, 1877-08-31

ORR RELATIONS TO THE BLlC
SCHOOLS.

n lecture UtIl\NlNN ~ ~ ''''' ''''
in the PRESBYTERIAN Church Of Port Town
send, on Sunday evening, Aug % lN'':
III were to take text, it would ho the
words used by one who was found i'll iauIt'
10 one who come to ask after the welfare
of his younger brother. Gen. !, y Am l
my brothers. Keeper Aside from the
story, the local meaning, wemay use hese
woris rs a typical expression ot the feel,
ing of every man who does not understand
his relations to his fellow man; or, under
standing, does not care for the welfare OF
his brother.
All true social, common life must be
based upon right knowledge of and re-
card for these relations; and ignorance
or neglect will most aSSuredly bring evil.
T have no criticisms to offer upon the
schools, the teachers or scholars. The
buildings, their appearance, facilities ana
adornments-ius as they are-atlod me
beth the text and preteXt. They are the
shadow Of the substance OF the thought
which presses upon me, when IS thls:
either we have not the right idea OF our re-
lations to the public schools, or il we have.
we are guilty of the sin of neglect as a
community. | trust You have all read the
report of Mr.. r. f. Ryan, County Super
intendent. deem 1t an opportune occur
renee that the public were in some way
directed to discuss schools and education.
No better way can be found than through
the press. How many of you have read
II? How few of the many who ought to
be interested take time to read and medl-
tate. hold that every man, young or
o'd. married or single; every woman III
tie community IS in duty bound to he IN
tereSted first Of all in the general subject
or education, and secondly in the public
effort to give an education to all persons
Ofschool age in the community.
Let our first inquiry then be, what re-
lations do we bear 10 the idea OF schools;
the idea of an education in any shape, and
how do we express ourselves in our acts!
In general way we say, well, we believe
property ought to be taxed 10 preserve it.
self Education is n restraint, and the
public must pay for it. This Is the an
swer of the man who cares about as much
for his younger brother as Cain Ter Abel.
Education in itself is good, hut public
schools are q necessary evil; and they feel
toward them as toward an evil-on the
sole ground that it costs money to keep
the mill going
But when we look about for another
idea, we will be at a loss; so far reaching
Is this feeling Of expense. 1t underie'
much of the opposition and in many places
is open and unConccaled, Such thinkers
make no discretion between education
laws and liquor or crime laws. Schools,
jails, poorhOuses and all benevolent inSti-
tutions are apt to be classed in the same
categOry-simply nuiSances. Now with
such it Is folly to reason. They have no
appreciation ofeducation in tie true work.
no sympathy with it for its own sake. or
for the good Of society in general. But to
Others who say they feel upon this subject,
there ought to be an argumentwhich would
alter apathy into interest. Even in the
minds OF our Intelligent men today, how
small space is allowed to the whole mat
ter of our relations to the increase OF
knowledge among our people!
Should it be necessary, in order to OBJ
tar. an expression of interest, that we
take in hand here to show the relations Of
popular education to our institutions as a
nation; TO show that in order to attain
intelligent and safe citizenship the mind
must be able to grapple with 4 logical
reason-tO have some idea of responsible
ity; to be at least able to have an idea of
what selt-government means? Should il
be necessary, In order TO awaken an in
tereSt in education. that we go over all
the old arguments in its favor, as social
benefit, an individual strengthening; to
show how its influence mouds the State
upI ftivuc i,, n rnn fn fha fpt tlnt
without it we have more relationships
among savages than among the civilized?
surely not. How account then tor tile ac-
knowledged want of interest felt in this
important subject, among the mass OF our
people in Port Townsend? No "gond
ancestry" will save MS. The remedy must
I've found in one Of two ways: either the
youth must be educated here, or foreign
schools must be enriched to yield us what
we should prize. The alternative is Bar
bariSn. Now were we in such climate
and !ocation as to make foreign schools Il
necessity. not word would be said. But
1t Is not so. Taking one of the greatest
educational and art critics of the present
DAY as our Judge we are well of. He
says: rfalne'S notes on England, p. 122
III Is great point for the body. the i'm
agination, the mind, the character, 10
be developed in "A position healthy. calm
and CONFIRMED TO the mue eXigencics of
their instincts" The CareesSne,s and
Indifference we seem TO manifest UPON the
this great suhit &c amounts simply to edu.
catio' al inild"lity,
Willie We ought 10 stand at the head. we
are anywhere r sc in this great cau~c. I
Suppose thre Is harlly a town of the
sa'lIe size Ia the Errrito where there Is
!css interest taken ia the relations of the
who'e community 10 'he Subject Of rtll.a.
ton. To prove the point nighf bc OBJ
hoNIOu>; bnt il may serve Hsa cuc Tor
those VINO want pIOot. to suggest To them
10 Try The experiment Ot awakening an in
tereNt In m" miiris " Iluir ncighbors. I'm
the school buidngs. tit grounds, tie
booIs used, the ruu ic; to ask diem 10
glV" an hour for a Nisir to the rooms. or
Irw dollars to make them comfortable.
Ihrr apathy Is iir.t ~ aIl upou the whole
sl.je't Of - ncalion.
I'm ulI.t SO "A Tst. T..