, 1877-02-03

We print this morning n communication |
on tho subject Of compulsory education, In |
which tic nuthor nasumes that a now effort |
Ia to be made this winter in the Illinois !
Legislature to secure Inv compelling |
parents and guardians to sond their children |
to school. Ho then proceeds to nntagonize
tic proposition. Wo were not aware that
a,y movement had been taken to rsvivo tho
subject in tho Legislature, but NO hope that
1t Is SO, or, Il not so already, that the absurd
opposition to 1t embodied In tho commune
cation wo print will only servo to suggest the
matter for favorable consideration. It would
bo gratifying to have Illinois among the first
states Of tho Union to adopt a system Which,
sooner or later, will obtain throughout the
ontire natlon to tho great benefit Of tho Ro-
public. OF course, It should bo understood
by those who hnye never given tho subject
any consideration TINT It is not proposed to
compel tho Attendance Of childron at
my particular school, whather public or
private, but only to require that all children
Of cortain age-say between 8 aud II
ycars-shall bo gven tho benefit Of certain
amount Of elementary education. It will be
q Law to prevent parents from dcpEiying
children Of tho opportunity to acquire the
rudiments Of an education; those who are
III position to send their children to private
schools may do 20 il they sec flt; tie public
schools will 10 open to all who are not other
wise cared for. The compulsory featurs
does not apply to any olass of schools, but
merely to tho general necessity that every
child shall havo aoms schooling, the extent
thereof being gaugcd at least by the qun1if-
cations requisite to Nh intelligent exercise Of
the suffrage and participation In d republic
IN form Of government.
The objections to tho system which are
gratuitously urged by our correspondent are
Mother new nor important. lie speaks Of
1t as encroachment on individual rights,
and an interference with the duties
/ or privileges Of parents or guartli-
aus. 1t Ia no more an enoroachment
than the exercise Of governmental authority
iu any case where It ia deemed for tho gen.
aral good, and only au Interference to CON-
pei those parents md guardians to do their
duty who would otherwise neglect 1t: Tho
telleotual training will DO followed by en-
forced moral aud religious training, since tho
compulsion extends only to tho requirement
that there shall be certain amount Of train
ing, leaving IT to individual circumstances,
Judgment, and choice, how and by wlat
methods such trimming shall DO given. Tho
interest OF the State does not extend to any
religious dogma OF any code OF morals, but It
Is yital to the peacc and progress Of tho ma
tiou that It's citizens shall Gil have the means
Of acquiring at least tho elementary iustruo =
ton necessary to elevate thom above the
brute creation, II there wsro certain con.
dition Of thinga which added yearly larger
numbers Of blind citizens. and tho State
could change 1t by interference, no one
would call such Interference IN 'cn,
croachmcnt," but would demand It a.
the imperative duty Of the State. But the
children who aze permitted to grow up into
citizenship without being ahla to read aud
write are ~ blind in many respects % those
WHO cannot sec. Government has CLAIM
upon its subjects for the good it does them,
and It should prevent them from being blint
when 1t can, In order tAat the compensation,
services expected from them ,uay not he dc
psecasel by the loss OF ono of the senses.
It IL natural, probably, that the opponent
OF compulsory education should not be yer,
well-informed themselves. We arc not sur
prised, then, tlat our correspondent, IA.
H." declares, with the sublime assurance Q
, ignorance, that "the dnal result OF sucl
: laws e. e., as compulsory elucatioal is th'
+ arrest OF all progress, rs the history OF Chin
! aud other nations whers they have prsvalle
. ! .-,fl 1son&1.. at,n.xu Thn rnFarapca IL a,