Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-01-02
HIGH sCHOOLx.



sion of the LEDGER to " high school edu-
cation" The labor thus expended, if
used in studying facts and principles,
would go much toward convincing the
understanding Of the Appeal editor that
high school education by the city gov
eminent is radically wrong. The Appeal
is opposed to the constant agitation Of
he above subject as useless, and only
haupering the workings of the school"
The agitation OF a question based on the
right can only make a 6rmer foundation.
for the right. Our municipal govern
ment assumes too much Of the p~aternal
power when it offers TO send our children
to schools and have them taught Latin
and Greek and the higher branches Of
science and mathematics. This is the
principle that 1 understand the LEDGER
maintains ad the Appeal opposes.
1t has been repeatedly shown that the
high schools do not reach the classes that
they were intended to reach. The poorer
children rarely pursue their studies be-
yond the three Rs. The higher branches
are studied by the children Of those who
are able to pstronizs private schools.
See what DR.. Mitchell, when president
Of the school board, says on the cues
ton:
AS a general rule the 0 u of poor
people must step with the grammar
grade because their parents need their
labor and cannot afford TO keep them
longer at study. 1t is apparent that the
wealthy people are most Interested in
having male high schools, and would de.
rive most benefit from them; wealthy
peoples sons can be prepared for college
more cheaply in the public high schools
than elsewhere.
This is true to q letter, For the bene.
ct Of the rich, snd not of the poor, must
the fancy studies be taught. Look at
the graduating classes Of the male high
school for the last six years. There we're
two in the class Of 1872, both of well.of
parents. They received very cheaply
their high school education from the city,
and then finished their course at college
exactly as DR.. Mitchell says.
In the class of 1873 there were also
two graduates, one the son Of a promi.
nent Front street merchant, and the 9th
er the son of a preacher, both parents
fully able to have sent their sons to pri-
vate schools. Both Of these boys went
afterwards to college.
The class of 1874 consisted Of four
boys whose parents had plenty of means
to send them to private schools. Two of
this class pursued their studies further
at college.
The class of 1875 was composed Of ak,
most of whom went to college. They
could have gone to private schools had
not the city generously relieved their pa
rents of that expense. The class of 1877
was comprised Of FIVE boys, whose pa.
rents being salaried men, merchants and
lawyers were fully able to patronize pri-
vate schools. Thus, wealthy people 8
sons are prepared for college more cheap
" in the public high schools than else.
where"
1t is a we'll known fact that public in
stitutiens are more expensive, more
wasteful aud more cumbersome than pri-
vate institutions of q like kind. l don't
blame the merchants and lawyers aud
doctors for sending their sons to the pub
lie high schools when they are taxed for
the support OF the same, but the school
tax ought 70 be lessened by Just the
amount it takes TO support the nigh
schools. Let them be abolished. The
poorer boys-those for whom the public
schools were originally founded-derive
very little benefit indeed from the high
school. viii the Appeal argue that we
should be taxed to support.these unit
they graduate in tacitus and trigonom,
etry; until they can demonstrate the
pons asinorum and work out the theory
of logarithms, and can name oil the
binary compounds and give the formula
for OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Ought
not the city institute the public tables Of
Lycurgus and feed the poo while they
are learning all these fine studies2 When
this is done then the peor will derive
some advantage from the high school
The Appeal retains yet some Of thai
ancient notion as witnessed in the Law
Of Lycurgus and the blue books o.
our P~uritanical ancestors that a govern
ment must have q hand in everything
the people do; that a government is moi
only made to protect, but to feed, edu,
cate, clothe aud make creeds, taxing Us
for the support Of them; nay, more, tc
usurp the power of the church and de.
cree thanks 10 the Lord on certain days
for what | know not, unless that il hal
been able to pull so much in taxes from
the people. Let the editor Of the APP
peal read Herbert Spencer on over
legislation, and perchance be viii be con
verted instead Of attempting to CONVEX
the editor of the LEDGER Says the
Appeal: Forty'one per cent. Of The
graduates Of the high school are teach.
ers in the public schools" What if they
arel The remaining fifty uine pei
cent. we're educated very probably il
private schools, aud they are equally ai
good. No one doubts for an instant bu.
that the private schools are equal if no
better than the public ones. The schol
ars they turn out will make just as goot
teachers az those Of the high school. Al
q proof Of this, 6ity-nine per cent. O
those not educated in the high schools