur In farmers last
article
Farmer had undertaken to show that there
were certain 'indubitable and inalenable' rights
of the citizen-among them the right to train
and educate his child that the State could
not interfere with. Now to have had this po-
sition entirely and thoroughly overturned and
demolished, according to the old logic-by Eos
ter, for example-would have required at least
a column Of close, compact and torcible argu-
ment, sc"
| not only cheerfully admit all that ''Far-
mer'' has said Of John Foster, the '.'author
who had great reputation for the ezcellency OF
his writing in the Gays when Pike exercised
uncontrolled sway over arithmetical studies, ]"
but go further in acknowledging him to have
been far ahead of bis own age, and even Of
some in the present age. especially in his
clear argument setting forsh the duty of the gov
ernn,eut to provide for the education of the mass
es. am happy in being able to refer Far
mar'' TO the essay ''On Popular Ignorance, I"
hv John Foster-a writer whose logic cannot be
osinsaid or regarded as ''saliatory," and who
devoted not merely q column, but whole VOL
nrne to the impor tance OF popular education,
particularly in its bearing on the religious inter-
ests of the people, combating the idea that ed
ucation units the lower classes for the position
which they must needs occupy, &c, &c
| c0ugratulate yuAt NAA- II yOuE EGSUSrS
and myself, upon the existence of the above es-
saw. since it relieves me from the official du-
ty'' of filling whole page of your valuable
naper, for calculating according to the Single
Rule of Three of Pike or Davies, if one para
graph of Farmer demanded in reply at
least column Of close, compact and forcible
argument" then his column and quarter
would require moro than page.
Besides it is usually considered as incumbent
on the one makiog an assertion to prove it, in-
stead of the defendant 5 having to prove mega
tive.
Concluding therefore, will say, that the
economic argument in support of public
schools though generally admitted and though
strong one, especially in the present condition
of our finances, is by no means the most forci-
BILE to my mind. From two years experience
as County Superiu 1endent, am satisfied that,
in the country, the peculiar advantage which a
public system of education, we'll supported,
possesses over private system or no system, is
in the facilities it affords for the training and
improvement of teachers, such as normal
schools, teachers institutes, &c., &c-advanta-
ges which are never enjoyed under private
system and good teachers make good schools.
J. E. GUY, G. s. s.