Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-04-14
From the Washington Chronicle.

From the Washington Chronicle.
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.
The subject Of compulsory educs-
ton 10 being actively agitatcd in sew
eral States, aud In New York city a
local regulation, having practically all
OF the features Of the system, has al
ready been put into operation, but has
not thus far proved a. succesaful as
the advocates Of compulsiop hoped.
Concerning the Availability Of enforce
ing the attendance of children at the
schools, thcre Is much difference of
opinion, but the opposition to It seems
to come principally from those per-
sons who regard interference in such
affairs IS an abridgment of their liber.
ties. They cannot see that instead Of
restricting 1t enlarges their freedom,
for by diminishing the ignorance Of
the masses, IL naturally increases the
general security, and this 10 the very
essence OF liberty.
One of the pioneers of national ed.
ucation in England, and q warm I'D.
vocste of compulsion, when defending
his belief, asserted that the right to
hang involved the right to enforce In.
struction. And for the cogent reason
contained in this terse sentence, II for
no other, the proposition deserves the
most esrnest attention. Who, be his
experience ever SO limited, has not
heard bitter complaints from ignorant
persons directed against the neglect
that resulted in their lack Of educa-
ton? Tho immense number OF Tilt.
crates in the United States oyer the
age of ten years, at least the great ma
jority, are practical believers In com.
pulsory education, for the simple res.
con that through the absence OF such
. system they have been deprived Of q
great blessing.
It would DO unfair to attach the
blame to these unfortunate, ignoran,
onca, for their lack of knowledge ID
not owing 90 much to their own fault
~ to the criminal carclessness Of pa
rents, or those who should have cared
for them, II will be found, however,
that the least opposition will come
from this class. They intuitively feel
their loss, and are willing to geo some
provision made that will restrain the
extension Of tho evil Of illiteracy. Ont
Of tho 65s,044 persons over the sge
Of ten yesrs, who are unable TO read
or write, but . very small number
would oppose any movement that
promised to amend the matter in the
future. Shall then the more favored
ones, those who have learned the ben
eits Of education by tasting its fruits,
stand in the way ofa wholesome re.
form, for fear that such measure
might net harmouize with Republican
Institutions
The American public school syste m
90 far as avsiled o. is an admirable
one. But sad commentary ON its In.
efficiency, IL contained In the figures
above enumerated. OF what use are
schools if they arc not attended? Il
10 fact that in many of the largo cit.
les the educational facilities are great.
or than the demand. A slim attend
snce roll, the result Of truancy or Ap-
athy, is too often found in the public
schools. Is there any wonder then
that the census report makes such Q
startling exhibit? Think of i'll twes-
ty in every one hundred inhabitants
Of tho United States are incapable of
reading and writing, and yet we boast
that knowledge 10 more generally dif-
fused through this country than in
any other on the globe.
But in making this vaunt onr natei.
ur1sm gets the better OF truth. It 10
well known that Prussia, with her
stringent laws upon the subject of ed
ucation, has approached near to tho
desired intelligence than any other
nation, far nearer than We can ever
hope to attain II the present elective
system remains in vogue. There is
little room for doubt that Ignorance
will continue spreading ii salutary
means are not adopted to check its
growth. Compulsory education aeems
10 DO the only remedy TO arrest the
evil, and unless it 10 resorted TO, the
world may have occasion to change
ito views regarding the claim put forth
by Americans that they are a. alert in
the cause of education o. the people
of the foremost of nations.
have read with tho warmest enthusiasm
Mrs. Swisshclm's riews on promiscuous