New-York tribune., 1878-06-08
TIE rn1rcAr1nNA1. IDOL.

A CRITICAL GERMAN IN NEW-NORk-TH VANITY Of
ExHIBITIONs-CHARTTY SCHOOLS FOR THE POOR
AND FREE SCHOOLS FOR THE RICH-AN IN
MENsELY COSTLY SYSTEM.
70 the EDITOR Of The Tribune.
SIR: My German friend has spent some
further time in the study Of some OF our admirable iust
tutions She took up paper in which certain re-
ports OF one of oldest and most trusted charities
We have one friend-a somewhat withdrawn from
active business-who reads the reports" of societies.
(hOw many do so y and scant the balance sheet, and
makes uD his mind as to certain. which could be named
that quite much Of the income goes out In expense OF
administration When society takes large hall and
has an exhibition OF its little waits, sitting them up
with curiosity and applause there two sides to the
question.
1t was not such a report my friend was reading and
as she went on" School No. q" "schoOl No s"-the
question naturally Are these public schools y on
no; they are managed by benevolent people. oeheVe
they draw school money, much for each child Dut
these children must be both fed and clothed.
$50" said my friend with her German thoughts
pubc schools for those who able 10 pay for eac-
ing, and charity for those whom the State should
teach"
We passed large and imposing buildings in the out
skirts Of the city We had seen them in other places
"NOrmal schools you call theml" my friend said; so you
educate Teachers also by public charity They look very
wen able totake Of themseveshow tine they dress.
In our country have plain uniform for such
classes"
"Oh our people would never consent TO that"
"No you are democrate-a government of the peo-
ple-and yet you graft upon IL the notion OF sort OF
paternal care. It's an old combination. Sol"
We were looking at further report: Total expendi-
ture for schools round numbers SI1 100000. Eleven
millions Of dollars Estimated value Of sehOOl-houses
and sites" free colleges normal schools. grand impOs
ing buldings-nO wonder-$30, 100000 Thirty millions
More expended for schools than for the entire expenses
Of the state Government And then all the poor children
are left untaught or taught by charity. We were
passing schOOl-house on Saturday morning.
"I thought this holiday"
Yes but some benevolent ladies teach these girls to
sew; they would never learn in school, you know"
"But they do not look like the girls we saw going In
there the other day"
"PrObably not; these children cannot dress well
enough so they go elsewhere stay at home or in the
streets Our public schools are for education. not for
Reaching children the things they most need to know"
But surely they must know"
"surely men do not know-hOw should theyl You
have heard of a people long ago who worshipped
golden calf 60 be it did not agree with them
Well the golden calf which worship IS education.
Culture they call 1t higher up. and there is craze
about the higher edueation till the question is If oil is
30 high. what is there belOw3"
One thing. there is sort OF prejudice against UOTk
whichis rather discOuragng ItwOnt bold always there
was decree good many thousand years ago, BY the
sweat thy shalt thou eat bread" and there is
calm persistent way in hch the decrees Of Providence
are carried which ought 10 teach us all the 10 y OF
trying to find other way. We forget thai IL was
not work which the curse II was hard toll Work
blessing No doubt there IS choice as 10 the Eind
Of wOrkWe cannot question that and there Is no good
work which does not involve drudgery. But you VIII
find many people who cannot De made 10 DeieVe ths,
and whose ambition il Is TO live without work. or TO do
as little as possible. Somebody says wisely IL Is use
less 10 spend our time attacking results but at least we
may learn lessons from them. And II IS much 10 DC
feared that present system OF glctHg that which
should come with some effort, making the State DO the
duty OF private cizeOs, is not increasing either our
Independence usefulness There are many Othef
reasons and arguments political and religious which
are involved in tins question but when the chief motto
OF newspaper is BE brief" dare 20 no further. Yet
the subject is by no means exhausted by an
Neic- York. June 6, 1873. ANXIOUS NQUIAEh'