, 1877-02-11

t A BASIS OF MORALS FOR SCHOOLS.
/ = It will be conceded by thoughtful studeu!s
of the pub1ic-school question that educsiop
must rest upon moral as well as upon III
intellectual basis The object Of The Sats
in providing for general education no doubi
is to subserVe certain civil ends. II it could
mot be demonstrated that universal interii
sence was necessary ally and support ot
political liberty, and the best gua,antes d
public order, social happiness, and indiyii1r.
al thrift, Government would have no rigtt
to provide by taxation for the Maintenance
of schools open to Ill the children Of hs
community. Except for these manifest ste.
Mar and civil advantages, the whole matter
Of education would be left to individual H.
| rnngements and to the churches.
But the State cannot secure its OWL ud
| without educating the conscience as vel =
the understanding Of the children Tha
preparation which child must receive tR
becoming an industrious, peaceable, lsz-
abiding citizen, and discriminating and p:
triotic voter, will necessarily include some
thing beyond knowledge of reading snd
writing, Of arithmetic, grammar, and geog1r
ply. II the man is to be industrious, bcr
must be led to despise ladness. If the msa
is to be truthful and to regard an oath, as
boy must be taught to hate lying and to
abhor perjury. II the man is to be honest
and loyal, the boy must learn the wickeduss
Of theft and insnbordination- If themaa hn
practically no conscience. he will be har1''
ful member OF society, and successful co.
didate for the poor-house and the prison
But how shall he have nef the State ness.
lects his moral faculties, while assiduous1
developing and sharpening his intellectual
powers? Our most dangerous criminals ~
not the most ignorant, who seldom nsa
above crude violence, but the keen, q1cf.
witted, and educated fellows, who are shrs7a
and cunning, who make frst-class countat'
feiters, and forgers, and lobbyists, and d.
faulters- .. ,.
But, waiving what the children are to bem
the future, school cannot even answer IL
own Immediate ends without educating ths
conscience What progress will be made IL
study, without sense Of duty rs to lmpro3-
ing present opportunities? What order eaa
be he'd in the school-room, except prlnc'a
Of reverence for authority and Of obed'enoe
to rules be developed? What success eans
teacher secure with scholars who have no IT.
gard for truth in their intercourse with h1n4
or with each other? What school will not s
pronounced nuisance, which should %
speedily nbated, the children Of which stesi
from their mates, and commit depredaaops
IN the property adjoining the schoo1-house':
Morals would soon come to be considered -
necessary part of instruction as the muln-
olication-table for it hardly pays that oo5
lhould learn that 212-4, only that, having
NO cents, he may abstract another boys tHo
ents, SO that he himself may have fo@
entsi
Yet, while cheerful1y granting this neces-
ity Of education in morals, VIC see no lo8'
4 the argument which reasons that therefo's'
7e must have the Bible read in the schools +.
$ though the, Bible were the only bass Q.
'orals, and rs if the reading, without woro
comment, OF passages here and there'
elected by the teacher, were suitable a.
osition of its scheme of morality. It Is ,
occasion of mistake for people 70
elude themselves with looking at things u
ia gross, or in connection with faTont
easure. The word *'Bible," with sod
BOD folks, covers everything, meets ever .:
se, and obviates the need Of further ID
1iry. To such minds the proposal to rea
at book in schools, as Divine authority,
st the thing needed to teach morality u
e children, and nothing can be substt
te- Have the Bible read as part Of eaen
Us exercises, or you have school withoa'
y basis Of moral instruction." II the way.
ey confidently put the matter -
It does not occur to these excellent peopla
ut some of the parents deny the Divine 3D.. !
ority of the Scriptures, and would oblecs
the proposal on that ground Neither 90
~ remember that others would inquire