The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-02-13
Communications.
GALLIrzrN, Feb. 3. 1874.

our present frt.C, scTI,yr,i SYSTEM If Won allow
me the kindness of few lines In your journa
/ from the pen tshOuld rather say pencil of one
VINO has no cducatou-I mean in scientific
branches-save and except W hat he ACQUIRED al
the common school, You will much oblige.
4 Up 70 the present time / have ever been a
strong advocate OF free schools, which have
/ favored Tor the following reasons: First, be-
cause to them am indebted for what little
know ledge of letters possess, and for which
am very thankful. Secondly, the poor and the
rlch are on AN equality so far as the teaching
IS concerned. This made me strong in favor
of free schools, fcr we so seldom see the poor
end the rich placed on equal footing. Thirdly,
feei satis nci that many child was tauS at 10
read write, solve problems in arithmetic
may say, got IL common school edUcation-wtiO
would doubtless know nothing of these branch
rs tall OF which are hiJhly uSefUt4 had there
been no free schools Notwlthstanding say
ALI this in their favor, cannot close Iay eyes
worse Boys are now the old men. ard very
bad old men too as general thing Not long
since, hers IN our own village, boy TOD ms
father for an old fool To uund his own business
when ne chas;isrd him for some miSd"mcanor.
CurstnE, hasphC my, drunkenness aud rIhtinB
are the leading chara etc. Stcs of our boys ter
being schooled in our free schools for, alas
re have no others in our midSt. nearly all of
whom seem to have no fear OF either God or
mar. l do not wish to he understood as rcau-
Ing all the free schools i'll our state or county.
/ merely speak OF this place.
Viewing this condition of society, cannot
but think there must be something wrong In
my opinion il is the moral and religious train
ing or youth that is indispensable necessary to
IN axe good citizens, but, alas is lost sight OF in
or public school. This fact thiI k every cun-
cid man will admit.
Another objection will make is this: EveI Y
Roman Catholic believes that he is in duty
bound before q cd to give his child rel 9iOuS
cducation-thRt to have him or her taught 10
read, write, etc, will not 10y any means clear
his conscience. Therefore ii is To my mind
simply unjust to compel any man To pay taxes
to support schools when his conscience and
the Cpty which he hetierys he owes to God and
his religious convictions forbid him to send his
child ~hero religions OF all kind are by law for
biddo1 to he taught. And the same reasons
VIII apply equally TO PrOtestants, OF whatever
denomination. Any man with the least spark
or religion Win freely admit that education
without reilelon is fare" and dciuslOn- II
we pcrscvere in this mode of teaching, our
children and our bonStcd free country must
cvontun'ly tall back into iniidelity ana barbnr-
IN. We must not lose sight OF those divine
words; The fear OF the Lord is the begin ing
uf WISDOM" ''HTain up child i'll the way he
should go. and when he Is old he will not de-
part from it,
liSiOuS instruction is of the greatest import
uncc, Why not ha We * I'm parted to the child at
school? Why have them Taught reading, writ
inv etc. which are only secondary considera-
tions. and leave the great lC0Iis To be done BY
the Tar. MT after ha vIng taken his money with
the propis OF making his chiid a good citizen,
VIII ca he can never be without religious in
structionr
[ held to the opinion that every man who is
the father OF children has the privueEe-aye,
the unduubted right-to educate his offspring
as he thinks proper.
What start 'es me the most--1 may say what
causes me to trespasS again on your columns
cy. G 0v. HHrtUantt, in his message to tbs Gen
eral Assem- bly,, that n law should be enacted
III
children to the free schools. Oh, IiheltBi art
tiInIt NOR going {" d'S.rf uSf for one protest
against such n usurPation Of my rights as the
faI her of children
We have these schools established by law.
ana the question now Is. how a;-e we to get rid
OF them when we iiud they do not answer our
purpose! II cannot abolish the system,
towns where they can he divided without doing
any injury, their amount OF tax AMI let them
select their GHn teachers and conduct their
own schools? This would be justice 10 Cntho-
lies. We'll do the advocates of free schools
know that thousands of d~lIars are collected
from poor Catholics to support free schools
to which they do not send pupil, out main
tain their own schools as best they can Lex
ingtOn, KY, has set an example in this partc-
ulur. May Pennsylvania do likewise.
do not wish to enter into discussion on
this subject, NOS do think myself Competent
already stated. graduated at a conn mon school
however, who may feel inclined to take part in
the discussion of the free school systenl, | re
Tnd,,'~ Journal. and also article III thai pa
per or Jan. 3lst. uIJimn- Where the editor OF
the iou. nal rrfcrred to graduated l AIN not,
however, prepared To say. +. j. 4.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Feb 8, ssh.
MIR Enron 1 noticed in your excellent pa
per of Jan. 28i communication signed "Eb
cusburg." in which the writer ably and inge-
piously defended his vicws Of morality in onr
public schools; but think the writer Of tI.at
communication Gid not fully comprehend the
views OF those who oppose The pre- sent public
sch Nul system, aud thus his conclusions were
formed and matuTed from a mistaken stand
point. Many oppose the present school system
because their children do not receive in school
the religious Instruction they desire them To
receive. The pupils of oar public schOols can
not be regarded as immoral. for they are gem
erally moral, those who arc immorh being ex-
ccpriOns merely to the rule. II )ralty may
exist Indcpendent of all religious instruction.
but Washington said, Let us with caution in
Gulge the suppOstion that morality can be
maintained without religion, and BuckmIn-
ster said, Religion will attend you Il useful
and pleasant companion in every proper place
and every temperate occupation OF life" The
sNs.I lirlFNV
claim that they are moral. Morality is and can
be maintained by proper religious training,
is what many parents are now Demanding. not
as favor, but as an undOub bted right for their
children. This desire of many parents cannot
be ratified in the public schools without vio-
latiOn of school law Religion includes a be-
revelation of His will to man, in mans obliga.
ton to obey His commands, in future state OF
reward and punishment, and in mans account
4 lblilty and also true moral Godiiness' or plety
of life, with the practice OF moral duties, for
the practice OF moral duties without "a belief
in GCd, and without reierence TO tls VIII or
commands, Is not religion. Now this Is TeII-
gion defined ty Webster. Thus we see that
true morality ana reIlglon are assocl'tteS, ana
are not to he separated. Now what becomes
Of the moral motto school training received by
pupils in our public schools, SD0ken OF by your
EDcnsburg 2 Religious in
,truction cannot be given Ia our public schools
IS now regulated by law; and this is the true
reason why many oppose the present school
system, aud this is the real standpoint OF op2o-
,ition from which the defenders OF the system
should derive their conclusions.
Now thi- contention and RrievOus annoyance
,an be annihiatCd by establishing denomina-
-iOnaI schools. Let each denomination build
Is own school houses and educate the children
lf al parents who send to them as they see
proper. and then parents can have their twigS
Or branches religiOusly inclined If they wish
md when the twigS or branches arrive AT full
bloom they are not likely to forget the reII- |
rious instruction in early youth, rs we arc lu-
'ormed that first Impressions last longest and !
Christ snid, Suffer little children to come unto
ne, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.
rhen each denomination can teach the children /
he way to obtain Gods favor and bounty ana !
!ow to avoid Gods dispeasure and PUNISH /
nent.
Some may say that the children of the poor |
yill not thus obtain AN education. Fear not /
each demon ination will care Tor a III EDUCATE /
III the children b"lOuEinE to thcr charge or /
y no may be sent to their schools, and all tho /
will thus be practising the gold /
N rule. DO unto others As YOU would have /
ice h, done. though the Heavens should fall :
Very Respectfully, hoLfAk-
WHERE ARE We?
Mr. FDITOR-In one hundred years. three I
millions OF population increased TO forty-two /
Millions or fourteen times the original num- /,
YER Now, il the next hundred years increase /
: in the same ratio, in 1876 the population or I
lie L nited States will he five hundred and SIX ]
weight millions. Where will they i've ana /
IN what WIZ they feeG2
Fifty wears ago there was not n ralIroad IN /
he UiIiied States except u tram road O. Il few 1
niles in length. Now there are seventy thou .