The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-03-14
March 7, 1878.
Public Schools.

Editors Of Virginian
Very suggestive, and in striking contrast,
are the two articles on Immigration and
ssThe Public Schools in your issue of the
18th, and it is we'll that they appear on the
same page. F. J. B. might 60 on and show
the cause and answer to the question he
puts as to the cause of Virginia's decadcnce
in rank among the States from the first to
the twelfth, and give the reason for the inn
migration from her borders OF so much of her
best blood. She has not kept abreast of the
times, and notwithstanding her wonderful
natural resources, she has not attracted emf
grafton, but rather encouraged the most ac-
tive and enterprising of her own sons to seek
elsewhere fields where activity and enter
prise and consequent improveme nt are the
rule and not the exception.
Here all is apathy and there appears to
be no such thing recognized or known as
public spirit. In what other community
where public schools are not only organized
but cheerfully supported by the people, would
the acceptance of such magnificent gift as
the Mccormick telescope be so long mat
ter of doubt? In what other community
that will tar itself not only to support pub
| lie schools. but to create them and build
school houses and normal schools for the ed
ucation and training of teachers, would such
condition of the highways exist as to-day
prevails in Virginia9 Sad indeed will be
the day for the Old Dominion when her des-
TIMES are committed to the wisdom of ''Civ-
isl or such as he. He is evidently in earn
est, but fully fifty years behind the age.
What surprises me is that there are so many
| intelligent mon who accept him as their
guide and teacher.
Kansas, the young giant, described by F.
| J. B.. taxes herself nearly a million and a
| half dollars for her public schools, and
''Civis'' would have us believe it robbing to
appropriate less than half that amount with
| population double that of Kansas. But,
Mr.. Editor, sCivis'' in former article de-
nounces The public schools as the ''spawn of
radicalism, and as s'communistic in their
origin" lie evidently regards them as a
yankee" invention. 1t would be we'll per-
~ of his own race and its civilization since
| Might he not as well characterize our
aims houses and asylums for the unfortunate,
| indeed, our courts and penitentiarics as of
communistic origin, as to declare it of the
public schools.
He sstoutly maintains that it is not the
business of government to take care of ba-
bies, - in the face of the fact that every civil
llzed State does that very thing. Is it not
as much of a confiscation of private proper
ty to support the Insane and INDECENT, and to
punish the criminal as we'll as find him gull
ty at public expense.
s'The solemn responsibility which G cd and
nature imposed has evidently been sadly
sIlirked by some portions of poor fallen hui
manity, it is nobly assumed by others able
and willing to bear it, and while the teach
ings of the christian religion prevail as
recognized force in society it will be assum-
ed. The question as to the right of society
TO tax its property or its membership for
the education of its masses was debated and
settled before ssCivis'' was born.
With what consistency can he grant that
right to tax its membership as he does in the
advocacy of double POLL tax, and yet de-
nounce 1t as a confiscat!on when applied
to property. %
The individual who has no children, or
having them who provides for them as s'God
and nature intended is taxed to educate
the children of others. Only think OF it
pile on the taxes on those who have nothing,
but tax not him who rolls In wealth lest it
have the appearance Of robbfng.
Well may you, Mr.. Editor, class such ar
guments as an insult to the civilization of
the aee,'' and yet they are advanced by one
and believed BY many others who are es-
teemed as christian gentlemen,
Do we not really need the common sehools
ana shat they be made more common?
PUBLIUS, |
Charlottesville. Va,
Feb'y, 2S, 1878. l