Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1873-10-29
COMMON SCHOOLS.

COMMON
The attack on the public school sys-
tenn of this country. which has lately
been renewed In certain quarters, has
called forth indignant remonstrances
from all non-sectarian and many re-
ligious journals. BY the majority Of
our citizens, the system Of free schools
now obtaining In America, b justly
regarded as the most permanent basis,
the surest foundation Of our Republic
can institutions. The principle, that
in the general diffusion Of rudimentary
knowledge, and the education Of the
masses, lies the stability Of u system
OF selfgovernment, has been so fully
recognized and decided. that In many
States laws providing for the compul-
sorry attendance Of all children be-
tween certain ages have been enacted.
Nevada has a statute OF this nature and
1t Is being generally enforced with,
we are informed, most satisfactory re.
suits. The efforts to break down our
system of popular education have not,
until very recently. been openly made.
But within the last few months a siren;
nous and apparently united effort has
been put forth In this direction. The
method In which 1t Is to be accom-
plished Is simple, yet the reasoning
subtle. 4tS-
1t is proposed to divide the public
school moneys, derived from whatever
source, and to give to certain, or all re-
ligious denominations which will take
upon themselves the responsibility Of
educating children born In their faith,
or whose parents have embraced their
creed. or desire their children to do so.
m amount proportioned to the num-
Der of children educated. The result
Of such a course Is plain to every one.
It would so segregate and fritter away
our common school moneys rs to rem
der them comparatively useless for the
purpose contemplated. In every CON-
munity we find a variety Of religious
beliefs, and a large number Of people
without any fixed creed. This proposed
division would have the plain effect OF
giving to that sect which, In a given
community, should happen to con-
troll the largest number Of chill.
dren, opportunities superior to others,
render their schools more thorough,
thereby popularlze them at the ex-
pense Of the other classes, ultimately
destroy all opposition, and monopo-
lie the moneys collected for general
educational purposes. Suppose for
instance, that in a given community
there are 800 children. or these a hun.
dred have Catholic parents, eighty are
Methodists, seventy are Episcopalians,
fifty Baptists, twenty Presbyteriahs,
a hundred non-believers, and the re.
mainder are diffused among a dozen
other sects. Apro rata distribution o.
public moneys would give the sec
having the largest following a man
ifest advantage. Having more money
it could provide better schools, and
would inevitably draw to itself acces.
slons from the n-believers. Bul
what in such case would the Baptist
or the Presbyterian children do? The
money apportloned to them would be
insufficient to provide proper educa.
tlonal facilities and would be com
paratively useless. still worse would
be the case Of those sects whose numer.
ical representation of youth was less
than these mentioned ; they would be
utterly unprovided for. For a general
system Of education, for schools pro-
vided with all the facilities for in.
struction which the aggregated school
fund would obtain we would have a
half-dozen schools, poorly equipped,
both with mechanical appliances and
rs to intellectual instructors.
But above all these details there Is q
higher and more powerful reason fol-
IN adherence to our present system,
Putting aside the fact that It affords
facilities to the poorest, the humbles,
citizen Of this great nation to educate
his children in all necessary and prac.
tical learning; overlooking the truth
that wherever in the nation this sys.
tenn has been carried out, we find
higher order Of citizens, Intelligence
more universally diffused. and patri.
otism most strongly lntrenched; ever
forgetting that to-day. throughout the
world the American system OF educa.
ton Is not ouly favorably known, bul
Is obtaining recognition BY progressive
governments and rulers; we say put,
ting all these behind us. we still face
the simple and unanswerable fact thal
justice to the minority demands ths
continuance Of the present system,
and IL possible. the still more obstinate
truths that secular education has naughl
to do with religious belief; that reli
glous instruction should be separate
and distinct; that Church and State ar,
not identical, and that this Govern,
ment in all it, dealings recognizes nc
distinction between creeds. We are
glad to believe that the effort to breal
down our common school system II
not likely to succeed. Alta very large
meeting In the Cooper Institute,
New York, yesterday, It was proposed
to urge the adoption Of an amendment
to the National Constitution which
should so recognize the common school
system as to render nugatory hereaf
ter all attempts to pull it down. II !.
time that this was done, and we hope
to see the matter pressed upon the at.
tention of.Congress next Winter. Free
and general education Is the best guar.
sntee for the future of America, and
we believe that the system Of common
a.hnol, .o, o-,t~- M