New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-12
STATE AND SCHOOL.


AND sFCTARIANIsM-DUIY OF tbs STATE TO
YosrER HIGHER EDUCATION.
To the gdtfor Of The TrtoWne
SIN: hex to differ with Mr.. Charles Z. Fitch. L
have high respect for his talents and his candor;
but fear his judgment is biased by pernioious !
popular sentiment. At the recent meeting OF the |
State Teachers Association at Watkins, pubic ,
address was delivered by him, the positions OF which
! find emphatcally indorsed by portion OF the /
press OF the State, but which. it seems to me- con-
traveno the trne principles of government in rela-
ton to education. His views moreover are sneh as |
we fre0uently find emanating from the FRIENDS OF |
so-called "denominatOna" colleges, and arc proba-
by regarded as favorable TO the interests OF the III
stitutions thus designated bog the space for
succinct statement of objections Mr.. tlch' as re-
ported, said:
The state may eIncS ter ri Sir.nfiy the elective
fraarhisc II may not make them what Is technically
A. nny Of the stnGes Of high school necessary to
III man TO 10 ensble him to comprehend MS flHnt
when the press, the pulpit and the rosrun are cont
usly nghten!ng him as to his d9t'esf me stat cav
aperyerSfon OF the original plan and IS the Icy Whon
SS nesesGy for the typical citizen to reduce
equation in algebra or constrie page IN oaI,us
has foundation entirely distinct nom elementary odu
Tue one is personal benefit the oher ~ 'he ma
tiona salvation The one rs win 'ake
adjournment of the Individual, it should be managed ON
The voluntary prneWo.
The State then, according 10 Mr.. Fitch may foster
ard compel primary education as essential to ITS
well-being: but secondary and higher eiucatlon
not being "nccessary to the typical citizen" but
simply "perso.al benefit" of aristocratic"
tendency should be eft to take care Of itself"
II is possible that Mr. Fitch would restrict the |
application of these principles to republican govern
ment; but, Is viii appear, government by the !
eope is the only one in which the absence OF higher
learning among the people would leave the political
organism under the fatal control OF Incompetence
The high intellectual requisites for government can
not be safely dispensed with even III srepublic
popular mass is for all governments, the same in its
nature and every government must OF necessity
employ the same principles in controlling and sd
yancing its people. The laws of industry aud
finance sustain ir,nutable relations TO the cordi-
tions growing ont OF the development Of population
All social contingencies recognizable by law come |
out Of constant factors in humanity. II profound
knowledge of these and other principles OF govern
ment has anything 20 do with the administration OF
government, il is a relation which Is necessary ana
is moi affected by the agency through which these
principles ale applied If the lessons of history aCe
of any account it is perfectly immaterial whether
enforced by Congress Parliament, imperial edict
There is not one system of financial philosophy for
monarchy and another for republic. There Is not
one relation of higher learning to the functions OF
the State in England and different relation in
America Fundamental principles useful ana ap-
plicable anywhere are useful AID APP 'icable every
where.
Now, il seems to me remarkable that any person
could fail to discern the benefits which higher edu-
cation confeIs upon the State or that, discerning
thera he could fail TO discover the interest of the
State in promoting higher education; or that dis |
covering this he could characterize higher learning
AS mere personal adornment.p and having an |
"aristocIatic" tendency. VIII the popular good |
sense irdorse any such denals3 shall not offer 1t
affront by indicating the contributions of higher
learning to the advancement Of cIvilizaton-to tho
creation of the modern and highest phase OF civil
izaton. Nor shall ! dilate upon the breadth and
versatility of knowledge demanded of the legislator,
who must not only provide for The punishment of
criminals but discover and reprcss the conditions
which make criminals; not only vote alpropria-
tons for forrcsses and ships Of war, but know how
b. develop the natural resources OF ms country
who should not trlo with the interests Of his con-
stituents by tentative measures or costly expert
mems which the world has already tried and dis
ealded again and again. but should approach the
Fundamental and eyeT-recurring problems OF gov !
eram6nt in accordance with recognized principles
and approved methods. Are these demands such as
are answered by a simple primary educatiOnf OBJ
yiosly not Are the gifts OF science to civlza-
ton secnred BY the culture Of the primary school
Obviously not. But these essential conditions OF
high civilization aud good government must not be
promoted AT any cost to the State! They must
"take care of themseyesr There is not enlight-
ened government under the sun that has failed TO
recognize and foster science and higher education.
Our own Government has done least. and it is now
proposed TO sink it below the level Of Turkey.
But Mr.. Fitch does recognize, inadvertently, the
useful Office of secondary education, even 10 the
common citizen. "Thc studies of the high school
are not necessary 20 fit man to vote" he says,
Especially when the press, the pulpit and the
rostu,n are continually en!i ghteDing him as 10 his
duties.v Fitness 20 vote comes. thon. from the
teaching of the press, the pulpit, aad the rostrnn
So those who shape the States destiny qualified
by agencies which the State must ignOTol Could
there be an apter preparation for political fO dc sci
And then if the simple voter require this advanced
instruction bow much more the lawnaker the exc
cutiye, and the judge.
The fallaey into which Mr. Fitch and Others have
fallen is the theory that nothing is useful to the
State which does not admit the direct participation
Of all its citizens the education which Johu Smith
gets in the State University is not Sam Browns, on
his farm. That is true. But John Smith invented |
the machine with which Sam Brown reaps his !
wheat; or the telegraph by means of which he |
learns It's price in New-York and Liverpool to-day; |
or else discovered principle which renders the tele
graph possible aud John Black educated in the |
same public institution, has doubled the value of |
Sam Browns farm by discovering that ii must be |
underlaid by coal and iron. Now, Mr. Fitch tells MS
that John Smiths and John Blacks knowledge is |
n mere personal adornment" of an "aristOcratic |
tendency OF no use to Sam Brown and other plain