Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1877-07-07
EDUCATION IND CRIME.

The proposition Of abolishing the Hifh
Schools, and the indignant and threatening
protest made by self-ronStiiuted representa-
lives of the colored race against such aboh-
ton naturally suggest reflections upon edlca-
lion and It's influence upon society.
The popular idea is that the more hi@hiy
educated a people are the more free are they
from crime and the proudest boast oil TIC
New Enelanler is the large number OF colleges
which flourish in his section and me large
proportion Of educated people annually turned
out by them.
Recently carefully compiled statistics. how
ever, wond seem 20 establish the fact that
something besides school educatoV is required
to elevate the morals of people. Startling
as it may appear investigation proves that the
tendency OF such education Is to develop aud
increase crime to an alarming extent, and one
of the most difficult problems for the phan-
ihropst is, not how to educate the masses mp
to a higher plane Of intelligence, but how to
impart such education as will be beneficial TO
the people and safe to society.
We have taken occasion before 10 give our
reasons for approving the abolition of the
high schools and we are Of the opinion that
even in the lower schools the cOmsc is much
more elaborate than the best interests of the
State and society NJ large demand. Thor
oughly ground boy in the rudimcnts OF
knowledge, teach him how to read and write
and calculate accurately, and let him also be
taught the difference between right and
wrong and he will readily, if he has the
proper ambition, mount to higher things with
out the assistance Of professors. The history
of almost all the truly great men this country
has produced clearly establishes this fact.
The system of forcing the education of the
masses TO a high standard is, 10 our mind,
most perncious in It's effects and is answera-
Die for large amount of tie crime which
blackens the records of humanity.
In alluding to a recent article on the subject
of education and crime by a Mr.. r. Bingham.
the Popular Science Monthly SAYS: The
ratio Of crime 10 population is less i'll Ireland
than in Massachusetts,. and property is more
secure in Italy. with its many millions of
illitera,es, than in the Old Bay State with all
its schools. OF the 1913 prisoners received
last year into the Western Penieniary of the
State of Pennsylvania, 2S5 had attended
public schools, 10 private schools, and 90 had
never gone to school
OF the 1888 persons received into the East
ern Penitentiary of the same State during the
ten years ending with 1869, 1921 per cent
were ilierate and 81 s. per cent had never
been apprenliccG "All observers will admit"
remarks the author, ''that there is not as much
intelligence and skill working on the farms
no as there was twenty years ago. The
fears of the farmers were not that their sons
would know too much, but that they would
do too little. Ii was not book-farming or
wisdom with work they feared; but masking
h,, IN II, .l,a,l. fur bv tha Ii.
plucking geese in the courts, preaching for
practice, pills for pumpkins, the pen and
yards for the pillow and harvest-f fork The
change has not been from prison TO school SO
much as from harvest labor 10 idleness and
crime. Everything else being equal, mental
culture raises the standard of morality; bat
we should choose a community of industrious
and illitera,e members, rather than Gne of
idle aud literary habits, for a high standard of
morality
From the above il is | lain that the colored
representatives refe- ed n attach too much !
imp0rtal. % t, hi.n school education, and that !
something besides mere learning is needed !
to make them o: their children useful members
of socieiy.-N. o. Democrat.
And that something consists Of teaching |
them sober, industrious habits, and the incul |
cation of maiaty and true gospel religion;
not nonsense and ianaticism, but that rational, |
pure and charitable religion taught by Jesus
Christ and the Apostles, that inculcated the
principles of honesty and charity towards all
mankind and to provide honestly foI the sup
port of oneself and family by doing whatso
ever his hands found to do with cheerfulness
and close application to his pursuit whatever
ii might be.
Honesty and morality are what all COM
munites need to prevent crime and pauper>
ism, and an education which fails to include |
these is worthless to the public good.