Huntington advertiser. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1874-1921, 1875-10-14
FREE SCHOOLS IN AMERICA.

An Address Delivered before the
! State Teachers Educational Asso-
citation, Point pleasan West Va,
August 9th 1875.
In casting about in my mind for
Il few thoughts which might perhaps
be overlnoked or omitted in the dis.
cu>>ions Of this interesting occasion,
and yet thoughts possessed OF a COM
mon interest, must say that never
before have | been 50 deeply impress
ed with the importance of The great
work in which as educators, we are
engaged. And here let me say that
we propose to speak of education in
It's broadest sense-as involving the
idea Of distraction, or the furnishing
Of the mind with all necessary knowl-
edge, and the piling up, or setting in
order of the same, and also, as in
volving the idet OF breeding in the
good old English sense of that word !;
as well as that OF a single drawing
forth of the whole child or man,
whether from danger or darkness
the great object being to administer
discipline in it. true sense to the
mind and heart by an infusion of
correct principles through knowl-
edge. In all the work of education
we are minded Of the fact. which
forces itself more and more upon
our consideration, that man is usher
ed, and that for purpose, into be-
ing and into society 1.-THE same time.
No matter how obscure an individual
may be-no matter how wealthy or
honored-the moment he is born his
interests become at once mine and
you:'>, and my interests and yours
are his. We become mutually de-
pendent as members OF the same
body, and hence it is that we may
look upon this as the great platform
which the Home, the School, and the
Church and | NAV include the Press,
are placed; as 50 many arms Of the
lever hy which We may raise the
world itself into 4 position more de-
sirable. We can do more than Arch
imcdes would have done, who had
not this great platform upon which
to place the machinery Of which he
so tondly dreamed. . < . =
What is necessary to Il complete
education Is, of course, a question
to which a different answer would be
returned in different lands and eyes
of the world. Paradise Is not on
earth, and we fear that the late
dreams of Victor Hugo will never be
realized this side of heaven. But
Though ON feet are on the greensward.
! Light from heaven around us shines.
In country like our's-with a
government controlled by the people,
we have every motive, every en-
couragemcnt to place the standard Of
our public institutions higher than
in any other land upon the globe.
There can be no doubt either as to
our opportunity Or our duty as
American citizens, and if the educa-
ton of the masses is our life and our
glory aS a nation--in the absence Of
which we fall into discord and ruin,
then it would appear in building up
and fostering institutions OF learning
/ in our land. we are only acting in
obedience to the old command Of the
/ Democracy to every Roman citizen,
at times when ali alike felt them
selves on a raft, and all were sailors,
".Sce that the Repubiic reeeired no Diet
yimrnrl" = = x :; . :;
Many thoughts here crowd upon
us, but very few OF which we shall
have time to notice. And, in the
first place, we certainly have Gimp
ses of an argument in favor of com
pulsory education, at least of the
right ola government to protect IL
self by refusing the privilege, to
evorv delinquent candidate for citi,
zen>hip, Of participating in It's ap-
pointnents, or its hoH0rs and emolu
ments. II ve have not overrated
the Importance Of a school system,
whether public or private, un Ter 4
Government like ours, then there Is
no logic but pushes Us TO this conclu
sion.
"With compulsory education Swift
zerland has made immense progress.
: it, peasantry have become prosperous
and contented. Her mechanics are
educated and skiilful. Her poor
houses and iails have room to spare.
/ France spends fifteen times as much
tor army for schools; Switzerland
more tor schools than army.
( \ Government NAV prevent trea-
son by suitable punishment Of the
crime, as well as by the exercises OF
j. parental care over all good citi-
zens. And 90 a government foster
7 ilg schools, and cacouia .inE " every
proper means education for all, Is
bound by her own logic to respect
herself by refusing the toga to the
delinquent candidate. And Il dis
grace like this should be made 50 in
delible that nothing but the most
diligent application on foreign foot
ing, or what should be To- eign foot
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