Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-02-08
shores Of the Penobscot Indians, and for 9th.


to amend an act providing for the appoint
ment of recorder of the police court of Ban
gor, approved March IA, 1856.
FINALLY PAssED.-Resove in favor of the
Bangor Childrens' Home; resolve in favor OF
Charles S. Page.
On motion of Mr. LORD, the bill to provide
for compulsory attendance on schools was
taken from the table, the question being on
passing the same to be engrossed.
Mr.. HATCH Of Bangor said:
Mr.. SPEAKER; / have not had time to give
the bill before us that consideration its impor-
lance demands, but with such an examination
as have been able to make, l cannot give it
nv support. A law of this character has new
err been enacted in any State in this Union,
save Massachusetts, and if am rightly in
formed in that State it is a confessed failure.
The law is in advance of public sentiment,
and, unless public opinion favors it, compul-
sorry education must be dead letter: and
where public opinion is so educated as to ia
vor it, there is no need for the measure.
Compulsory education may do for Prussia and
the German States, but here in a republic
like ours, believe it is not demanded in The
interests of education. The real question for
us to consider is whether the educational con-
dtion of the citizens of our State requires
such law as the one under discussion, and
whether there is any advantage to be gained
for the cause of education over the voluntary
system to which we have been SO long accus
toned. / do not believe that the leading
friends of education in this country are in ia
vor Of the compulsory system. will read q
short article taken, / think, from a leading
educational periodical, the National Teacher
The article is as follows
The voluntary system, when supported by
appropriate agencies, reaches the people as
efficiently and effectively as a compulsory
system. Before l can favor the enactment of
o general compulsory law in this country, /
wish to be satisfied that it will help us. l am
not sure that the enactment Of a law that chill
dren between six and elve or between six and
fourteen, shall attend school three months in
year, would not decrease the aggregate of
school attendance. It would set up a stand
ard which hundreds of families would accept
as the measure of their highest duty 10 their
children, and hence they would be sent to
school a less number of years than they now
attend, through the influence Of teachers and
those who are endeavoring to elevate the pop
ular standard of education and secure a lon
ger attendance in school. 1t is believed that
American youth attend school more years
+, than those accustomed to the compulsory
| standard. While, therefore. l grant the
| State plenary power to establish and admin
| lister compulsory system, l have serious
I doubts respecting the efficiency and necessity
of the measure | find myself clinging 10 oul
American system of voluntary school attend
ance, and if we will only take care of the
truants and Migrants, those children who are
! moral orphans, without parental care and con-
! troll, if We rescue and educate these, think
! We may trust little longer to this grand vol
untary system, planted by cur fathers and
consecrated by their prayers"
ts taf | :
read, are entertained b. educated men who
have given the subject of compulsory educa-
ton much thought and attention, we may we'll
| hesitate before adopting such bill az the one
| before the House.
Mr.. CoRrHELL said that the first question
which arises, is compulsory attendance need
full? That it is needful, even in Maine, New
England and the West, is indicated by the
almost universal admission of men in every
State who have the public education
under their supervision. The gentleman (Mr.
Hatch) was mistaken, in saying that no form
of compulsory attendance cxists-except in
Massachusetts,. There are other States in
the Union that have such laws upon their
statute books. II is found that the illseracy
Of New England is largely increasing. We
! have in Maine large number of male adults
who are not able to read and write, that in
| any closely contested election hold the bal
ance of power in their hands, and inasmuch
as it is an admitted axiom that "intelligence
is necessary to the exercise Of self govern
ment," and inasmuch as it is fact that
every man who goes to the polls and votes,
does not simply do the &C. Of voting, but the
act of governing, the question is, is a man
who is utterly unable to read and write,
competent to exercise this grand privilege of
American citizenship, the privilege of gov
erning his fellow menp There are over two
million of hale citizens over twenty one
years of age within the limits of the United
States, who can neither read or write. ey-
Guiding the citizens of color, and this number
is yearly increasing. Is this safe condi-
ton of affairs? Another need of education.
Look at the report Of our Reform School for
the past year. 1t shows that more than 50
per cent. of the boys committed to that school
were not able to write their names. We are
expending 1000 year for the support of
those boys. Is it an institution that is profit
able? Eighty per cent. of the criminals COM
mitted to the jails and penitentiaries in New
England during the last two years have been
unable to read and write. Ninety per cent,
of the number committed to the jails and PEN
etentaries of New England during the last
five years have had no education that enable
them to obtain a decent and honest living.
Are these arguments in favor of some system
that shall reach this sore in the body polite
Does this predicate any want in our cities and
larger villages, of some means by which we
can rescue these brands from the burning !:
Does it commend itself as question of dol
lars and cents to the good sense of this House !?
The only ground upon which he (Mr. Cor
thell could be taxed TO educate his neigh
hors' children was, first, upon the ground of
pecuniary policy. Which costs less, taxing
him to educate the children of his neighbors
or to take care of them when they are pau
pers or criminals? Secondly, upon the
ground of good citizenship. The State has q
right to demand that these children shall be
educated until they have the ability TO make
good citizens, for without this citizenship, the
State goes to the wall, and so it becomes a
matter of self-defence. II he was taxed to
educate the children Of his neighbors, he had
right to demand that they shall be edu
Gated.
The bill was objected to on the ground that
such law will create a new crime. Every
criminal law in the New England States, ere
ates crime. In state of barbara ism crimes
are unknown 1t is only when you approach
civilization that crime is recognized as such.
Stealing is not crime among barbarians.
IaER Il. II.