The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-02-03
MECHANICS, COURSE.
Lecture by Hon. L. Washburn, Jr.


Education, secular and compulsory; with
some reference to recent English legislation
and experience, was the title of Mr.-Wash-
burns lecture last evening. He began by Civ
ing the political creeds of Mr. Seward, and the
late Secretary Stanton.
That of Mr.. Seward was Equal popular
representative government, jealousy of execn-
tive power the education of children, and the
worship of Cod
Mr.. Stanton's was "Bear all, do all and
suffer all that the government may be saved,
and its foundations established upon the prin'
clple of universal freedom, guaranteed by uni
versal suffrage and universal education"
And he thought that however we might
differ with these great men in other respects,
we should all accept their opinions as to the
value and Importance of education. Our gov
eminent rested on the consent Of the governed,
and this consent to be wise and safe must be
intelligent When he saw how many children
throughout the United States New England
included were growing up in ignorance; when
he learned that even in Maine the average at
tendance at school was less than fifty per cent
of the persons between four and twenty-one
years Of age; when he remembered that in one
section of the country, OF four and one-haf
millions of people of one race four out OF every
five were STEPPED in ignorance, and that scat
tered through the country there was scarcely
a less number-emigrants and children of emf
grants-whose education had been almost
wholly neglected, he could not dismiss his APP
prehensions as to the future.
The condition of safety was universal educa-
ton, and this involved compulsory, and COM
pulsory involved non-sectarian and non-theo-
logical education. 1t remained for wise men
to agitate for three things
1.-Non-sectarian education; and through
this
2-Compulsory education-to the end
3-That education might be universal.
Taxation for schools was and must be gen
eral and impartial, and to these schools all
children had right of admission, and from
them none had right to keep themselves.
And so the schools should be such as all chill
dren could attend without violence to any SIN
cere religious faith, opinion or prejudice. Pol:
lev and Justice alike forbid that schools, paid
for by ALL should be closed to any, as they
would be if doctrines were taught in them,
however sincerely or kindly, which were con-
scientiously held by the parents of portion of
1t was not reasonable or just to question the ao-
solute sincerity of the Catholic when he tells us
that he objects from principle and in conscience
to the religious exercises that are had IN most
of our common schools; and it is no answer to
say that there can be no reasonable objection
to the reading of selection from the Scrip
lures in schools-for, FIRST it is not for Protes'
tants to decide what to the Catholics shall be
reasonable or matter of faith and conscience;
and second the Scriptures may be SO read, or
such parts, as without context or explanation,
would convey to the children ideas at which
their parents most revolt.
The Catholic children of the United States,
like all other children, must be educated; and
they must not be driven to be educated In pri'
vate and purely Catholic schools. Ii they per-
sist in staying out of the public school and in
attending private Sectarian schools, the choice
must be theirs and the responsibility and the
consequences theirs.
Mr. Washburn then referred at length to the
recent legislation and experience in England
on the subject of compulsory education, show
ing how far it has failed, for the reason that 1t
was attempted to connect with it education In
Sectaran schools OF which nineteen OF every
twenty were church of England and Catholic
schools, so that in effect non-conformists were
taxed for the schools of other sects; at
this they rebeled. They held
grand delegate convention (at which 1000 cler-
gymen were presently at Manchester, and re-
so.ved unanimously against religion being
taught in any mannersin the public school, say
ing it belonged to the church, the Sunday school
and the home; and declared that they would
not support candidates for the House OF Com
mons, who would not modify Mr. Forsters odl-
GUS 18th clause-a clause persistent adhesion to
which broke down the liberal party at the last
election, and shipwrecked Mr.. Forster's aspr-
atoms to succeed Mr.. Gladstone as the liberal
leader; and this, Notwithstanding their respect
and almost passionate regard for MIR. Glad
stone And here Mr.. Washburn digressed in
to an elaborate eulogium of the great liberal
statesman, saying that he was one OF Gods
great, and not merely enc of the Kings great
OF all the leaders of opinion in England, OF
her Incompatible ministers, no one had exer-
ted, no five had exerted, SO much influence or
had accomplished so much in the line OF reform
and progress as Mr.. Gladstone. Settlement OF
land tenures in Ireland, abolition OF pur-
chase in the army-extensop of the franchise
to household suffrage in the boroughs-the bal
lot-com pulsory education. SO far as it goes
the closing of midnight dram shops were
among the trophies of a career the most won
derfu the most benefcent that illustrates and
glorifies the annals of the British Empire.
The lecturer referred to Mr.. Gladstone's re-
cent labors against Catholic political propa-
eandsm. and his discovery of an "irrepressible
conflict" between self-government and papal
infallibilty, and declaring, in the clearest
voice that has been heard in England during
the century, the necessity of ani0ersdt education.
1t was ringing call for the education OF those
who are to govern England, unless that duty IS
to be relegated to the hands OF supreme ana
Infallible Pontiff.
1t was in the name and interest of religion
that the pious, Christian men of England-the
descendants and representatives OF the Pari-
tans, called for secular or non-sectarlan educa-
ton in the schools supported by general taxa
ton. They declared that 1.-THE civil govern
ment was charged with the care of mems tenn
poral interests and had no kind OF equipment
for any other service"
He thought that Notwithstanding the Catho-
lie and tory opposition in England, compulsory
education there was firmly inaugurated and
would be maintained.
Are we not interested ne inquired, that it be-
come so in this country? Compulsory educa-
ton was hO longer an experiment LIS hrst ad-
vocate in Germany was Martin Luther. 1t had
been established in every state in Germany, IN
Denmark, Sweden, Norway, with certain limi..
tations in England. In the Grand Dutchy of
Baden it reduced in seven years the number of
prisoners 81 per cent. of thefts "a per cent, OF
paupers 25 per cent. Eighteen of the twenty
two cantons of Switzerland had made edIca-
ton compulsory with excellent consequences.
Among the states in the union, he entloned
New jersey Kansas, California, Michigan,
New Hampshire, and others, as having COM
pulsory laws On the first of January OF this
wear such laws went into effect in the Empire
State of New York.
What, he inquired, was the duty and the in
terest of Maine? Look at your superlntend-
ents report for 1873, and answer. Fifty-one per
cent of her children were absent from her COM
mon schools. Look in the streets of Portland,
compore the census of scholars with the rolls OF
attendance, and answer!
There was one answer and one putty. And
let us hold to a strict accountability those who,
being in authority, neglect to make that an
swer or decline to perform that duty.
he Calico Ball.