Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-01-21
Influence Of Gcod Schools.

While preparing an article on this
subject, the following excellent senti-
ments were found in the Minneapolis
Tribune. AS they are SO exactly suited
to Southern California, no apology is
required for presenting them to our
readers. Let every man who is sim
cerely anxious for the development of
this county consider well the facts
presented. Them let him do his duty,
his whole duty, in building up and
in sustaining our public school sys-
tenn. ~ a. .e,..
Among the elements which tend to
make up a nation, a State, or a city,
great and progressive, is the attention
which such q commonwealth gives to
education. 1t is almost the first in
quiry of the prospective settler,
"What kind of schools do they have?"
and it is no unimportant question.
Education of the masses has become
an imperative necessity; and no COM
munity under q republican form of
government can afford to be negligent
of the culture of of the mind. The
times have been when favored class
was the only recipient of education.
Now, the world over, the spelling book
rs regarded as the sceptre OF power.
Hence the parent of to-day first casts
his thought upon the education with
which -he will equip his child for the
possible greatness It may bring. Once
there was no hope for PEASANTS pos
terity but to be peasant,still. Now
the hopes of the humblest are large,
and through all the disadvantages of
humble origin, the humblest among
us may aspire to a nations honors. In
writing of this matter of public edu-
cation we but call to mind n long ac-
knowledged principle that thus, if pos
sible, we may rouse still greater at
tention to the means necessary to the
attainment of such q glorious end. III
we must have an educated common
wealth, then must we provide for the
education of the masses at the public
expense. And not only must we pro-
vide for the force to start our educa-
tional machinery, but we must also
provide for its continuance in action
and the increaseof its efficiency. 1t
is not enough to establish a fund and
stand back and let the ball roll. The
ar-seeing men of the age will see to 1t
that the ball continues to roll. They
will go on to increase the working ma
chinery of education till they make
her even more than hundred
handed,n and such as to reach out and
cultivate every portion of tillable
ground. lnE N154q.ll..l 8i1v h
In this very respect We think we see
q marked difference between the West
in general and many parts OF our
longer settled eastern localities. The
East is apt to be content with what it
has done. The West, alive to the pos
sibilities, yes the probabilities, open
before her, provides and continues
providing freely for her educational
interests. E Who shall say she is not
wise? What head of IL family, cease
lessly regretting his lack of the privi-
leges of school in youth, shall not adj
mire and be attracted to that commu-
nifty whose bounty is largest for edu-
cational interests?
An apology for these extended gen
Civilizations is, that the Importance OF
good schools as an element of growth
in our Western cities is oftener UNDER
rated thansoverrated. The din of ma
chinery in our factories, the buzz of
the saw in the mills, and the stirring
traffic in our warehouses make more
noise to lure Investment and attract
settlers; yet the quiet persuasion of
good facilities for education of the
children has more influence in the in
crease of population than is ever ac-
knowIedged. And we may say that
for the men of families, the kind of
men we want most, this attraction
should be paramount.