The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1879-12-26
Educational Department.
J. H. SAUNDERS, ED1roR.
Compulsory EDUCATION.

school In fact, am told many who
vote for the school tax refuse to send
their children to school. Now, let US
look at the justice of this law. Sup
pose our people are taxed to build
Jail. Every good citizen pays the tax
cheerfully, because he wants the
the thieves we'll secured But suppose
our jailer confines the prisoners in
some old dilapidated building and al
lows them to escape and steal again.
DO not the people rightly complain
that they have been unjustly taxed2
Does not everyone say ae paid the tax
to secure the rogues and protect his
property? But if the prisoners we're
not locked in, was not the money mis-
spent2
Suppose our county court votes a
tax to build good bridges on our thor
oughfares. AS long as these are prop
erly placed, no good citizens says a
word against the tax. But ii the
bridges are placed on obscure roads
and by paths, what howl is raised.
The people say they paid the tax to
build the bridges where they would
benefit the public. But now they are !
in out.of the way places, where only a
few ci1izeus are berefitted@s
Now, Why does the State attemptt 70
educate its children?
1st Because it has been proven
that no republican form of government
can long exist where the masses are
1 ignorant.
| ID. 1t has been proven that seven
tenths Of the crime in our land is COM
mitted by ignorant people. Therefore,
popular education prevents crime. .
Sd. 1t has been clearly shown that
a large majority of our paupers are
ignorant. Therefore, education pre-
vents pauperism.
!, 4th 1t is ouly justice that the poor
. who work the highways in time of
peace aud defend the country in time
! of war, should receive an education
: from the State.
We might enlarge on these and also
5 add other reasons why we should sup
a port common schools But these are
sufficient for the present.
] Now, suppose the tax payers say we
a feel the importance of educating the
, masses; we know republican form of
government cannot long survive where
the laws are made by the votes of an
ignorant populace. We know that ed
ucation diminishes crime and pauper-
I ism, and that boys educated by q lib
= eraI State policy, will feel it their duty
to enlist in our armies and defend Us
against our enemies. We know that
!, the great danger 10 our government is
communism. That this is led on by a
!, few fanatics, who recruit their ranks
= from the ignorant masses. But, when
we vote our money TO educate the
masses, to prevent crime and pauper-
: ism, we shall like to see it spent for
{ that purpose. But the school reports
show that very large per cent. of our
: poor do not attend the schools. Now.
y has not the tax payer the same right
to complain that his money is misap-
+ piled here, that he had 10 regard to
II , the Jail and the bridge?
q The above piece was suggested by a
u conversation with one of our taxpay-
ers. He used the very argument
have made for the taxpayer, and l
= must admit it is a good one. But
e there is something more for the tax
- payers to think of in this connection
/ Hickman reports 384 children in the
/ pupil age. The schools. (public and
e private) have enrolled about 230
1t This leaves 154 out of school. sup
;, pose tt is equally as bad throughout
y the county. 1t does seem, at frs
y glance, that this is very large pei
= cent. growing up in ignorance. BuI
ls suppose these 154 pupils are driven
~ into our schools. This will compel IL:
d to employ two more teachers. Yes
not only that, but to build two more
rooms. Are the tax payers ready foI
l. this? Do you think we can raise the
y tax, build two additional rooms anC
Is employ two more teachers? If we car
afford it, l say, by all means, let Us
have compulsory education. Bu
n this, like all other laws for the i'm
a. provement Of the country, requires
money. But l think many person
do not understand what is meant b,
~ ~ compulsory education. Some cities
- have instructed the police to arres
children and take them to school b,
in force. l do not deem this the bette
ar plan. The trustee has the name o
y. every child in the district. Let hi
ng list be compared with the teacher
roll. If name occurs on his list tha
in is not on the teachers roll, fine th
be parent S25. Put this money into th
IT, school treasury and thus help the tax
% payers.
But one column is too short to dis
cuss the question thoroughly. Will
can see no injustice In the law, still
ri can see much trouble in its enforce
re ment. Everyone can talk volume
ho about tie duty of children to parents
ry but when we talk about the duty
parents to their children, many seel
10, to think their children are their owl
!, and if they choose to bring them up
oL ignorance, is nobody's business. Pub
- lie opinion must be considerabl
~ changed before the law could be su'
-, 80 cessfully enforced But it is time th
-, - masses we're thinking in this direction
- The time is certainly coming when
will be lust as great crime to stars
in the body to death as to keep the chill
IN at home in ignorance, and thus starv
IA the mind.
I'll. ---sD
on A recent picnic was turned into
la hollow mockery by every fellow r.
membering to bring corkscrew, an
depending on somebody else to iurnls
AA' the bottle. u II
lily Paris KentuckiaB; Gov SlackhT'
ave in an interview denies that he 'ev'
ir- agreed to accept Of a carriage ho
wn gamblers of louisville. .9a Says for 2 h
md Inauguration, Woodford county irien'
be, offered him pair Of fine horses ar
iile louisville friends caFriage, all (.