Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-03-29
EDUCATING TOO MUCH.

Prof. Honier Williams, in his book on
"Modern India Ind the Indians" gives
hint in regard to popular education
that we in the United States light take,
Tit be not too late. He holds that fer
ing to all children an advanced educa-
ton tempts them TO seek livelihood by
some other than manual employments,
and so disturbs the working of the natur-
al law Of supply and demand. You
force upon the labor market host of
educated men for whom there is nothing
to do, and you deprive the country OF
workmen greatly needed.
In this country we see the influence of
this system in such results. Our public
schools now give to the children of the
poor, and to the great middle class, an
education that includes ornamental and
many other branches. Children who
have had course of lessons in these
studies are not willing to 60 from school
to make baskets, or brogans. And they
can find nothing to do in tn line of bus
mess for which they are now fitted. They
want situations in stores, banks. or pro
fessions. These places are filed. There
is not any demand for clerks or lawyers
Tho supply is greater than the demand
II an advertisement calls for young
man to fll situation in an Office, or
store, troop answers the call. But in
vain is the search for apprentices to a
trade. No one wants to work who can
get his living by his wits. If parents
educate children at their own expense,
and then cannot find congenial employ
ment for them, the fault is with the par
ents. But il the State, at the expense
OF the taxpayers, supports a system of
education that destroys the balance OF
the social system by producing more OF
one class of laborers than is called fer,
and diminishing the production ofanotner
the consequence is disorder, disappoint-
ment and Misery. The State itself trains
its children for department of sorv ice
In which only a small part Of them can
be employed. 1t disquaIiiss a large
part of its ch ildren for that service in
which they are largely required. This
maSes m iseyy.
There is no sphere of honest labor that
is not respectable. And if the children
of the people are not forced by hot
house education into seeking employ
ment in spheres which are thought to be
more genteel than such as are called
menisl, thousands who are now struggling
or starving for want Of adequate en-
ployment would be earni ing a sure and
respects table support in an honest employ
ment.
It's probably to. late for us in this
country to go back upon our system.
We shall continue to teach music and
mathematics and score of other branches
OF fashionable or popular education, to
the children Of the people, making the
taxpayers pay the enormous cost, and
thus we shall do positive injury to
the many, greatly benefit few, and by
turning upon society in innumerable
number Of young people who will not
now 90 into msnial or manual labor,
and whs cannot obtain anything else to
do, we shall, as we do now. force the
supply Of educated labor beyond the
demand, and SO injure those whom we
seeK to benaft.
The easy reply to this statement is
that an educated young man is just as
able to 60 out to a days' work as if
ne were not educated. which is very
true. But give him education and he
will not take to such employment, nor
be happy in it If he does. A laundre,s
sends her daughters 10 the public schools
and they learn all the sciences and add
the accomplishments. Neither they
wish, nor their msther for them. to
take in washing after they have had
this advanced education. If they could
obtain something better to do, and in
which their education would be useful,
i. we would by all means give them edu-
cation. But il they are now raised
above the calling Of their mother, and
have no other in which they can be
useful, their education has done them
harm and not good. .-New York O6seru-