Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1878-10-18

LEWISTON I. T. Oct, 18th 1878.

LEWISTON l. L. Oct, 18th 1878.
Mr.. EDITOR With your permis.
sion we will resume our remarks on the
subject Of educational reform, which
first appeared in your issue of Oct. 4th.
We endeavored in our former article to
show that, as a people ranking first a.
mong the great civilized nations of the
world, we had reached that period in
our political aud educational history, in
which thorough aud radical change
in our system of popular education, has
b come stern and imperative necessity.
The superficial and theor ,tical must be
discarded for the practical aud real.
We have endeavored to point out the
great and almost insuperable barriers
that present themselves under our pres
ent system to the beginner, toiling and
struggling for the mastery of the rudi
anVuto. po 'dNc cuutdVOTcu W SHOW
the great and unnecessary waste Of
time. energy and means (the natural
results of our present SYSTEM aud the
means of economizing the same with
more important aud beneficial results
We shall now turn our attention tc
what we consider by far the most i'm
portant branch of our subject, viz:
The higher schools and colleges o
our country. Before proceeding. how,
ever. in the examination Of this part o
our subject. we cannot forbear to glance
for moment at the social and pnli,i
cal status as a nation; that the dara
and portentons signs in our social ant
political sky have n fearful Significance
none can deny; that socialism in il
wild and fanatic endeavar t. array Ia
Dor against capital is sappipg the found
alton Of the republic. none can fail t.
see the wild rantings of the commu
nistic leader indicates bat too p!ainl,
the ominous eri's that are fostering il
our midst. Even now these Shiny mon
sters are beginning to rear their head
above the surface. and threaten death
aud destruction to all around them
The herds OF educated idlers who hav
constituted themselves the specia
friends of labor, wandering from plac
to place as the propaeandists OF miser,
and discomfort is becoming daugerou
element in our midst. This elemen
has increased at an appalling ratio il
the last decade of our history. Tn
overthrow Of the Paiis commune cos
on our shores hundred of the worst q
the ribalds of this hot bed Of commun
ism. These have reunited the rank
of the discontented in our own grea
cities, until to-day we seem to be o.
the very verge Of greater nation
al calamity than that which overtool
US in the dark and gloomy days of 1860
If any one should think us visionary il
this, our attempt to fore shadow tn
element that to day so significant
points to the downfall and ruin Of thi
government, we would ask them to re
member the uprising of the Summer q
1877. The sudden, simultaneous uF
rising extending from Pennsylvania t
Califor Understandable for the unanim
ty that swayed its every action. ]
these evils are allowed to grow, securit
for property will soon cease, ana tn
trouble most inevitably terminate in
social war. There is, in our humbl
opinion but one cure fur this social di.
ease. Reform in our system Of educc
ton. In our next we will endeayc
to show why so many of our highe
apd classical schools have sent forth s
many educated idlers, to become a cal
ker upon society, and the leaders {
dangerous and discordant factious.
MORE ANON.