The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-01-18

up uihiu constant wars, ana grew stronger
and more prosperous year by year in spite
Of the daily exposure by which they were
surrounded. Throughout the Revolution,
when the whole country was staggering
under its load Of debt, the public schools
were maintained, and taxes necessary for
their support were promptly paid. As
the country increased in prosperity and
population and intelligence, the people be-
gan to take the matter more and more in
hand, and, finally profting by the lessons of
other lands, assumed control of the schools,
and made them in the strictest sense Of
the word non-sectarian. The general gov
ernment, from its first establishment began
generous and liberal policy of assisting
tho schools, which it has steadily carried
out. In 1887 considerable lands were set
apart by it for the maintenance Of the
schools, and the act, as explanatory of its
purpose, contained this memorable clause
"Religion, morality, and knowledge, be-
ing necessary to good government and the
happiness Of mankind, schools and the
means of education shall be forever en-
couraged." Before the war the Southern
States as rule we're careless about their
schools, and gave but little attention to
education. In most Of them system Of
free schools could scarcely be said to exist.
In some Of the larger towns and cities there
were excellent schools, but no provision
was made for the education of the children
of the country districts. This was owing
partly to the apathy of the South to free
public instruction and partly to the sparse
ly settled country, which rendered it al,
most impossible to conduct a school with
success. At the close Of the war, when
the various State governments Of the South
were undergoing process Of reconstruc-
tion, advantage was taken to establish in
each State free system of public instruc-
tion, but the financial embarrassment Of
these States made it impossible to carry
out the new laws respecting education as
promptly as was desired, but beginning
was made which gives promise of grand
results in the future. In some Of the
States education is compulsory, The col
ored population is not neglected, many of
the Southern States have made liberal
provision for the colored schools Some
Of these are among the best schools in the
South. In 1874 an effort was made in
Congress to secure the passage of meas
ure known as the Civil Rights Bill, which
provided among other things the mingling
of the two races in the common schools.
The bill passed the Senate, but could not
command sufficient vote in the House,
and so was lost. 1t was bitterly opposed
by the people in all sections of the union,
and Of every political shade. 1t is evident
that the public school systems ofthe South
ern States could not have survived the en-
actment of the bill. From what have
written, though in an imperfect way, you
will be able to get some idea Of the rise
and progress of the free school system from
its birth down to its grand development in
the American schools of TO- day. have
shown that the free school was the out
growth of the Christian Church. have
pointed out the evils which arose from its
connection with the church.
As men became advanced IN wisdom and
experience they have become convinced
that the task of conducting the general
education of the masses Of the people be-
longs properly to the State. In this coun-
try this conviction has led to the with
drawal Of tho common schools from the
hands of the church, aud the experiment
of making them secular schools has been
tried aud has demonstrated that upon no
other basis can the schools be properly and
successfully conducted. In our own free
land the State gathers together in the pub
lie schools children Of every shade of re-
ligious belief Its object is not to make
religious converts-it leaves that task to
the various churches, and to the religious
and home influence by which the child is
surrounded in its private life, but to it
the young for the exercise of the import
ant duties of free citizen of free Re-
public. 1t aims to save the young from
the sorrow and degradation of ignorance
to train up an intelligent community as the
only means of preserving its free institu-
tiOns.
The American people are convinced that
it is the only means of training up an in
telligcnt body of citizens, and that it is tho
cornerstone and foundation of liberty and
prosperity, and must be maintained in all
its vigor and purity at any cost.