The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-04-26
vol. .XLIX.
SCHOOL near them: along with the children
OF their poor white neighbors.
MOW. no .El.EYATE .rnE lDEGRAnEn. !.

graded classes ever to be- elevated IL they
are thus to be denied all association with
those better than themselves?" We reply
that while we fully recognize the Christian
duty OF seeking the degraded and OF draw
ing them up to purer associations, we beg
leave TO dcrnur against employing our inno-
cent and inexperienced children as the mis-
sionaries. The Drawing of"this moral con-
tagion is tho proper work! OF mature men
and women Of virtue and these are to ele-
vate their bcnefciarics by holding to; them
the relation Of benevolent superiors, not OF
comrades and equals in school-room and
playground. 1t is claimed that it is the
teachers part to prevent those "evii COM
munications which corrupt good msnners.o
We reply that 1t is impossible; he would
need more than the hundred hands OF Bria-
rells and the hundred eyes OF Argus, with
more moral fidelity than falls to the share of
any save apostles and martyrs. Is the pit
tance paid to q common-SchooI teacher
likely to purchase oil these splendid
endowments? 1t is said that il fastid-
iouS parent does not like the social atmos-
pherc Of the common school he may pay for
more select private one. But he is taxed
compulsorily to support this school which
parental duty forbids him to use; so that
the system in this case amounts to an lnlqul-
tous penalty upon him for his faithfulness
to his conscience. What clearer instance
of persecution could arise? Once more 1t
is Sneeringly asked: Have childrcn's mo-
rails never been corruptedin in private schools
They have. alas, often been. But this only
shows our argument stronger instead OF
weaker; for it proves that parental yigi-
lance as to the moral atmosphere Of the chill
dren'Ss comrades needs to be greatly in
creased, while this system insists upon eX-
tinguishing all such conscientious Watchful-
ness, and provides the punishment OF a
mulct for its exercise. .,-.i,...
DEAAGoGuEs AND SCHOOLS. ost
The second objection is yet more damning
rs against the system OF State schools in this
country. They are, and will inevitably be,
welded by the demagogues who are in
power for the time in the interests OF their
faction. Here is q danger and curse which
must not be estimated by the results OF the
system in any other country, such rs Scot
land or Prussia. In the former kingdom
the Presbyterian system OF parochial schools
gave what was virtually national primary
education. But it was not obnoxious to tins
pcrversion to factious uses. Scotland is
little country, and was then almost abso-
lutely homogeneous in religion and politics;
the government was a stable, hereditary
monarchy, OF the change Of which there
was neither possibility nor desire; the
schools were controlled by the parish clergy
and kirk sessions, parties whose at
titude was at once independent, and
dissociatcd from political objects and
managers. In Prussia, also, we sec per-
manent military monarchy ruling the peo-
pie with Il uniformity and resistleSs power
which has hitherto left no hope to the dema-
gogue. 1t is very true that this monarchy
does manipulate the State schools in the in
tercst OF its own perpetuity, and in doing
so intlicts on the minds Of the people no lit
tie injury. But the wrong thus done is as
white rs snow compared with pitch when
set against the foul peryersions wrought by
our demagogues in power. For an old,
stable monarchy is always Infinitely more
decent and moderate than democratic fac
ton in America rioting on the spolls OF
party success. The teachings OF the mon
archy, il self-interested, are at least conser-
vative and consistent; and they include a
respectable knowledge OF the Christian re-
ligion It will be utterly delusive, there
fore. TO argue FOR the value of State COM
mon schools from Scotland or Prussia. Our
demagogues will take etfectual care that our
schools shall not yield us even the mixed
fruits which those nations have reaped from
theirs.
THE SYSTEM PERVERTED.
For what is it on which American politi-
clans do not lay their harpy hands to get or
to keep the spoils of office? On the offices
themselves, which the law has instituted for
the public service; on finance; on COM
merce; on the railroads on the productive
industries OF the citizens; on taxtion; on
our holy religion itself! And, like the
harpicS, whatever they touch they contam-
nate That the school system of the States
is perverted to factions and sordid ends is
so notorious that we shall not insult the in
telligence OF our readers by many testimo-
MES Has not the supreme official OF the
school system in the State OF Indiana, for
| instance, been seen to publish to the world
his unblushinS boast that he had success
| fully arrested the whole machinery to incul-
cate upon all the children Of that State the
malignant and lying creed OF Radicalism?
And this man, after satisfying his masters,
| the Radical Legislature, OF his success IN
placing this gospel OF hate and murder, and
these utter falsifcations Of history and fact
and constitutional law, in the tender hand
OF every child in Indiana, only intlmates, IN
the most gingerly and apologetic way, afaint
inclination to give them the Word OF COD; ;
which yet, he hastens to assure them, he had
not presumed to attempt! Again, these
omnipotent school boards, under the plallsi-
bic preteXt of uniformity of textbooks,
enter into alliances with capitalists who are
publishers Of books Qor what solid con-
sideration, who can tellD, giving them
the monopoly OF manufacturing Ameri-
can history, ethics, and politics for
the children OF whole State, without
leaving any option to the parent. This
single feature, presented by the alli-
ance OF the "Book-Trade" with the Edu-
cation Boards, is sufficient to condemn the
whole in the Judgment of every independent
mind. II it is not corrected the liberty Of
the citizens is gone. In some OF those
southern States where the Conservatives
have been so fortunate as to retain control
of the State governments the advocates Of
State education are openly heard attempt
ing, in their newborn zeal, to reconcile the
| people to the measure forced upon them by
| promising that it shall be so manipulated as
| to train the next generation OF negroes TO
vote with the Conservatives. Now, the
temptation Of the oppressed to foil their op-
pressors may be very strong; and they may
be inclined to be rather unscrupulous IN the
means of defence against enemies SO un-
scrupulous and abhorred as the carpet-bag
horde. 1t may be very alluring to us to
employ this tyrannical system, which IS
forced upon us against our will, to the ruin
Of its inventors, and thus to "hoist the en-
gineer with his own petard. But the Iore-
seeing man cannot but remember that IL Is