Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1876-02-11
Our Public School system.
pooLrsvlLLr. Feb. 5th. is7e

PooLEsYiLLE, Feb. 9Th 1876.
Nr Editor AS there have been 50 many
suggestions thrown out 10 regard to certain
local and general laws, intended perhaps,
for The benefit Of our honorable legislators
and as The opinions OF the people rs 10 their
utility are so varied, it is with fear and
trembling that the writer raises his feeble pen
10 deal thrust at law which he considers
impartial and unjust Reference is bad TO that
part of our common school law which relates
TO the Normal School
Although the writer believes the country
has suffered from excessive education, yet he
does not mean 10 declare, as bis opinion, that
the people of our county or State VIII ever
suffer from Icing educated too much" bnt
he does assert that they are IN danger Of be-
ing injured 10y improper education. A rudi-
mentary education is all that the masses Of
our people need and any 81 stem that requires
more to be taught in our common schools
than English grammar-using the term in its
toll sense-geography arith metic, book keep
ing practical chemistry, natural philosophy
and botany is injurious and unjust, 1t is in
furious 10 the pupil because 1t is the cause of
Of his time being wasted, which is limited to
few months Of the leisure season Of each
year and this extending through but short
period of bis early life. The consequence Of
| this is, that the attendants OF our free schools
are often thrown ont upon the world with a
confused and useless smatterng OF several Of
the higher branches aud II more confused
knowledge of those branches of education
which are to be used in everyday life, Such
n IS stem is also the cause of unnecessary ex-
pense 10 the State, because teachers qualified
to teach the higher branches command high
( er salaries ana have 10 be educated al the pub
/ lie ex1ense
| ANY school system that docs not place ey-
] obi in
! is unjust and should be broken up. Farmers
boys do not need a collegiate education. They
! have not the time ut their command to nc
| QIire such an education, and it they had ii
would only unfit them for the position lhey
are to occupy in life Nor do sensible men
desire such training for their children. II
they intend their boys shall occupy the high
err positions of life, they prefer to educate them
at their own expense and in sush way as ac-
cords with their ideas of what an education
should be-
But, Mr. Editor, the clause of the school
law which relates to the Normal School is the
only point Of the law TO which The writer Sc
riousy objects, and he does say that il is one
of the most alrocious pieces Of legislation that
ever was palmed off upon a civilized and en-
lightened people.
What taxpayer would consent to have our
legislators make II law allowing a haIf-dozen
young faVOflleS IN every county the means 10
START in some lucrative business, and these ia
vortes, too the sons Of men well TO do in
life? The very idea seems preposlerous, ard
vel the plan Of educating teachers in the Nor
nal School amounts 10 precisely the same
thing. Comparatively few can boast start
in life such as ii four Years course in ST Johns
College would give one and yet this high
privilege is given gratuitousy by the State TO
the sons of men amply able to educate their
BOYS in the best institutions Of the country
If the sons OF poor men were thus fitted for
the higher walks Of life, the law would seem
less uGjus;; but as this is never the case, and
as the State can never receive any return for
The expense Of educating teachers, the expense
should not be imposed.
The State eau command the services of az
many teachers as orr scholars require aud
far better material, too, than will be turned
out of the Normal Srhool; for it is not ednca-
ton alone that makes up tie qualifications Of
the teacher but stern, practical experience
aud that patience and fortearauce that come
from advanced age ana correct understand
ing of the passions aud propensLits OF
children. Y.