Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-03-10
Z EACHER'S COLU MN,
CLAY WOOD. EDITOR.

A tow thoughts on the much talked
Of subject of compulsory education,
and at this late stage of the discussion,
since it has become decidedly perma-
nent and even popular, especially |
among the more intelligent ;since 1t has |
become q law in more than third part |
of III, States in the Union and, since
1t is inevitable in our own State, l
need not hesitate much to proclaim
myself it's earnest advocate.
1 do not forget that the question is
one ha wing two sides. at is anti
American in principle" at is unnec-
eseary that all children should attend
school," 'The parents, and not the
State, own the child These are the
strongest arguments that have been
urged against the law, and they seem
pla usiblo when first enunciatel. How.
ever, they are only plausible.
| Ii is not anti American for the State
| to propagate such measures as shall be
conducive to its self-protection and
prosperity. II crime is the result of
ign0rance--and there IL more than
Siamese union between them--if the
perpetuity Of our free institutions is
dependent on intelligent voting, Ger.
tainly it is not repugnant to the prin.
ciples of our civil government to tax
tho wealth of the people to educate the
masses, and also, to compel the masses
to receive the benefit, so that such tax
shall not have been in vain; and en-.
PEASANT, 1t parents are compelled to
send their children to school, should
not teachers be compelled to so quail.
| fy themselves that they may render an
equivalent in some measure commen.
surate TO tho tax and time expended.
I The objection that compnlsion is
unnecessary, amounts to begging Of
the question. 1t ia the very thing in
dispute. If education is already uni.
versAi, Of course there ia no more room
for controversy, no need of all this ag.
itation. But statistics show that there
are thousands in our State that can
neither read nor write.
Il The parent does not have absolute
ownership in his child nor in himself /;
at his country's call he himself must
60 to war, or give up part of his wealth
TO defray public expenses. If that
child, in whom he thinks he has an
absolute properly, commit felony,
he, tho parent, Is compelled to yield
him over to the State, person, propri-
etary ownership and all and the State
+ becomes his trustee until atoncment is
, made. This matter ofliberty, ethical
ly considered, is rather curious.
i tits well to discriminate in the
I nse Of the terms rights and privileges
I The latter are created by governments
The former exit independently oil
!, governments, are herein granted and
! inslienabie. The parent has the priv.
! ilege of sending his son to the public
0 school or of apprenticing him out tc
. learn trade. He has the privilege Of
. retaining him at home and giving him
no education whatever. But If I right
~ discern the signs of the times hi
> will not possess the privilege two
years from now, of thus robbing his
, child, Of that which is of moro use to
, 1t than wealth. The parent has nc
moral right-he has at present tht
: privilege-to add q single recruit tc
? the grand army of illiteratcs.
:. Ihave thus very hastily and without
! any aim at logical arrangement, and
from negative stand. point writer
. what have written.