, 1875-11-02
THE FlGHT FOR KNOWLEDGE IN NEW
YORK,

entitled "The First Century Of tho Repub-
1ic." II Is on " Educational Progress" Tho
bulk of tho article ia devoted to tho riso md
history Of the public schools of tho Stato Of
New York. Tho atory IL u type Of the battie
fought BY devoted fricnla Of popular cdaca-
ton in nearly every Northern State. We
owe to comparatively few men tho mng-
nitlcent growth Of Our common-scllool sys-
TEN and tho consequent magnificent growth
Of our country.
Among tho first Holland colonists Of New
Amsterdam was sclooluiaster. Tho free
school ho taught, founded by the Reformed
Dutch Church, still exists in Now York. It
ii probnbly tho oldest in America When
the English scized the PROVINCE education
lnnguished. In 1795, tito first suggestion of
a comprehensive system OF FREQ schools was
made il a message of Gov. GEonaE CLINTON.
1Io recommended "the establishment of COM
mon schools throughout tho State" Tho
answer cnnlo in tho shapo of m appropria-
ton Of S5O,u00, which was directed to he di-
Fided among tho towna In proportion to
their population, Oh condition TINT each
town rniEed by ta1Hton an amount equal to
one-ha]f tho sum furnished by tho State 4
number Of schools wero opened. They oil
aouriuhca. Tho appropriation lapsea in 1900,
however, and the towns, beraft Of tho Stato
bounty, e'uBcd the schools. 4 generation
WAC growing up in ignorance. At this juno
ture, two men, sclf-oducated and poorly clu-
Gated, but pervaded by an intense zeal for
knowledge, bogan crusade In behalf Of FREQ
schools. JYpEDAu PECK md ADAM CoMsTocK
were tho fathers Of universal instruction in
Now York. They lectured in ovory town;
they ~frotc, printed, and distributed tracts in
favor Of state education; they pressed q bill
for it upon evory Legislature. Gov. CLINTON
backea tliom, but ali they could get wan tho
proceeds Of what were known as "LiteratuYo
Lotteries" III which tho prizes vera State
lands. Tho Legislature actually refused to
let tho towns tnx themselves for school pur-
pesos. Tho tactics which ConpEN afterwards
found so successful in carrying free-tratle
were rcsortod to for carrying free schools.
Clubs. known as "Frce-Schooi Societies, II
wore formed, and an agitation began which
led to tho foundation Of q system Of State
schools in 1872. This was singularly succcsa-
full. III 1879, thero were $4,000 children
Of school age In tho Stato, Of whom a01, 173
attended the public schools. Ten yeara
afterwards, 501,+7d out Of 900 children
wero thus taught. In 1910, tho Catholic
| priests made their first serious attack upon
tho free-school system. but without much
succoss. Up to 1862, tho schoola wcro sup.
ported by "rasos," and parents who did not
pay these woro 10th to sond their children,
because tho litter wcro tainted by their coul-
ratles. But in 1862, tho Legislature declared
that the public schools should there.
| after bo FREQ schools, supported by gen.
eral taxation, and not by rates. Mean.
while, tho increase Of tho criminal GLASSES
in tho largo towns md citiog, aud the i,nlni-
grafton Of illiteraso Europeans Ind created a
large olass Of untanght children. 70 meet
this evil, tho Compulsory. Education act,
which became law on the lBt day OF JAN
uary, 1876, was p0ssed. It's effect promises
| to bs excellent. Tho New York which grulg
ingly gave $4,000 for popular education In
17o5 now freely spends $l1, ,Uo0, 900 year for
that end. Despite aectarian attacks. de.
spite Taxpayers ignorant aelhshness, do
splto tax-eaters' rapacious greed. tho common
schools aro firmly established. Tho good
fight has been fought and the victory won.