The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-05-25
Beecher on the Comraon schools.

SLOW. what are We deing to overcome the
yenimalisms that are disturbing this chaotic
population that surrounds. us? Where shall
We find a power that is adequate to the
emergency? l say We FNug. look to the free
Common Schools Of America. say they are
adequate They take society where it be-
gins. They are not as those who undertake
to transplant trees. They take the seed.
Their dealings are with the young. They
/ are the only institution in which there is no
division. no quarrelinG, GBG which are per
/ fectly adapted to the enG to be accom-
plished. Even if knOwiedgeGOes not always
| produce intelligence, il always tends in that
lidiFectIon, and what We want is general in
| telligence. What we want in the whole
people is the capacity 20 thirk. CommOnl
| In that word | find their. chief beauty
( love 10 think that they open to all
alike, black or white, rich o. poor. They
are the common right o. all They ought
! to be such that no citizen coEld afford to
send his children TO any other schools. It's
shame for the Commonwealth TO be out
done. If there is any economy that's mean
it is stingineSS in developing tie Common
Schools. Ii we are to preserve the spirit of
democracy we must bring up~together the
children OF the rich and che peer, all classes
togetiier. for the lessons of y0Gth are the
only ones that are never forgotten, and its
assoeiat ons never lose their force. | would
have the ministers son seated b. the son of
the min ster's washerwonsan, the rich mans
kdanshts by the poor mans daughter. Yes,
L, would want to see them there together,
cheek .by jowl. Laughter The Common
School is always tending to nip the budding
aIistocTacy.
But they must not be sectarian. Zap
pk use Every denomination has the
right to schools, but they Lave no
them. 1oud applause.l If Se rector
ora priestsDr a Baptist minister wants a
school by his Church, let him ffnd the
money 10 sustain tiff he can getsohildren
to attend. Z Laughter On the Otha- hand,
it'll fundszae ntally unfair to tax a sCan 10
teach his children what he Doesn't want
chem 20 beii.ve. To teach the New Testa-
zAentto Jew, 10 teach Christianity to a
Chinese, or ts an infidel that there isE God
is an outage, and not in accordance
with Skneritan principles. But YOU have
nc righz to say school is goddess because
religion is not taught in it. You would
not cal a cotton mill goddess beea,rse no
ritual wss taught in it, We have the heuse-
hold and he,Ohurch to teach the broad
prindP OF religion, and it is shams to
call the schools goddess for not doing waat
they don'c pretend to do. If child grow
up goddess It is The fault of the parents or
the. ministers < there are some bresd
principles that can be taught IN school. A<51
the heatheE. the'CGfholic, the Protestant Of
any sect what he thinks Of truth, and zG
will agree that IL is the gran&est. broadess !
principle that encireies the globe. Fidelity /,
may we Tot teach t0ese? Fru-l
zality, economy, purity the duties of good /
and good neighborhOSd, love of /
country, deyotedness; can not theSe be |
taught in the public SCHOOLS? Is there any |
1esesy in them? Loud applause.