New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-08
TREE PUBLIC EDUCATION.

IN France all males Of the military age
are compelled to serve the State by land or
by sea for period OF some twenty years.
Our French friends Of the Bee, exercising
that glorious freedom Of opinion which
our constitution secures alike to citizens
and aliens, attacks the american system
Of popular education. it is opposed to
| any system which tends to substitute the
action Of the State or community for in
| dividual discretion, because such system
does not seem equitable Or rational in a
country Of self-government It is OBJ
posed, in other words, to gratuitous and
compulsory education organized in the
present positive mode, and reposinc upon
a very false notion Of republican jnstitu-
tons.
The education fund is then placed III
the category Of appropriation for the ale
Walton Of individual nlistortunes by public
gift. A poor ignorant child is placed OF
the same footing with an insolvent spend
thrift, or even Of & felon who breaks his
leg IN a burglary. ''Gratuitous instruc-
ton is, we are told, ''iike gratuitous
bread. = Education in france is, then,
esteemed charity. Admitting, then, that
this Bourbonist doctrine is orthodox, we
have to remark that il is not received in
tie United States with the favor which
exotic wisdom should always command.
It is also stated that 1.-The Legislature un-
der which We live has placed the right of |
gratuitoUs instruction above all discus |
sion Yet the Bee proceeds to revive some |
of those questions which had long since
prevented the adoption Of the system in |
the United States. I. objects to the large
amount paid by New Orleans to the edu-
cation OF the people Of other parishes be-
cause the taxpayers are thus compelled to
meet the cost Of educating the children Of
those who pay no taxes.
Il may be new in France, but in the
United States il has long been conceded
hat Plato was right when in his ideal
republic he proposed to make the educa-
ion Of all children a public charge. Our
is not, however, precisely that
employed by him. We think that Il is
he duty of society to utilize the capacity
# all its members, and therefore that 20 |
'ducate all boys and girls up to point
It which they can render this service, is
measure OF public policy essential to the
development and defense Of tie State.
t is well to talk OF the contribution of
he taxpayer, whose property depends On !
he tenure Of public ability to defend If.
t would be as unwise as ungrateful TO {
hrust the soldier from the door which |
e has defended, as to insult his pauper ,
ntant by refusing him the bread OF in ,
The sordid and very often stupid |
lch man does not perceive that such an c
ppropriation is in the result equal. The
.xpayer of this generation may he the I
auper Of the next. His descendants nav L
len receive the contributions Of those e
no have been raised by educated in. !.
astry to the rank OF property holders. L
be French government holds il to be
le duty Of every citizen to carry arms in a
afense Of the property Of the State. Il
'itARwhat~ justice can man who owns Il
} property be required to take up arms b
defense of the property CT others? Or IL
w can man who owns no house be u
operly asked TO rise from his bed and il
* his life in saving the property OF an st
her from a consuming fire? Society e,
Q not keep account OF individual con- ,h
buttons made or benefits received from. pc
lphc taxes. We have stated the prir- T,
pie OF public education. It is no. a la
arity. 1t is an investmen: for the in pc
rance OF society agains. the weakness w
d wickedress Of ignorance. !. is We