New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-27

force. intimidation and assassination. as
election tactics. shall not be successful.
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.
Twelve Of the thirty-seven States Of
this Union have upon their statute books
laws requiring the enforcement or COM
pulsory education of certain of the litter.
ate population residing within the bound
aries Of those States. The States of Now
York and Kansas are the last two that are
about TO try the experiment; that of New
York 20 take effect on and after the first of
January next 1t has been established by
the statistical record. that there is large
portion Of this Union between the ages of
six and eighteen years who are entirely
without education, not being able to read
or write. and who consequently become to
great extent criminals and paupers. FILL
ing the almshouses aud prisons Of the
country.
1t is stated tina. nearly one-half. or
forty-eight per cent. Of all the eonvicts
OF the country can not read OF write.
Being brought up in ignorance. without
the humanizing influences Of the school,
these poor creatures fall naturally into the
habits Of vice and crime. The parents of
these children do not appear to be anxious
or willing that their offspring shall be at.
fordedan opportunity of acquiring an edu.
cation. They ale callous to the obligations
Of society in the midst Of which they are
placed. and thus the children born to
them are left to inherit the poverty and
ignorance Of their parents. II is thus
prepared that these unfortunates go forth
to blight and curse the community upon
which they are thrust. The streets of
our large cities are crowded with this
ignorant population. and every year adds
to the number. The census of our coau.
try shows a large adult population. more
in the Southern States. who can
not read or write, to whom the blessings
OF education would be boon greatly to
be desired. While such a result can not
be Immediately attained. it is possible by
the means of such laws as are now being
passed in the States OF the Union, one
after another. to compel the rising gen.
GRAFTON who. through the obstinacy and
perversity Of an indifferent or brutal
parentage. are prevented from acquiring
knowledge. to have impaired to them
that instruction so necessary aud civilizing
in its results. So far as the experiment.
has been tried. it has proved to be advan.
tageous as we'll as profitable. The gamins
that throng the streets, lanes and dark
holes in our cities should be as much the
object and care Of the community where
they live az more favored children. If
these social waits will not willingly attend
upon the schools prepared for their re.
ception and education. then the means to
accomplish such result should be at
hand. and rigidly enforced.
II is not SO much the fault OF
'hese young Migrants that they are
without the benefits Of an education, as
t is of their vicious parents VINO stolidly
persist in keeping their children away
rom the places where they ought to be.
The greater attendance upon the school
he less will be the accession to the
prisons Of the country. 1t is a fearful
responsibility resting upon the people of
hese States. for the melancholy feature
in the fact that SO large
proportion Of the youth in our prisons
ave been brought there through their
aving been deprived Of the beneficial in
uences of the school. From this cause
hey have fallen into crime from their ear
est childhood, which ended in their in.
and convict life. These
acts have been established by those who
ave given the subject their careful at
ention, and should be we'll pondered
y those who desire to see society puri- |
ed. It should arouse all the humane
the country to still further
xtend the compulsory system Of educa.
on beyond where such laws exist. That
e have public schools is well, but that
Il who ought to attend upon these
leans Of education, do so, is fact that
IN not be controverted, if reliance is to
e placed upon the statistical reports in
slation to that subject.
A significant fact was stated few days
90 as to the relative position Of the
tates Of the Union in regard to homicide.
nd it was found that Texas was the high
st on the list, and Louisiana the third.
mat can be better solution of the
ause Of such state of things than to
" that in Texas schools are unpopular,
ad in Louisiana it is not much better,
18th White Leaguers in embryo benef-
entity assuming to regulate them. Other
outhern States do not seem to be in
uch better plight than the two named
I'd the youth, because of the neglect of
10 school, are left to become burdens
stead OF blessings to society.
If, as has been asserted, our govern
ent is to become permanent and endur-
& through the education of the people,
en- does it not behoove every State to