The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-07-04
STATE EDUCATION

o1AA6 IdDUOh1AON
For many years the civilized nations
of the globe have been anxIously agItat-
ing the question, "How can the masses
be best educated T' While the leading
citizens of the different nations have been
divided in opinion as to the best modes
of imparting instruction to the masses,
all are satisfied of the necessity of some
general plan by which it can be best pro-
NOTED. England, for many years, tried
the voluntary SYSTEM" but it was soon
found that that system left the lower
classes almost in total ignorance. It
was found that the state was much more
interested in the education of the masses
than any one citizen could be. No state
can long enjoy the security and stability
necessary to the enjoyment of a popular
government. Let the deplorable condi-
ton of affairs in Russia, where the edu-
cation of the people was almost neglect
ed till within the last quarter of a CEN
tury, attest the above fact. A few dema-
gOgues can sway the ignorant pOpulace,
not by appealing to their better sense of
right and justice, but to their baser feel
ings, and drive them along as the Texas
cowboy drives the lowing herd under the
crack of the lash. While in the nations
of Europe popular education is very nee
essary, it becomes of imperative import
in our country where every man is a vo-
| tar ou6 avarxy xx,Orno m l;hal,y 60 lDa m, =.
tegral part in the governing power of the
nation, where he Is likely to be harangued
by some sand lot orator, powerful in his
| appeals to the low, base and ignorant
for these classes recognize authority to
obtain their rights rather by mobocracy
than Democracy. 1t is of paramount i'm
portance in a Republican government
that every citizen should understand its
| fundamental principles before exercising
the right of franchise. Our nation wants
intelligent vOters-men who cannot only
vote, but can cast the ballot every time
in the direction that will strengthen the
nations arms, rather than sap the found
alton of its glorious structure, and wo-
men, too, who can WELD scepter with
mind and might. The education OF
Americas sons and daughters, the future
rulers of our nation, and the promoters
of civil and religious liberty throughout
the whole world, cannot must not, be
neglected. We must not imagine be.
cause school houses dot every hill and
valley that knowledge abounds. Score
tary Eaton, of the Educational Bureau
at Washington, made the startling state
ment few years since that three-fifths
OF our adult population could neither
read or write, which at first seemed to
be random guess, but he afterwards ex.
plains by saying that besides the vast
army who acknowledge that they can
neither read nor write, he finds large
numbers who read and write so imper
fectly as to be of no advantage to them
selves or any other person. This state OF
ignorance in our midst is enough tc
alarm the most stupid, and is sufficient
to show us our system of education Is NO,
meeting the sanguine expectations of itl
best friends and advocates. There mus,
be a cause for this ineficiency. tits no,
for lack of school houses; not because OF
want of teachers tor the supply usual