Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-02-12
OUR yCHOOLS.

OUR SCHOOLS.
n our Judgment there Is nothing
becoming 10 CROOKED as our Common
School system. In point Of expense,
1t Is the most burthcnsomc portion OF
our Government, aud il looks now M
though some OF our prominent educi.- 7
tors were about half crazy on tho sub. /
ject of education, from tho way they
are padding the canoe The editor
ol the Philadelphia Record, whose head
seems to be level on this point says
"The proposition Of Governor Rob-
inson iha, the S,aie ought not 10 pro
vide the higher" education for The
tcw children desir0us OF scholastic at.
talnments has already caused discus
sion in the New York Legislature, and
the question promises 10 receive unus-
ual attention in both New York city
and State. In tho city there is an in
stitutivn known. us tho College OF the
City of Now YOrk, which exists tor no
other purpose than 10 supply facilities
for securing a so-called academic cdn-
cation TO u few young men. The cd
ucalion TO bc supplied from taxes
should be limited TO that which Is
clearly useful aud necessary to men OF
evory station and degree in life. Any
other system is, TO that extent, Social
ism, 1t is no part Of the proper bust.
ness Of the State to supply man with
schooling calculated TO iit him for the
work Of II lawyer on doctor, or any
other vocation in hie. Logically fol.
lowed ont, the proposition that every
person is entitled 10 u high school
education vt the bands Of tho State
will lead to demand that tho State
take charge Of the entire work OF so.
cicty. A corollary to tho proposition
has already become part Of the legis
lation of the country IN tho adoption
OF the principle that the Government
should provide plenty Of work at good
wages for the laborlng man. In this
connection, it has been interesting TO
note how Mr. Hendrick b. Wrigh. has
been scored Tor advocating Government
loans TO workingmen by journals that
at the same time demand tho contlnu-
unce Of our absurd navigation laws.
On tho assumption that the ship build.
crs and ship carpenters must bo cared
Tor. Mr.. Wright is more logical than
they, in that ho secs no difference, as
u question ellher Of morals or expedi.
ency, between direct and indirect ap.
preparations for the benefit Of priv
lodged classes. Again, he is more hon
est than they, in that bu is unwilling
TO leave tho workingincn IN the lurch
after he has promised them the most
ample protection against the "paurer
labor OF Europe.
The application of a false principle
in devislng schome OF public educa.
lion has resulted in schools adapted u
the wants Of the few rather than the
needs Of the many. The primary
school, instead OF being what its name
signifies, has come 10 be preparatory
institution for final admission to. aud
graduation at, the "high" school
while its only proper mission, teaching
OF the elements Of learning, is left Il
fall into neglect, The plant is jad ged
by its foliage and flowers rather thai
by its frdlt. So lar has tho pursuit oI
error gone that the people OF this good
city have been asked TO admire anc
applaud while the names of high
school graduates are called of. when
at the same time, thousands of ignor
ant children have been clamoring il
vain for the means OF acquiring th,
rudlmcnts Of knowledge. And this il
called "school system" to be com
mended for the perfect and noiselesi
working Of its intricate machinery
Surely, we are upon times when thing
are not what they seem; when ve
necring deceivcs eyes that once wer,
critical, and tictions of the mind AR
substituted for realities.