Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-01-05
ARouT KIGH 0


We promised to consider The we'll
written but ponderous article of the Ap'
peal on High School Education" by
piecemeal, and in this issue propose to
notice the remaining arguments of our
cotemporary, and leave our readers and
the public 20 make their own logical de.
auctions. A point made is that Latin is
one Of the most useful Of all studies for
intellectual discipline and that IL teaches
to spell we'll" Nov, while good spelling
is Of great Importance, still the NICE dis
tinetions drawn from mere knowl-
edge of Latin are accomplishments
But returning to the reasons. The sec
ond seems to be that sit would save
many persons the modification Of mis-
spelling" referring to the knowledge Of
Latin acquired in the high school. This
certainly cannot be intended in earnest
People are taxed for public schools on
broad principles of political economy.
The welfare Of the State is supposed to
depend on the intelligence Of its citizens,
but surely it could only be urged in jest
that we must pay heavy taxes to save a
few the utter modification" consequent
upon bad spelling. Besides it is ihaccu
rate, since the drill" in the spelling
book is worth more than all the Latin in
the universe, and during the prevalence
of the spelling bee" fever mere chill
dren often carried off the prize. What
material difference will it make in the
fate Of the nation if fallscy is spelled
with an IS" or a &c" or if statesmen
mix up their " ables" and their "ibles."
The point is to teach them to spell intel
ligibly, 50 that they can read the views
Of others or express their own. Such
nice distinctions as are acquired
from a knowledge Of Latin ranks
as accomplishments peculiar to editors,
printers and professors Of language.
The third reason is that it is an ANNA
saving to the people Of Memphis Of hun.
dreds OF dollars. The average cost Of
tuition a month is three dollars and q
halt, while hat charged in private
schools IS seven dollars and a half, aud
the Appeal claims a saving to the city o.
three thousand five hundred dollars.
Again our cotemporsrys enthusiasm
gets the better Of his judgment. The
facts, on the contrary, are exactly the re
verse. If there were no public high
school OF least one hundred of the hun.
bred and twenty now in attendance there
would 60 to the private institutions here
tofore mentioned, whose numbers collec
lively are now at least one hundred o
equally high grade, This additions
hundred would double the number o.
students in every class without inereas
ing the number Of classes or the amour,
of work for the teacher. To make thi,
clearer, a class in Virgil requires a hal
az hour, aud q teacher can hear clever
such classes during the five and a hal
hours Of school work. These clever
classes her must pay his salary, and i
they we're doubly as large each membe
would contribute only half as much
Tee classes are nov too small for the mos
efficient work, but reinforced by the hig'
school students they would swell to rC
spectacle proportions. These privst
schools would then reduce their tuition /
half, both on account Of the competition
for the present high school patronage an.
from the fact that they could afford to d
it. Public opinion would demand il
and they would yield even more grace
fully than our street a T came to five
cent fares. In consequence the tax pay
ers would save ia taxes the present hig
school fund, and the burden Of educatin
their children would fall where it proy
erly belongs, on the parent himself. b.
to the parent now taxed directly to pr
pre- lis neighbors' sons for college an
hia daughters for teachers, and taxed il
directly with the high tuition he is mo-
forced on account OF the small classe
10 pay in the private institution he pr,
fers to ~patronize, to such a psren
will be q gaying Of exaell
all the former and half the latter, or
total Of seven dollars and a half a moutl
accepting the figures Of the Appeal A
10 tho aggregate saving to the city q
large It would BE- three dollars aud
bali a month in taxes for each pupil, c
$4,000 q year, which could not be, as b
Appeal graphically puts, drained ava
from our already straitened circuu
stances" but expended at home for th
bsnef, Of the city" The only partiC
Who would have more to pay would b