The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-03-27

Rev. Dr. GeoEe, Of Wheeling, In tho West Virginia
journal Of Education.
sour ancestors well understood the
principle" says President Eliot, of liar.
ward University "Ihat to make a people
free and self.reliant, It is necessary 10 lot
them take care Of themselves, even il they
donot take quiteas good care Of themselves
as some superior power might" He also
atiirms that the great and browning ad-
vantage Which the voluntary educational
system Of America has over tho despotiO
organization Of public instruction In prus.
STA and other European States is in the
fact that "the American method breeds
f-eemen." Whatever measure Of assist
ance has been rendered to any class Of
SCHOOLS, by the direct or indirect appropri.
alton OF public funds, in the several States
Of the American Union, It has always been
the policy to leave the chief portion OF the
expense to local and voluntary contribu-
tons, This has been resource Of strength
to our educational system. It has kept
alive community and denominational in
terest, iostered feeling OF personal no.
countability for the culture OF children
and youth. and led to the conservation Of
individual fortunes to the cause Of educa-
ton.
There is q general agreement that the
common schools ought to be free SCHOOLS,
and ought to be maintained by the State
and by local taxation for school purposes.
When It Is proposed 10 90 beyond this,
questions of right and proprIeEy arise In
many minds. In some States, there arc
Universities which have grown out OF the
devotion OF certain specified funds to such
objects and which are sustained, at least
to some extent, by the public treasury.
In the State OF New York there is litera-
ture fund, the interest of which is annual
ly distributed amongst the Academies
which have taught certain prescribed
branches. There Is something like this in
some other States. But these arc exCep,
tional facts. The general American usage
is that only the primary or common school
should be supported by State bounty and
local compulsory exaction. The doc
trine is, that the State must educate, to
this extent, in order that the citizen may
be prepared for his civil and political du.
ties; but 1t Is earnestly commended that u
man may be able to vote intelligently, and
may understand the rights and duties UNI
der.the Federal and State Constitutions
without having been taught, at the public
expense, ito reduce an equation in alge-
bra. or to construe page OF Sallust."
The article on education submitted by
the Commission OF the revised constitution
OF the State OF New Jersey, says:
"a general diffusion OF knowledge and
Intelligence being essential to thu preser.
| paople, the legislature shall establish and
maintain public schools for the gratuitoui
instruction Of all persons ~ ibis State he;
tween the ages Of five and eighteen. Tic
terms free school,, used in this ponstitu
ton, shall be construed 10 mean school,
that aim to give all q rudimentary pluPa
lion, and not to include schools designed
to 1T or prepare pupils 10 Unter college, 0l
schools controlled by, or under the InIlu'
ence Of, any creed, religious society, OIL
denomination whatever.
This seems to cover tho whole ground
It allirms the necessity Of a general ditl'u
sion Of intelligence in order to the preser
Walton OF iibArLY. II declares the duty o
The State TO provide grAtuiEoGs e!ementar,
] instruction for tho whole people. 1t OK
clndes from tho definition OF free schools
all such Us aim at more than rudimenta
I ry education, and are designed ITO pre-
pare pupils 70 enter college" It with
holds the public funds ir6m all SCHOOL,
under the domination Of any religions 50
ciety.
J The Normal Schools have generally beel
Classcd with those which give 81 rIdlmon
tary eluCation,n and 50 entitled to tn
support OF the State. The argument ha
been, 'these Normal Schools are designe,
) 10 furnish competent teachers for the fire.
schools, and without such competen
!, teachers the whole system would be
: failure; they must be SUSTAINED, thGraiore
: as a part Of the public school organization
of the State" On the other hand II ha
. been urged that such alleged Norlng
. Schools were merely local academies, 81.
tainaa by tho Stnte for the benefit Of col
tain favored seetiaps! lhgt they were a
tended by only yecy lew pupils frol
, beyond the limits Of the countlesin yhic
they arc located; That they were emo
mously expensive In view 6f the result
realized, and that quite as competent toad
ers could be obtained from other source
. Whether or not those arc conClnsiy
. arguments, the Normal Schools OF Wa
y Virginia have boon practically abolisha
!, by the Legislature. They have receive
MI appropriation only for tho Clrrol