Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-10-30
Written for the Herald
Parents and their Sch OoIS.
NO. xxx.

NO. xxx.
Our children belong to the State.
They must become citizens of this great
republic. And if it is true, as | have as
serted, that the public school alone can
instruct them in what pertains to public
character and public virtue; if here
alone we can hope to give them that
culture and intelligence which are nee
essary to American citizenship, it must
follow that the common school is nee
essity, and that its object will not be ac-
complished until all the children in the
nation shall enjoy its advantages.
just here comes in the plea for COM
pUls0ry education. The necessity for
universal intelligence and virtue to the
perpetuity of a free government was un-
derstood and provided for by our pill
grim ancestors. Their first and greatest
efforts were made in this direction,
They established the public school for
the very purpose of imparting to the
masses gratuitous primary instruction,
and the morality of the bible, but they
failed to see the importance of making
attendance upon these schools oblga-
tory. Hence, thousands upon thousands
of unthinking or ungrateful parents in
every free State in the union have allow
ed their children to grow up in ignor-
ance and vice, to their own injury, and
the peril of the republic.
Conscious of this mistake, and of the
alarming evils resulting from it, several
of our States have already added a com
pulsory clause to their schooI laws. Ana
when the whole American people shall
have reached the same conclusion, and
general law, compelling school at
attendance shall have been enacted, the
task of government will be much easier,
and the results flowing from popular
rule, will be much more hopeful, as the
moral tone of the nation would be eleva-
ted United Germany and Switzerland
owe their greatest strength and security
TO that feature of their laws which COM
pels parents to educate their children,
and such law is equally consistent with
the genious of our own government.
Our school system was established and
has been maintained under the superin-
tendence of federal authorities. We
compel our citizens to pay school taxes,
to build and furnish school-houses, EN-
ploy teachers, and procure books; and
may we net, with as much reason, COM
pei them to allow their children to avail
themselves of the advantages thus pro-
vided? The public veal demands the
school, as a means of safety, and, to the
same end it demands attendance upon
this school. 4 free State has right to
maintain its own freedom by compulsory
laws And hence, it has the right, and
it is its duty to compel intelligence in
every instance where ignorance would
be the result of voluntary action.
And the propriety of compulsory laws
in Republican form of government
may be seen by still further examples
drawn from our own statute books. The
preservation of the State require a mill
tary force which the Executive may raise
and control at discretion. The army and
navy are necessary to repel invasion and
subdue rebellion. And we find provis-
ion made in our laws for either emer-
gency. We not only have a standing
army and navy subject to the absolute
control of our President, but militia
composed of our able-bodied citizens,
who are subject to a compulsory draft to
military service. But is it consistent
with personal freedom, under a free
government, to compel a citizen to
leave his home, his family and his busi
ness to enter upon the hard and danger
Gus service of the camp and the battle
field. for the good of his country, and
not consistent to compel him to educate
his children in the free public school, to
the same end
May we compel child to enter the
State Reform School or House of Cor
rection, and not rightfully compel him
to attend the public school, which may
prevent the crime he has committed?
May we inf1ict severe penalties upon
those who have outraged the community
by their crimes, and not be allowed to
enforce the education of that class of
children and youth from which nine
tenths of all our criminals come? Every
law is an infringement upon the per-
sonal freedom of that citizen who is dis
posed to violate it; but such personal
liberty must be restrained, and such
laws must be enforced as have in view
the good of the State. Our free govern
ment is based upon the principle of free
dom under law. 1t guarantees the right
of every citizen to do as he pleases, so
long as he pleases to do right. 1t
restrains him from doing what is wrong.
so far as that wrong infllcts an injury
upon the State. Judged by this principle
no man has any right to allow his
children to grow up in idleness, ignor-
ance and vice. The State has provided
the opportunity for their free education,
and if they do not improve it, they be-
come source of evil and danger. Idle
ness and ignorance are sure conditions
of vice and crime, and these are elements
of national decay.
1t becomes the imperative duty of
parents, therefore, not only to provide
the best advantages for the education of
their children in free public schools, but
also to see to it that such law is enact
ed and enforced as will insure the edu-
cation of every other mans children in
this neighborhood and State.
PARENs.