New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-11-26
THE COMMON SCHOOLS.
MR. BEECHER,s SERMON YESTERDAY.


PUBLIC sCHooIs-FAIR PLAY FOR ALI sTcrs-
IMPORTANCE or EDUCATION FURNISHED BY TIT
STATE TUE NATIONAL ENTHUSIASM WHICH
SHOULD EXIST IN REGARD TO IT.
The Thanksgiving services in Plymouth
Church yesterday morning In unison with tho spirit
OF the day-unusIally bright anil pleasant The hora
decorations Of the pulpit always more elegant on
Thanksgiving Day than any day OF the year except
perhaps Easter Sunday basket at the left OF the
readingdesk contained rosy apples, oranges, lemons
parsley and celery the whole capped by sbcaf OF
eolden-hued wheat with red pepper pods hanging from
the band. In long. slender glass vase on the stand
pastors chair and bright flowers
with ferns punches Of grapes hanging over tho sidcs
The music WAS unusually fine, embracing Haydns mar
yelos work q. the Creation" and Barnbys 20 L0ru.
how manifold" The house completely hned MI
Beeoher read the 92d and 93d Palms. the nrS OF thsr
beginning with the familiar words of thanksgiving It
Is good thing give thanks unto the Lord ana 70 sing
praises thy name, Most High" The l.Jtith hyu'h
was then sung After prayer of Thanksgiving for the
mercs blessings of the past year. the pastor peSan
the sermon. The text was from Isaiah xxxi. D. Ana
wisdom and knowledge shah he the stab'ny Oh 'ny
times, and strength Of salvation
have chosen, said the preacher, ~ ne tbemeio
discussion on such u day this. one OF great
pa,jop1 inter,st-I mean our common schools.
The democratio wave, which De TOcqieFlle
long time ago propheied. has not run It's course nor
can We yet even discern what this greet wave WIZ "o
and accomplish We are as men VINO IN ihe hoh'h vi
Anil with other experience than that they nave go
in the month Of April are attempting to interpret what
will he the fruit Of August apd September the lnnu-
euce of picked men upon public policy is not growing
ies. Arisoeracy ia only part OF democracy an"
though 1t has developed itsef sonnet mes seara ely tna
WIS abnormal and the final condition III when 'he "ho'o
body OF c!tlzcns shall relations upon all matters
OF public interest. must bo democrsGc The influence o.
the common thought OF the whole body OF ei'ihns II
ha, ng more and more effect upon the public welfare
ard Is tself stimulating and developing speelaes ana
SPECIALISTS for rishrooted specialists are stems when
democracy throws NJ its sake The hgD are inc
servants Of the low In every wouOrdered CONTINUITY
the spread of democracy is only word describing the
fact that the whole population OF nations are
Incoming intelligent enough to exert an IN
aucnce ON public policy and public ai1alis'
Iho number of those who know how to think and Z" exc
cute il steadily increasing every civilized nation IN
Chrisendon The progressive intelligence of the WiOle
of society Il the peculiar work Ot our ago We ae nP'
the first who thought education necessary 10 man. nut We
rc he first who have attempted 10 carry out the hOofr
proposition that intelligence necessary to mankind IN
every age there have efforts to educate classes OF
mon for the public veal But only in oar times has there
been effort to educate society Itself We are developing
in this Land from the bottom upward system OF edlc-
tpn aud in this land under the peculiar influences WHICH
conduct public affairs the higher schools { college,
ana nuycrstcs must ask lave to be from the pf"7p.ry
and health OF the schools They are reciprocal
I do not unleryaue the spiritual work of CHRISTIAN
churches do not leave mcstmatcd the effect OF the
biber cultrre Of SPECIALISTS am far nom saying it
ise 10 1--WE To all the education that ii IL bCs TO give to
some You might az wen sas that in Gn army every pTI
vate should have the tactical and strategic khOw
edge as the officer. do not dlscsteem or leave u-
measured that IA science which Il the most si5nhcant
and the least lstmalei-ts method. II wero to intro
Lei n f.i,t..
not inches aud feet oet everything that Aas been or
nzea and built would be changed 10y the application
of the new rule The method OF thinking the medOd OF
pro0f-this method Ia the sphinx oi to-day. NO
man can tell what that shallow means witch
throws far forward ~ itself But regard ali these
things as factors in the work ia behaif o intelligence
Universal intelligence viii give summer temperature
10 science TO art morality, tO religion sef-whioh il
a, uen the child OF intelligence rs Intelligence Is the
child Of regicn-and 10 all wise public policy Every
section Of society has in turn as grows II II grows I"
any degree Of fruition its period 81 enthu
ssn have political eli ,hsiasns, aud carry sOCioy
through dangerous passes by It, We carry society
over new roads rough and hard to travel Ivy cuthusins
We have commercial On husasms, and we have their IL
ions and great departments IN human Industry have
IA tuil their enthusiasm To-day 1t IL IN building r.i
roads Enthusiasm may carry one section Of industry
TOO far but ii carries IL, and IL s great gen on tho
whole We nave cathusiasms in mcr.sls-by II temper
al ~
have entuGsinis of anuSemenf-now Il l. music aud all
t,e world sings, or whstlos; IL IA Billiard
or iins showing; aud then II u boating nd
batting Now must hayO "a revival IN Cur common
schools We have never had an enthusiasm Of ts nation
u liz waolcncs5 on that subject. We have tho nHtaria
In this nation for the most tremendous gIoundswcl that
any aafon ever felt in the matter OF intelligence sueh
sud, make this nation what IL never has boon aud
VIII be without IT, nation u men nicucaicd is Ike
iron Iuounnin whose ore II unwrOught Four things Ir
necessary to tho common schools % That education
snail b. common ~ chat 1t sOdl be- conducted TO
IN hle men of nil political faiths 70 INIT, m the system
3 TINT IL shall unite In sympathy all Religious scct a.
that by il intrinsic merit II continue 10 feed national
confidence and national enthusiasm.
And FIRST the schOOsfor / speaking Of the COMMON
schools of this nation-nlst be common aud universal
They must nc IN this sense that they shall bo
put abundanty where they most needed end that is
whore theie are The most children and where they are
the least abe to help themselves TO tGcm For pt
windows in our artilccrs' shops wne.e light Is needed
most, 10 we must put these windows OF intelligence
where men need them. II enough that Bos-
ton has gnihcen schools it is not enough that Chicago
has schools ii is not enough that Now-York and
Brooklyn have schools, that Philadelphia and BALM
more have schools. 1t is desirable that they saould
but the scattered populations, the outlying pOpu.
liionS, the emrant populations, the colorcd popu-
atons of this country are more needy than
the populations of gItat centrIs, in thlt they
are more ignorant and lrss able 10 have schools and sup
ply them with adequate teachers 10 must be system
mat will take consideration .he necessities of that
part of the population who are least able 10 help them
selves 1hc children OF the poor should bo helped before
the children Of the riC and must begin this
at tho the Gospel began at tue bottom
Tor sure that any system which Is strong enough
take care OF the poorest and most difficult to will
be toward The richer classes. There must be
enough of them, accommodations enough fO the whole
They must 10 ample. comfortable. and Wholesome. IL
ought to be- considered mi 'drmeanor and crime
10 poison anybody, and it is when it s
done for revenge; but poisoning whole 200 boys and
girls in IA common school is not less IL imr Schools !