, 1879-02-15

SUsTAINED,--It will be seen in IN srticla or
our outside columns that the cr,-rs,,-
ii''ie 'hah sustained on the public school sys.
'ein' This article, which Is a leader fr,,, tho
ort99h'hn, but echoes our opinions on the s,,b
ject, and We claim to be the frs. who s+o-,o1
'ne pan rolling here During the discussion of
lhe question to consolidate school Districts
and ~, We assumed negative position there
on, aid for that we were un@enerorIsIv cb,r.,ad
with beng sectarian. The faIlacv Of the cbarre
was however, SO clear, that it put us not yery
greatly out OF humor- Onr position was bas.d
upon common sense, aai to protect the tax
payers There are many prominent citizens
who we-e openly and most decidedly onoossd
I" TIE course We took u!,cn the question, who
have lately come forward and acknowledged
the justice OF our arguments. Under our school
law every town or district drawing school
money for more than 800 scholars Is reauired
to establish graded school Now ,rBot =
graded school, under orr law means. is not
rightly understood, hence so much contention
We have examined the school lay thoroughly.
and every intelligent mind must.coine to the
conclusion, that 4 graded school means 4 hi,b
; school We give the LANGUAGE of section 60. as
/ follows:
henever the inhabitants of two or more sclol !
districts may wish to unite the purrose OF esras
fishing gTaisd school IN lrAfrf isIrgco, s5,U D.,
! gfcca IN The Higher BrrncLcs oC education. sfc.
/ Nov higher branches means high school
/ which shall be kept at the expense of the tax
| payer, and to this We are opposed, and therein
sustained by the superintendent of common
schools of the state of Pennsylvania, as We have
/ shown in former issue Of this paper. who. in
his report to the legislature denounces the sys-
! TEN Of high schools by taxation in unmeasured
; terms. And now comes the governor Of New
( \ "rN, who characterizeS in his message to the
/ legislature the maintenance Of high schools by
( taxation IS ''leSalized robbery" He further
! says that the argument sometimes advanced
! that the children Of the poor are especially
( benefited by them is fai!acious, because the
children "f the poor generally leave the schools
with common school education. and 60 to
/ work for themselves or their parents Yet
/ while the poor mans chiiiren are thus at work
HI; little home Is taxed to give the children Of
( others a classical education. Njne in ten of
/ those educated in so-ca!led high schools at pub
{ lie expense, would far better pay their own
/ bills, than TO have them paid By the people of
the STATE, it implantS i'll their mind the false
/ notion that it Is the duty 0f society to take
care Of them ali their lives. These views were
/ substantially expressed in oar arguments upon
, that question, and il Is clear that they must
ultimately prevail Never rejoice that our city
/ is 81. 100 in debt, AMI another S2a,02o added
/ thereto by way Of building or establishing in
/ consistent institutions. Low tax Rates are the
/ snreSt signs of prosperity. and will bring more
people IL our town than any such enterprise
/ We therefore recommend that the next legiSla-
! tur- repeal the school law in So far rs that it
compeiS high schools 10 he established. By SO
doing We shall only follow the wake in the
great awakening that is now taking place AL
over thc land on the public school question.