The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-04-27
From Chicago.
CHICAGO, April Is, 1878.

CHICAGO, April Is, 1873.
The praises of our Public School system
have been sounded by the press and people OF
Chicago, until it is the prevailing opinion
throughout the country that in the facilities for
obtaining thorough education at the public OK
pense, the young ideas ofChicago are peculiar
" and abundantly blessed.
In support OF this claim we point with just
pride to our stately and imposing school build
inrs. which are as fine in appearance and com
plctc in thelrap appointments as could be desired.
We also show list Of as able and jealous
teachers us any city might desire; and once
a year we turn out from our high schools "a
class of graduates who can discourse upon ALL
the arts and sciences, in rs many languages rs
were used by the builders ofthe tower Of Babel.
For these advantages the tax payers Of the
city have been called upon to foot the bills
amounting to the comfortable sum Of about
100000 annually. And although the work
accomplished for that sum seems to be salts
factory III quality, yet the tax payers bcSlh 10
discover that ii is very deficient III qualliy, ana
that while few who are so fortunate as 10 gam
admittance to the course and are aDlc lospehu
the time required, and turned out III the eHd
fully prepared to enjoy a trip to Europe, ana
converse in the mother tongues Of the natives,
or to entertain their friends IN the drawing
room by their accomplishments, there are
ten thousand unfOrtunates vainly knocking at
the doors of our schools, who are thirsting for
knowledge but compelled to grow up in ignor-
ancc on account of the want of room in our
paatial school buildings to accommodate them,
while six thousand others equally entitled
with the more tavourcd to at least a common,
education have to content themselves with two
hours schooling Il day, and then give place to-
others for like period. In addition to these,
there are at least twenty-five thousand chill
dren within the school age who are growing
up in total ignorance and who do not know,
and have no present chance of knowing, how
the inside Of a school room looks.
We have Just awakened to the fact that our
heightened board of education are acting upon
the theory that "a little learning Is a dangerous
thing" and that it will not do to allow the Chi
cago youth TO learn the alphabet and the null
DUPLICATION table unless the danger from such
Il taste" can be averted by a deep draught at
"Pyrian spring of music, drawing, German,
and the dead languages.
And thus while the tax payers of the city,
literally and freely pay over three quarters of
a million dollars year for the support of pub
lie schools, Il sum sufficient fproperly applied
to give every child within the school age a
good common school education, nearly one
half the number of such children are deprived
Of all school privileges whatever and are
growing up on the street corners and in the
saloons, educated only in vice and crime, grad
uating daily as paupers and criminals
This is the boosted free school system of
Chicago, which, under the control of Il rcpub-
lican board of education, robs the masses of
their ri ghtS TO an education which might cna-
bic them the more easily to earn Il livelihood
and make them better and more valuable citI-
zcns, and squandcr the money intended for this
purpose in teaching music drawing, German,
and other superfous accomplishments to the
privileged few.
This is the result of republican rule in the
school board, and is on Il par with the rule of
this party wherever it suits, whether in nation.
ri, state or municipal government, the few
privileged ones who are in the ring and well
taken care of, while the masses who are not
thus favored may look out for themselves.
O. +. B.