The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-09-30
Public schools.

Every one must rejoice ~ every successful
effort that is put forth to improve the means
and methods of liberal education in this
country. During the last fifteen or twenty
years there has been steady progress, and
the liberslity of legislation has afforded
educators In nearly all the states abundant
facilities for testing and developing the best
plans for teaching. and learning how TO
teach. 1t is worth while, however, to con.
slider whether there may not be point at
which public instruction should end, or in
other words, whether it is the duty
Of the state to go on multiplying
the branches taught until the subjects OF
study in the public school shall embrace the
whole curriculum of liberal education. We
have no hesitation in saying that at the pres
ent time there is tendency to 60 TO the ex-
tremes in this matter. The vast mass of the
people of this country who pay taxes, do
not, and can not avail themselves of the adj
vantsges of an education beyond the ordi-
nary English branches, fitting for the
ordinary occupations of business life.
No hindrance should be placed in
the way of any who can and
do desire to pursue thorough classical and
and scientific course Of education, but the
matter should be viewed in the light oil
facts, and the actual advantage that is &C.
cured to the masses of the people in the
costly provisions OF higher education. If
the masses of the people can not be bene-
fitted by the higher schools, then the masses
OF the people should not be required to pay
for It. There is no necessity for making
public provision for tho education of the
rich, for they can and do generally avail
themselves of other than the public schools,
and they are not necessary for the poor II
they can not practically secure its benefits.
The whole populaticn OF a country ought
to be able to read and write, ought to have
all tbs instruction necessary fer the ordi-
nary business of life. But everybody in a
world OF manual labor like ours can not Sc
cure a liberal education. They have not
time nor means to secure it. 1t is of little
consequence to the poor man TO say to him
that his son and daughter can go to the pub
lie school and receive an education In the
higher and polite branches OF learning. He
can not afford to send them, even If tuition
is tree. II the state undertakes this work
of educating literally this class it must not
only furnish free tuition, but in many cases,
books, clothing and board.
Comparatively few persons can afford the
time necessary for the compilation of an
extended course; therefore, the expenses
of these schools should be borne by those
whose children may enjoy their privileges,
and not by universal taxation. By looping
of this feature in the common school sys-
tenn of Indiana, we can sec but little
room for improvement in it. The
common schools are, as they. should be
free to every boy aud girl in the state;
and if the parents of any of these children
choose not to avail themselves of this boon,
1t Is their right to refuse IL. The state hsv-
ing made provision for the education of all,
must not DO held responsible for the action
of those who do not choose to accept her
bounty. If any prefer to have their chill
dren educated at schools where particular
religious tenets are taught, it is their priv
| lege to do so, but the state having provided
for the education to csrtsin point of all her
children, can not bestow her bene-
IA otions on institutions of learning con-
trolled by religious bodies or private persons.
Some of the Republican papers in this state
and notably the Journsl-have tried to
place the Democratic party in false posi-
ton on the subject of the common schools.
They assume that the Democracy are OPP
posed to these schools, and will endeavor
by unfriendly legislation to break them up
or destroy their efficiency. Admitting that
there are some things about them that
might and ought to be modified, yet they
are the pride and glory OF the PEOPLE Of In