Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-06-25
Parents Relations to Schools. No. Is.

Our children belong to the state. They
will become citizens Of this great republic ;
and If it is true, as | have asserted, that the
public school alone can instruct them in
what pertains to public character and public
virtue il here alone we can hope to give them
that culture and intelli geuce which are nee
essary to American citizenship must fol-
low that the common school is a necessity,
and that its object will not be accomplished
until all the children in the nation shall en-
joy its advantages.
Just here comes in the plea for compulso.
ry education. The necessity for universal
intelligence and virtue to the perpetuity offree
government was understood and provided for
by our Pilgrim ancestors. Their first and
greatest efforts were made in that direction.
They established the public school for the
purpose of imparting to the masses gratui-
tous primary instruction and the morality Of
the bible but they failed to see the impor-
lance OF makiDg attendance upon these schools
obligatory. Hence thousands upon thousands
Of unthinking or ungrateful parents in every
free state in the Union have allowed their
children to grow up in ignorance aud vice,
W bHCt OWh INJURY auu thC pCIll VI u IS-
public. Conscious of this mistake aud OF
the alarming evils resulting from it, several
OF our states have already added a compulso-
ry clause to their school laws, and when tn e
whole American people shall have reached
the same conclusion and a general law COM
polling school-attendance shall have been
enacted, the task of government will be much
easier, and the results flowing from popular
rule will be much more hopeful as the moral
tone OF the nation is elevated.
United Germany and Switzerland owe
their greatest strength and security to that
feature OF their laws which compels parents
to educate their children ; and such a law
is equally consistent with the genius of our
own government.
Our school system was established and has
been maintained under the superintendent Of
state authority. We compel our citizens tc
pay school taxes, to build and furnish school
houses, employ teachers, and procure books
aud may we not with as much reason com
pei them to allow their children To
avail themselves of the advantages
thus provided2 The public veal de
mands the school as a means Of public safe
ty ; and, to the same end, it demands attend
ance upon this school. A free state has {
right to maintain its own freedom by com
pulsory laws; and hence it has the right
and it is its duty, to compel intelligence ii
every instance where ignorance would be tn
result Of voluntary action.
And the propriety Of compulsory laws in
a republican form of government may be seeI
by still further examples, drawn from ouI
own statute-books. The preservation Of tn
state requires a military force which tn,
executive may raise and control at discre
ton. The army and navy are necessary b
repel invasion, and subdue rebellion AM
we find provision made in our laws for eithe
emergency. We not only have a standing
army and navy subject to absolute control o
the President, but a militia composed o
able-bodied citizens who are subjec to com
pulsory draft for military service.
PARENs.