New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-07-08
COMPULSORY EDUCATTON.

It is just at this season that we may
perceive the flower and fruitage OF the
American idea of good education-that
not only the right and the necessity OF every
person, but, even in this land OF liberty thaC
no one should be permitted to grow up III
ignorance. In some of our States, parents are
Obliged by law to send their children to school
In Others, public opinion is strong enough 10
supply the want of positive enactment lgnor-
ance is felt to be a disgrace, and is guarded
against accordingly by the natural promptihsS
of parental affection. 1t is felt to be III
some sort immoral not to know now
TO read and write. The theory Oh
compulsory education, that it ID neceS-
sary to guard the State against crime
and pauperism, is cheerfully accepted ana
children are sent to school just as naturally
as they are sent to church. Fortunately there
are no economical reasons for different feel
ing. With us the hard necessity does not ex-
ist of making even the youngest member Oh
the family a contributor TO the fund Tor lts
general support. Our nearest approach 10 tniS
unnatural state Of things is III the large manu-
featuring towns; but even here the evil Is
lessened by wise legislation, which not only
the chids time to school, but Furnishes the
employer if he infringes upon the period thus
dedicated TO the acquisition of knowledge
So general, however, is the acqulescence Oh
all classes in the policy and Snecesslty Oh
this course, that we can hardly be said TO nave
ANYTHING like compulsory education. In Eng
land it is different. There the child Is from
its cradle almost labOrer aud producer IL
can toll in the field and the factory and bring
home sixpences to the meager family fund'
We are not surprised to learn, therefore, that
in England all sorts of schemes are employed
by parents to evade the compulsory laws, anu
the fines which follow their intractlOn. Chli-
dren are removed from efficient to inefficient
and non-recognized schools, where regular at
tendance is not insisted upon. A case lately
heard before the Exeter magistrates VIII MUS
trate the matter The mother said her child, aged
about eleven, went to work Her husband only
earned IDS. a week, and out of this she had to
pay 80. Sd. for rent and schooling; ., The little
this son earned, under these narrow clrcum-
stances, was a help to her. What the poor
woman said was reasonable enough. In
certain sense she was right. She and hers
we're struggling against painful odds for
daily bread. Grim want was always besieglng
the door, even if it did not enter her humble
cottage. There was nothing between them all
and starvation save the strictest economy and
the unremitting toll of every member of the
family. Why should not every member ac-
cordngly, the youngest as we'll as the oldest,
help to stave off absolute hunger, houseless-
ness perhaps, and perhaps DEATH What were
a little reading and writing to life itself
These are questions which no theories will
answer. 1t is true that the full fed British
magistrate had no difficulty in dealing with
this case. He had the statute to guide him,
and no followed it. He fined this poor,
struggling woman 2s Cd. It seems hard; it
has tyrannical look; there is in 1t SAVIOR
of despotism. How was this woman to be
made to understand that she who so little
left to sacrifice, must yet make some sacrifices
for the general good THAT it was best, on
tho whole, that she should be thus hardly
dealt with She did not understand 1T then
she does not now; she never will. Yet the
law was right and the magistrate was right,
only there were great wrongs with which
neither had anything to do, interfering with
wise measures, hindering sOundf policy,
and making tho path of prudence
sore and difficult one to walk in-great, accu-
mulated wrongs, messy and venerable, the
noxious crop of many q century of injustice
and error, the perpetual distinctions of bet
ter and more reasonable way Of life. But if
society needs surgery, nothing is gained by
postponing the required operation. Clearly 1t
ia best that all British children should know
how to read and write. The result of that
knowledge may be so benefcent, that in the
next generation little children will be sent to
the school and not to the field and the fac
tory as a matter of course. Meanwhile, there
is the pain and difficulty and doubt which
wait upon all human progress.