Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-03-19
BISHOP IRELAND.

He Defines His Position on the Com
mon School Question in General. and
the High School in Particular.
To the Editor OF the Globe.
An editorial in the Pioneer Press this
morning implies that my opposition to a
public high school follows, as matter
of course. from my opposition to the
whole common school system of the
country
! beg leave to say, through your col
umns, that am not at all opposed to the
common school system. and that, conse-
quently, my disapproval of high schools
rests upon special grounds of its own.
certainly for we'll known reasons find
| the 'sfree unsectarian common schools
objectionable for Catholic children, and
| If | were an earnest Protestant would
find them Objectionable for Protestant
children. But be that as it may, there
must be such schools, as without taem
large number of children would receive
no education at all and the State would
| suffer from such ignorance. Among the
requirements for good citizenship GER
tain degree of intelligence has to be emu
merated. As an American citizen, for
the safety of the commonwealth, am
willing myself to pay taxes, so that no
| child shall grow Ap among us without the
essential elements of knowledge, and
make profession of faith in the right of
the State to levy taxes for such purposes.
The question changes altogether when
we come to high schools and colleges. No
one processes that the instruction given
in these institutions is necessary that men
may vote inteligently, and no social need
can be discovered which would justify
their maintenance by the State through
taxation. Even if high schools were used
| by the children of the majority of citi-
zens the State could not legitimately sup
port them with the public money. Twill
not discuss the question how desirable Or
undesirable it might be for the State and
the people themselves to have all our
young men and women possess q smatter-
ing of Greek and Latin and believe them
selves fully competent to be all lawyers
and school teachers. The point
wish to make now is that high school in
struction, whatever we may think of it in
itself, il one of these Injuries, the procur-
ing of which is no. business of the State,
unless the State undertakes the absolute
care of the citizen from the cradle to the
grave, as some Of our European and
Asiatlc despotisms volunteer to do. If we
once begin to supply through taxation
that which is ornamental or in some way
useful to the citizen, without it's being
necessary to the State as State, where will
we end? And will we not break down
the very backbone of American citizenship
and American enterprise, self-reliance !?
In an editorial on the "End of Govern
ment, which appeared in the Pioneer
Press of Jan. 18th, l find these words,
which l deemed at the time most wise ::
sIn the stage which we have reached,
where control is necessary only to secure
individual or corporate rights, and where
public measures should aim only at pub
lie good, it IS time that the phantom of
central power as the great patron and
benefactor of private interests should
| finally disappear" In the light of
this doctrine, what has the State
to do with high school instruction
The same article says: HIt is a truism of
political science that whatever can be ac-
complished by private means or by COM
bination of individuals will be better done
than by the State.' High instruction is
one of these things which private enter
prise already furnishes in many places,
and is only too willing to furnish in all
places if the State does not intervene as a
too potent rival.
The improperly and the wrong doing
on the part of the State in providing
through taxation high schools and col
leges, grows into yet greater proper
lions when we know that as a
fact only the children of the
few, and these the rich, profit
as q rule by high schools, while the
taxes for their support fall upon all, and
most heavily upon the poor. 1t is mere
theorizing to say that the high school is
open to the children of the poor. Prac-
tically 1t is not, and it cannot be, and if
we would be just in our acts we would
deal by our neighbors with, an eye to
facts and not to theories.
The comparisons drawn from other in
stitutions said to De used only by the few
while they are paid for by the many
courts and charitable asylums-have no
force as arguments in favor of high
schools. Courts are necessary as the
prime support of the State, and charity to
the needy being solemn duty for citizens
seyerally is properly by them in joint
action delegated to the State, to be per-
| formed by it in their name.
The Pioneer Press should argue the
question Of high schools and colleges on
| first principles, and not be Influenced in
its opinions by side issues and possible
remote advantages to State or city. No
reader of the Pioneer Press fancies for a
moment that the interviews and state
ments published this morning reflect
| public opinion in st. Paul or other cities
OF the United States. The men inter-
viewed in St. Paul are honorable citizens,
whose convictions honor. But it looks
to me very much as if the reporter, with
two or three exceptions, sought out for the
interview high school men. Why were not
some mechanics and laborers interviewed?
Will some reporter call on me for q list
| of citizens to be interviewed? 1t is USE
less to quote superintendent of public
schools in Chicago, St. Louis and Bos-
ton; superintendent are not impartial
witnesses. The people of Chicago and
| St. Louis should be interviewed. The
people in these cities as well as in St.
Paul are opposed to public high schools.
The question for tho existence Of such in
situations was never submitted to direct
| popular vote nor could it be without be-
| ing settled most conclusively in favor Of
the rights of the many not to pay taxes
| for the benefit of the few. In no other