The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-10-13
DALLAS rExAs.
WEDNESDAY MORNING :;:: OCT. 10.
PUBLIC EDUCATIOE AND COMMON
SCHOOLS.


PUBLIC EDUCATIOE AND COMMON
SCHOOLS.
We think IL certainly the duty Of
governments to provide for the educa'
ton of the children of its citizens. II
in free country like ours it were pos
sible to provide system of compulso.
ny education, as in many States of
Europe, we should almost be inclined
to favor such plan. At all events it
seems clear that the means should be
provided at the general expense, to
place Within the reach of every ene at
least the opportunity of an education.
The question Of difficulty Is to what
extent should these means be provid-
ed, and what sort or class of education
should be provided for the public, at
the expense ofthe State.
In the adoption ofan organic law II
is only expected that some general
proposition should be enunciated, re-
quiring the Legislature to provide the
necessary means forpubllc schools. To
this extent % Constitutional Conven-
ton should go and no further. TO at
tempt to foreshadow in the organic
law, any plan in detail, would be in
fringng upon Legislative power, or
rather would of itself, to a certain ex-
tent, be doing the work which would
more properly belong to the Legisla-
ture. 1t would be most llt, we think,
in the representatives of the people,
sitting In Convention, to express
in terms not to he mis-
understood. that 1t is the
will of the people that the children
now living and those TO come after us
should receive, by the bounty Of the
State, the advantages which the public
schools afford. In some sections OF
the State there Is too great DISPOSE
ton among the people to permit their
offspring to grow up In ignorance.
Many of these people, uneducated
themselves, canlot well appreciate the
good results of proper degree of
schooling, and cannot see the many
evils which ignorance always entails
upon the community. In state of
society like this no duty Of govern
ment seems more clear than that OF
fully providing for the education
of the children SO mhappily situated.
1t is but another means or opportunity
for the protecting hand of the State to
raise the weak to lsvel with the
strong, to protect and guard the ign0-
rant against themselves, and to avoid
the manifold ills of an ignorant mass.
The State at large is in some sense the
guardian of all its children, and this
for the benefit of the children, but
more especially for the advantage of
the commonwealth itself. A race of
intelligent, educated people is the safe
guard of free government, and as the
safety of the people is the supreme
law, the duty of government becomes
plain. .f.4a
We repeat, therefore, that it will be
the part of wisdom for the Convention
to adopt clause in general terms pro-
viding for public education.
Should the delegates see proper to
descend to any extent into details, in
making provision for this important
subject, our suggestion would be that
in no event should the Legislature be
permitted Co go beyond what we all
understand by II common school sys-
TEN. BY this, we mean the adoption
of only such plans, at the public ex-
pense, as will give to the children II
good ordinary education; such rs is af-
forded by the best common schools of
the country. Further than this we
do not believe it to be the duty OF the
government TO go. Schools of high
grade must take care of themselves
expensive educations, with the advan-
tages of more enlarged schooling,
bringing in their results more of the
accomplishments of life, should be
left to the citizen whose tastes would
lead him in that direction and whose
private means would justify the ex-
pense. The taxes OF the people should
not be appropriated for such purpose.
1t Is not governmental necessity.
What the State demands is that all her
citizens shall receive ut least a common
school education--that the poor people
as well as the rich, shall be placed in
positions In life with minds sufficient
~ trained through the ordinary in
struction Impaired In common schools
TO battle successfully in the warfare
which attends us all.
1t is impracticable for the govern-
ment to clothe all her people with fin
ished educationsi but 1t is clearly with.
IN her power AZ we'll az in the line of
her duty, to give to all the benefit of
the rudiments oflearning.
The Convention, or the Legislature
which Is to follow it, should conIne
the lava toa general system ofcom-
mon schoolsin allthe counties, leav-
Ing schools of higher grades to be pro-
vidcd by private means.
.H
Ss The Southern States agricultural
and Industrial Exposition IL to he held
nj tha fair arnt,nJa Ia M, ...,