New-York tribune., 1875-01-25

RECENT REPORTS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
A bin which was introduced on last Satur-
day into the Pennsylvania Legislature making
education compulsory, deserves attention, as
does every honest attempt to avert the steady
downward pTogreSS OF certain classes OF our
population. 1t would he difficult for any one
who has not carefully studied the statist cs
of crime 70 understand why the race to ruin
has become so swift in the last tn years
among the juvenile population of this and
other cities where EN- grants congrcGate. The
universal conviction appears to be not only
that ignorance is the mother OF wee, but that
the primer and multiplication tables are neccs-
sarily the parents of virtue. Nothing moro Is
needed, according to this theory, In order to
root out crime than to force the next genera
ton to learn how to read and write and to
foot up the grocers bill. The average citizen
vaguely believing this, pays his heavy school
tax with alacrity and looks with pride upon
the massive public schools. feeling that he and
the United States have done their duty, and
amply provided for the mental and moral sal
walton of tae poorest poor. There is tuition,
and that of the very best quality, furnished
gratis. When penniless lad has received
and TO read the Bible; if he does not now
walk straight along the narrow path to heaven,
society Is not responsible. The average citI-
zen forgets that even Pacific Mail subsidists
have had these safeguards from their youth
M : and lie probably never knew that from fifty
to seventy per cent of the inmates OF orr jails
and penitentiaries have received an ordinary
Enclish ed ,cation. Other facts which do not
appear in statistics combine to interfere with
the actual benefit given by the public schools,
the principal of which is that since from the
very excellence Of their systems they are fire.
Guented by children OF well-to-do people, the
majority of the very poor refuse to use
them, from motives of pride. Besides these,
there is the large proportion Of children at
work In manufactures or earning their bread
on the streets by begging or less reputable
means. Despite the heavy tax, therefore, and
the admirable management OF the schools,
there remains such alarming reports as that
of G3 pcr cent of children wholly uDtaught in
Now Hampshire before the passage of the
compulsOry law $4,000 in Massachusetts at the
nresent time, $4,000 in this city, and 10000 in
PHILADELPHIA. Such figures as these make
compulsory education a necessity. Society has
n right to protect itself by meaus of preven-
ton as we'll as cure, and if there be even q
chance that attendance at the public schools
will convert the embryo thieves and drunkards
that swarm about our streets into respectable
honest citizens, let them be brought into the
school, by the police if necessary.
But the question remains, Is the ordinary
public school system the best means OF pre-
yention The proposed law in Pennsylvania
is like our own in general design all children
between the ages of eight and sixteen are re-
ouired to attend school or receive instruction
NJ home for the period of sixteen weeks in
the wear. Theoretically this plan appears sound
enough but practically, we fear, it will hardly
he found to answer The miserable little
wretch. dragged out of the cellar of tenement
house, half starved and in rags, is thrust into
classes of bright-eyed, clean children who have
breathed in knowledge and refinement from
their cradle. For sixteen weeks (not, be 1T
noted. necessarily cOnsecutive.) he Is forced to
rrapple with Mathematics, Music, Acoustics,
heaven knows what not, while he probably
does not know where he is to lind his next
meal or a shelter at night. This ia no over
drawn picture; it is precisely this lowest class
whisb the compulsory acts are designed to reach.