The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-06-19
Tuesday. June 10, 1877.
PUBLIC EDUCATION.

Il 10 in the nature of things impos-
sibls Tor all the youth Of the country to
60 through the course Of so-called Glib
ersl" study ia tho schools. Nor would
such consu uamstion be desirable even
il Il we're practicable II is not In the
schools alone tina, general culture is at
tsiIablr. Education is. in fact. a.
varied - life itself, In its mnltifarious
occupations and forms Of activity.
The common schools are Of advantage
in the foundation OF broad aud general
culture as distinguished from special or
artistic training, and those Of higher
grade have their office in preserving the
forms AID lessons OF occult and obsolete
lore. the mysteries Of snties.. ian re-
search. This is. es.sntiaily. q thank
less service--yet il is . service thus TO
keep slight through all time the watch
Eres Of the wisdom and achievements of
the past. Judging by the worlds
standard il is more profitable to "let
the dead bury their dead" and "live in
the living present" dealing only with
the stirring aud exciting issues Of to-
day.
There ara two serious fallacies tend
ing to opposite extremes, prevalent in
the popular idea of public education at
the present day. One is the theory Of
compulsory education; the other the
practice Of chsrging education with q
tuition fee.
Education should 10 free in regard Of
being competitive only in its restric-
tions. 1t should afford an open field to
merit. and for this reason in particular,
oagh. not u be clogged by any pecuni.
cry qualification whatever. inasmuch 90
thirsters after knowlcdge-the archi-
tects Of their own fortunes-arc most
usually found smong the impscunious
class.
Yet. on the other hand. it is not for
the good Of society to force book learn
isg on unwilling minds. Learning
must b. sought through . subjective
app Ute in the student else it will do
- .ood. either to himself or to the
- se. In fact he is certain not to get
ST. Neither the law nor the school
!. scher can "create . soul under the
!. lbs of death" When the truant youth
!. sho might be acquiring proficiency in
lines OF work for which they have an
, aptitude are dragged and held in school
under the fat of the Law. after the man
ner Of prisoners condemned to prison
or conscripts drafted for military ser
vice. or Indians ordered to tho reserva.
tion, there is sure to BE- grsA. misdirec-
ton Of energies aud waste Of tine aud
resources TO the State.
The proper aud only Legitimate nexus
~ SOaOsstu w tuo oeuOOi ~ hWOttton
and emulation. The dread of loss of
standing and by consequence Of place
In the select order Of scholarship-,he
elite u culture should be adequate to
keep it in order.
A email corps In department Of ef-
6cient and proficient men is better than
an army (mob) of totches and charla-
taRs. There should tasa DO thinning
out. a turning Of disqualified aspirsnts
back to the moro practical channels Of
usefulness. DO away with the feed tut
ton system and make the school indie.
.pendeat Of patronage IS a chartered
pstitation of the State. and admission
- its privileges free to competitive APP
ication and successful attainment :;
An the needed reform will have been
,npl'.A.d.