Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-09-14

"BOOKs FOR THE POOR."
A Prossss Against tho school Boards
Regulation.
For the lNrELLIaENcEs.
The article in Saturdays INrELLIaEN-
GER, "BoOks for the Poor How Indi-
gent Children may be Supplied, /" is not in
accordance with the spirit of the project
Ors of the common school system. It was
to be lerer for lifting the masses ; it was
meant to put every man and woman in
possession Of the best means of self
defence by educating them. Their catho
lie temper was essentially opposed to class
distinctions in the common schools. "The
poor" "the INDECENT" are out-of-place
terms when we mean children who for any
reason are not furnished with books by
their guardians.
The state derives an important advan-
tase from its educated we'll ordered men,
bers; it can't afford to neglect its growing
up population even if it might impOverish
its capitalists to provide for and restrain
the neglected if too numerous. Therefore,
it is not ''very worthy charity" to fur
niSh books to such as have incomes too
limited to make tho necessary outlay, but
a real duty. May 1 ask whether tho
trainers of these all-comprehensive blanks
expect to reach the most deserving? What
tailoress, trying to keep soul and body to-
gcther by sewing twenty five cents per-
pair. .pantalOOns or what cotton mill hand
at seventy cents per day !; or what shop
girl at one to three dollars per week.
wishes to invite the "inquires of
director or anyone whether they
are proper subjects for dole? About
all that is valuable in man is pretty we'll
suGverted when he can avail himself Of 50
degrading means Of getting school
books. And this killing "cEarity" is
not done with its victim upon tho receipt
Of the stunning gift. The teacher per-
ceives that it is not tho child's book, it is
not gift after all. it is the g property of
the school board - and she feels that she
is sort Of Overscer to see that it is pre-
served in good condition for another unfor-
tunatc, and thus our grand common
school system, through its school board,
has worked out the problem " how to eat
the cake and have it, too" The not
yet induratcd subject feels, as only child
can, the outrage to his Possibilities. His
schOolmatcs are all aware that be is I" too
poor to buy his books" and many a rude
thrust he endures as a consequence his
watchful guardian frequently reminds
him from the desk that his books are tho
property of the school board SEQ to it
that they are carefully handled" The
young spirit is made to feel his inferiOrity,
is taught the right angles Of social distinc-
tions in tho common" schools that his
advent is sort of mistake that he
should cultivate perpetual apology for
being at all he does not see the horizon
tai palm, only tho vertical. Nature is
most uncOmprOmising with her gifts,
dealing out capacities, with comparative
degrees attached, on the right hand and
tho left, without taking account of high
and low degrees of stations in life-with
full recognition that these arc rs shifting
tho latest Paris fashions. So thero arc
tOads with jewels in their heads, and
kings with swine's snOuts. If this piece
of small economy, with barbed fence
around, it is to be part of the machinery
of our common school system, ''tho school
system of the city and county of Lancas-
ter "A" would be a better term moro ex-
pressiyc Of it's true relation to the pub
lie.
The term now in use suggests that the
incipient man ana woman here meet upon
the square, that common taxation should
at least supply common opportunities,
that the common school is Good Samar-
itan not Levite. 1t is no more public
charity to furnish books to public school
children than to furnish school houses,
furniture, fuel and teachers. Neither is this
furthering Of the object of common school
instruction liable to the abuse of other Or
ganizatiOns for the relief Of the helpless.
To encourage self respect, not to crush it,
is one Of the most valuable lessons the
child can be taught.
The golden rule is inculcatsd in song
and by precept, and in practice its human
izing spirit is Ignored.
With the many accidents to which we
are all liable, who dare be SO presumptuOus
as to placard his neighbor's child: "IHis
indigcnt chilli has been supplied with the
books for the poor" "Let not thy
right hand know what thy left hand
dceth." l..
A judicial Mishap.
Letter Carrier Peter uensel recently
constructed flat bOttomed boat for his
honor Judge Livingston, and yesterday the
judge and tho letter carrier, accompanied
by Tipstaf IIOllingcr, went out to the
creek to test the craft and also try their
skill with r.sl and line. They anchored
their bark near the city mill, and after
Willing away some time in pulling out the
finny denizens Of the deep. after the man
ner for which the judge and his cOmpan-
ions have long been famous, they resolved
to start for home, Judge Livingston
grasped the anchor and pulled. lie pulled
so hard, indeed, that in less time than it
takes to tell he lost his balance and over
lie went into the stream. What might
have been the result Of this unfortunate