Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1875-10-02
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

At certain hours OF the day, as We 60
through the streets, We see groups OF
well-dressed children passing to and from
school, and as We reflect that they are
the material which will form the men
and women of the future generation. we,
if for no other reason, are constrained to
regard them with interest. When the
present generation, with all its mixed |
nationalities, creeds, opinions and pre-
iudices, have passed along to that stage
where, like scar leaves, they cling to the
branch subject to having the first wind
whirl them into undistinguishable heaps,
those laughing. careless boys and girls
will rule the Commonwealth, mine the
ore, speed the plow, rock the cradle,
keep the domestic hearth cheerful and
perform all the duties and functions Of
life, while the present busy race of work
ers " superfuous veterans lag upon the
stage" We are prone to talk pretty
loudly Of our American system of Public
Schools, of their influence, their import
ance, their salutary effect and influence,
oil of which is eminently correct. To
them America owes her prominence, her
greatness, the perpetuity of her institu-
tons and they are in the front rank Of
our nineteenth century civilization. Yet
there is an important failing and seri.
our break in the admirable system of in
struction, which is as free as air to the
youth of this favored land, and that is, q
lack OF manners and morals. Speaking
in a general way and embracing the en-
tire public school system Of the country
it is universally noticeable fact that the
boys and girls Of to-day evince too great
lack Of respect, too much OF o free-and
easy sort of insolent bearing, too much
naturalization and too little evidence
of discipline, with an almost total disre.
gard for the rights, comfort or concern
of their fellows. The schoolboy of q
former period has disappeared, the
bright eyed urchin, whose dread Of books
and love of fun made him, at once the
pride and the pest of the house. is seen
no more and in his stead we have a
saucy, overbearing lad with leer in his
eye and malicious mischief permeating
his frame. The little girl who used to
come in SO modestly and with her hair
neatly tied up with blue ribbon and
clean apron on. go through with
the days studies and then duti-
fully go home to assist her mother,
she too is gone. and in place we find q
calm, self-possessed young lady with her
mouth full of gum and her fingers cov-
cred with rings, with her pockets GRAINED
with novels and her head crammed with
rubbish; the fatal seed from which dis
astrous crops are reaped. In every
town throughout the land can be seen
examples of the numerous class we have
alluded to, and the records OF our police
courts, divorce courts, social evil Stats
tics and criminal dockets give fearful
evidence Of the defect in the system OF
public instructions. 1t is not too much
to say that large percentage of the
rising generation educated in our public
schools are illbred, unmannerly and de
hcient in the necessary amount of sociu
discipline requisite in those on whom
, the duties of citizenship. maternity an
. all the sober requirements Of life wi
eventually be laid. But it may be sal
r How are you going to remedy iii?
: Public opinion alone will stay the grea
' and growing evil Every father an
3 mother who has the good OF his or ht
T; children a. heart wishes to see their boy
a grow up into respectable, well.conducte
: men and their daughters develop int
4 good, pure women. Streams never ris
higher than their sources, and while tn
, progenitors are content, the progeny ar
, being demoralizsd. A little less gramma
: and arithmetic, little moro persona
discipline and explanation of social n
quiremsnts aud life's duties. This in Ii
' school.room; at home little less attel
ton to the body which perishes and
little more thought given to the welia
y. of the soul, that spark OF the Diyir
essence emanating from the Godhea
' and eternal as its Creator. This matt
is one of tho greatest Importance an
can not be ignored. The morale of th
rising race OF players who will event.
ally push us off the stage and play the
;, individual p rts will determine the puri,
of life's drama; if low, We must expect
Bowery farce; il high, worthy an
dignifed cast Of character. The que
ton we have commented on is one tn
;, underlies society; where there ia no disc
pine, subordination or respect. socie
!, falls into chaos and the social relations
life are demoralized. The future
America depends on her children, Of
We can no more expect to erect a r
spectacle social editice with deiciel
!. m oral material than to build substal
!. tial babitation with pack of cards.