The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-07-27
OOMPULsORY EDUOATION,

alike Of the philanthrOpist and the statesman.
| Governments, for prudential reasons, are de-
handing that the people be educated. II is be-
coming a worldwide theme, and the universal
movement of Christendom. In Great Britain
recent events have placed the ballot in the hands
of vast multitude of men who never before
possessed the right to vote; and one of the great
! questions to-day with statesmen of that country
is how to best fit these men for their new duties
aad responsibilities.
That which is true in Great Britain, is true also
in Germany Education has placed Germany in
the leading position among the nations of Europe
Every child must be educated, and so must every
teacher. No one is allowed to enter a school as
teacher without special and thorough prepara-
ton for the work.
And even Japan is moving vigorously in the
inetruc tion OF her people. The empire is
divided into eight great districts. In each of
these is to be a university, normal school,
schools of foreign languages, high sclools,
and primary schools. Japan is fully alive
to the fact that the future of nations depends
Oh the kind and degree of their education
But further. there is close relationship be-
tween ignorance and crime. Carefully prepared
statistics prove this fact quite plainly. From
statistics taken in New York it appears that less
than 7per cent of the population of the city COM
nit 81 per cent of the crime, leaving SO per cent
| of TIE people to commit the remaining SO per
cent of the crime; or the chances for crime
among the illiterate are nine times as great as
among the educated.
! In Massachusetts,, in 1871, one in twenty of the
| illitetate population committed crime, while
among those who had more or less education
| there was one crime to every one hundred end
twenty six persons. Facts of this kind might be
inserted at length but these sufficient to show
that it is the paramount duty Of the State to edu-
cate, if possible every child. This the State owes
| to herself for her own salvation and prosperity
she owes 1t to the people as a matter of economy
and public safety, Tor the building of school
houses, and instruction of the youth tends to
render prisons unnecessary, and life and property
secure; she owes it to each individual OF the
! ground that every man has right to make the
most of himself ard no one can do so who is
! deprived Of the privileges of education. But
| 1t may be asked, How is any one deprived of
! the privileges Of education in this land of
free schools? / answer that there are thous-
ands of children in the Unied States, who
through the carelessness avarice of parents
allowed to run in the streets or put to manual
labor at an age when they ought to be in school
In these cases, where the parent through ignorance
or carelessness fails to provide for the best in
terests Of his child, it becomes the duty OF the
State to interfere and if possible to lessen the
amount of suffering which illiteracy always
brings.
Again, to tax man for the support OF schools
while mis- neighbours children growing up in
stOl1d ignorance, is unjust and unreasonable.
If taxes must be paid, children should attend.
Nor is this any new and untried experiment.
The plan has been in successful operation in
many of the European nations for a great length
of time Prussia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark
and Switzerland all have compulsory laws. And
ir our own nation attendance is rendered obliga-
tory in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New
Jersey, Michigan, Texas, Nevada and California
Elk. Supt Fal ows, In his last annual report
uses this language: II have come to the con
cusion from a eful investigation of the whole
question, and especially in view of the fact that
So All persons 10 years old and over In Wisconsin,
are unable to write, and nearly $4,000 are not to
be found in any school from year to year, that
while tb e Institutional agencies now employ ed
should be developed to the highest degree Of
efficiency, the legislature should eract law
that every child within the bounds of the state
shall receive in the public schools or elsewhere
at least the elements of good common school
education
Supt. Soaring takes different view of the
matter, and is strongly opposed to compulsion.
The question however, is upon which
much may be said on both sides, and it certainly
demands the careful consideration of every intel
gent man ana woman in the United States.
Pro.
! rive wish to cali the attention of the people to
the subject here presented. Articles from both
teachers and patrons, on either side Of the ques-
ton will be very thankfully received ED.
| WILLIAM A.WHEELER's letter of accept
ance of the Republican nomination for
the Vice-Presidency is an able paper of
an able statesman. Mr.. Wheeler accepts