The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-04-05
M isc ella N Q o III @.
For The -A9is and Mtelligencer,
Public Education.

DR.. S. Trennus Prime, the well-known
and erudite editor of the New York Obser-
ger, writing from Europe to late number
of that paper says:
"In one of the daily New York papers I
find part of the annual message of the
Mayor of Brooklyn, in which he gives his
views on the education of the people,
We always regard man as having good
sense who thinks as we do, and the views
expressed by the Mayor are the same that
the Observer has steadily taught to disbe-
lievihg and gainsaying generation. The
Mayor says:
81 believe it the duty of the State to
afford, free of cost, to every child, the OPP.
portunity ofacq uiring plain, rudimentary
English education. But would not 90 a
step further. The acquisition of other
languages, of which are known as the higher
branches of English education, and of so
elsewhere than at the public schools, and
obtained at individual and not public ex-
pense."
"Ths is sound, but it comes, we fear,
too late. The American idea is, that the
more education you can give to the chill
dren at the public expense the better. But
there are positive objections to the system,
and it is impossible to construct an argu-
ment showing that it is right to tax one
man to educate his neighbours child, any
further than is necessary to enable that
child to be good citizen. All beyond the
we'll being of the State should be cared
for at individual expense, as the Mayor
very wisely remarks. do not know what
the Mayors politics are, but his views of
State education are sound"
1t has been my intention, Mr.. Editor, for
some time past, to prepare an article for
The A2gis on this subject of State educa-
ton, referring more particularly to the
question of how far the community ought
to be taxed for the support of public
schools; and the above extracts having
come under my notice, present them as
bearing forcibly upon the matter. DR..
Prime and the Mayor of Brooklyn are evi
IDENTIFY on the right path, and it will not be
many years before the people of Maryland
view the question as they do.
Aside from the extravaganza engendered
by the Public School system of Maryland
how unjust it is that one citizen, who can
only spare the time for his children to OBJ.
tain the rudiments of an English education
should be compelled to aid another, by
taxation, in giving his favored children, in
addition to an English, classical and ad.
vanced mathematical education, or that q
person who may be childless should be
taxed beyond an amount necessary to pro
vide for a primary education, so that the
children of people quite able to pay fol
the expense, should receive this higher
grade of tuition.
The appropriation of money for teaching
the higher branches in high schools, out o
funds raised by taxation for the support o
primary schools, thus providing at the pub
lie charge for favored few who are &c
circumstanced as they alone can enjoy tn,
benefits, if not an outrage, is altogethe
wrong and unjust. The people are ostensi
bly, taxed for system of primary schools
and moneys are diverted from the laudabl,
purpose of giving every child primar,
education, so as to establish high schools
with teachers at high salaries, with expen
sive books and costly fixtures, and to b.
J run the entire year, while primary school
are supplied with teachers whose salarie
afford mere support, and the time durin.
which they are kept open is uncertain ant
irregular. The result of a continuation o
this high school system must be, either
high rate of tax to keep them up to til
collegiate standard, which they are fast ap
) preaching, or they must be continued a
the expense of the primary schools, by alb
sorbing funds which otherwise would b
applied for the proper support of th
primaries, thus not permitting them to b
the source of benefit to the entire commun
ity, which they were intended to be.
If the people of any particular sectio
or neighborhood, after paying tax stuff
cient to support primary system, see f
to subscribe additional funds from thei
own pockets to establish schools of highe
grade, let them do'it. No objection can h
made to their so doing, but there certain
ly is no justice in establishing high schoo
or colleges from the funds raised by taxt
ton for the support of a primary system
!, In doing this, you rob the poor mans chile
!. who, for many reasons, cannot embrace til
opportunity for receiving, it may be said a