The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-01-14
Published by request.
Education.

The public school system as now con-
Quoted involves an enormous expenditure
of money. extracted by taxation from the
people, and this system is based on the doc
frine that the good OF the Commonwealth
demands a certain amount OF intelligence in
the young men who are hereafter 10 be
members Of the body polite. The original
idea was that every child ought to be
taught to read and write and also know the
use OF figures the old phrase was ito cy-
pher'l. Thus the means OF obtaining In
formation would be given, and as the
young grew up in the world they would
read and live in communication with their
fellow-citizens, know what was going on,
think for themselves, be enlightened daily,
and not pass their lives in the darkness and
imprisoned condition of those who can hear
and speak but cannot read and write.
This original and wise basis Of common
school education has long been abandoned,
and in its place the communistic principle
has prevailed that property owes to all
children, youth and adults, rs high and
complete a system Of education as property
can give to any son or daughter OF a
wealthy man. 1t was not enough that the
public school should teach all that the pri-
waite school could teach, but free college
must offer the opportunities TO all which
Princeton and Yale and Harvard had been
affording to those whose parents could a.
ford to send them to those institutions. In
our boards of education the idea has gained
a firm foothold that public-school taxation
is based on the right and duty OF giving
every boy and girl all the instruction in all
branches Of human knowledge Except re-
ligion) that the youth or his parents may
wish for him.
The absurdity Of the principle ought to
be seen on the bare statement OF 1t. IL 1t
had not been for the constant blunder of
using that word education " instead OF
the proper word instruction" it is pro-
bable that fewer persons would have been
misled to the peryersion OF the whole COM
mon-school system.
alt is the duty of the State to give every
one of its children an education" is the
very common and very erroneous way OF
stating the principle.
at is the duty of the State TO give every
one OF its children some instruction." is
the correct statement.
can education" is myth-an imagina-
ton. Life never yet was long enough TO
complete an education. No mechanic and
no philosopher has ceased or can cease in
his life of work OF study TO be learning
small has been thus far his education.
Instruction at public expense being al
admitted duty, for the good Of the whole
community, the questions are opened tC
every one fairly, OF what sort, for what de
finite purpose, to what extent shall the In
struction be giveny If parents sent theil
children 20 public schools with the ide;
that they sent them TO be instructed for (
purpose i'm life. we should soon see elimi
mated from the common-schoOl lessons
vast lot of useless and worse than useless
teaching, now costing large sums OF taxa
ton and comforting no benefit on th'
great mass OF scholars.
Free colleges would vanish from exist
ence, as they ought long ago to have van
ished. The people would see the folly Of
taxing themselves to instruct full-grown
able-boded sons Of citizens i'm Greek anC
Latin, rhetoric and moral philosophy, anC
the isms OF modern theoretIc science, mos
OF them loaded with skepticIsm and ire.
ligion.
Reading, writing, and arithmetic would
by common consent be, rs of old, the first
and chief objects of instruction. These
are the tools OF all learning, and the use OF
these being acquired, the scholar is started,
well equipped, on the long road of edu.
cation. Whit are to be his work and use
fulness in the body polite, which is giving
him instruction On that question de-
ponds the sensible application TO his ease
+. of the money the public proposes 10 eXpend
on him, II it is 10 continue teaching him.
III he has brains for it as he lives on he will
acquire in the ordinary reading OF books
ample information on historical and scien-
title subjects which now occupy months OF
years OF his time and OF the time OF teacl-
crs, who yainly seek 10 drill into the heads
OF large class, month after month, page
by page, information which any bright boy
and girl would acquire in q few hours
pleasant and happy enjoyment OF book.
IL instruction at public expense is to
continue beyond the rudiments OF learn
Ing for public good, then most certainly it
should be otherwise directed than In this
vague way OF giving "an education " on
the principle that 'seducation /" makes
good citizens. This kind OF education
does not make good or useful citizens
They may become such In spite OF it. But
there Is vast waste Of time. labor,
health, and money In the purposeless
st,le OF common-school teaching. A free
college is utterly useless for public good.
A better system, by much, than the pres
ent would Introduce technical teaching in
the useful arts, so that modern schools
should replace the ancient systems
of apprenticeship, and the public money
90 directly 10 iii the young to become able
artisans and valuable citizens, enriching
themselves and enrichng the State both In
fI,e material DrOdlicts of their skilled work