Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-05-27
PRIMARY EDUCATION AND TIE
PRESS.
European and American school Sys.
TENS.

Primary education has been a recent subject
OF debate In the legislative assemblies Of Eng
land and France, and the theme Of able edito-
rails in the leading newspapers. As conse-
quence the reading world has better concep-
ton of what these nations think Of child and
what they propose to do for him, than of our
own attitude in reference to the subject, al
though ours is. par excellence, the land Of pub
lie schools and of newspapers. The conditions
out OF which these different degrees of publicity
have arisen are easily explained. Primary edu-
cation never presented itself to US as problem
to be solved. In our northern communities at
least. it came without observation, has kept
pace with their growth and exhibits the imper-
fections and the vig0r Of natural production.
Free schools and school tax have no place in
the public policies OF England. The national
grant" represents the triumph of an idea in it's
incipient stage merely 1t Ia not the spontaneous
action OF the people In their own interests, but
the effort OF class to raise the mass The
Education Code" comes into parliament rather
as a recognized necessity than as a popular mea-
sure. and for q hearing in the English papers,
presents the double claim Of Importance and
novelty.
In France, free primary education is an ex-
pertinent Older than the present republic, but
the principles embodied in the Education Bill"
which was so vehemently debated in the senate
from the 18th to the 23d of March, are opposed
portion OF the French people; hence the discus
sion is naturally appealed from the limited circle
OF the senate to the wider arena of the press.
From these conditions which expose the in
feriority OF France and England as compared
with our own country in respect to the practical
development of primary education, there has re-
suited method OF presentation, an analysis
and exposition of details which is worthy of
our attention.
Within living memory our school affairs grew
n ION, hot lar,-
be managed by the people en- nadsse, and were
turned over to the care Of boards and of special
officers. With the relief from an OnerOus re-
sponsibility came the decline of individual in
terest and the rapid increase of delegated
authority, so that, at last, between parent and
child there has grown up an elaborate system
whose composition. powers and modes of opera
ton very few people know anything about. The
dOings are published after they are done, and in
official documents which attract little general
attention. In other words, by q natural pro-
cess
EDUCATION HAS BECOME MONOPOLY.
The father looking at piles of textbooks, pro-
grams and time schedules, has an uneasy con-
sciOusness that he has surrendered his right
and title in his sons intellectual development;
the mother seeing her nervous, excitabe daugh-
ter with a poky figure and literary turn of
mind, is haunted by traditions of an elder day
when mothers notions had equal weight with
the schOomens in determining the training of
girls No one wants to return to primitive
modes. but the conviction that the Judgment of
the mass of the people ought to have fuller
recognition in the scheme of public education
is steadily gaining ground. The newspapers it
would seem, afford the only adequate medium
for the expression of this judgment. If any
one supposes that the innovation would weight
our dailies with dull matter, he might be re-
lieved by an examination of the London Times
OF April 4th and 5th. The Times is rather
solid paper. but the report of the education dis
cussi0n in Parliament and the editorial sum-
mary of parliamentary and popular opinions
which appeared i'm the two issues referred to,
We're reading lively enough for the American
taste.
THE PITH OF THE MATTER
was in the consideration Of advantages to be de-
rived from the study of elementary science. 1t
did not appear that an average English child is
as highly favored in this respect as he would be
on this side the Atlantic-as Washington child
In Washington school; but parents who read
the columns found good reasons for the choice
or that class OF subjects. and could hardly have
resisted the conviction that the education of
children is an interest which brings the humbest
classes into sympathy with the wisest and most
powerful
The tendency in our own country is to confne
the discussion OF public school affairs to educa-
tiOnal Journals as if the training of child was
terry to all but the initated whereas it is ore of
those grand problems of life so related to uni
versa experience that it is of interest to every
body, and may derive advantage from any mans
thought and observation.
The school and the teacher educate the child,
but they must be part Of the age, and the ex-
ponent of the age is the press. A. T. s.
Georgia .PrOdigies.
Bob VERIFY, of Wintervlle, has a four-legged
chcken.-AHens Banner.
Jake Sans wears socks with button-hole
boquet on the side.-Couington Enterprise.
Mrs. A. Melton found among a lot of Cos
lings one that had three legs the third leg be-
ing directly behind the two used in walking It
is living and doing well.-ThOnsdsUille Enter
prise.
Mr.. j. T. Harrison showed Us the other day
peculiar thing. 1t was chicken with two per-
fectly formed heads and bills, with three ewes
and only one body. DIR: Stephens took it, and
has it in Observation-Disclosures Democrat
Mr.. Felix Sloan, farmer, residing near Re
sach, in this county, has mare who recently
gave birth to two mule colts. both well formed
one the ordinary size and the other about the
size of rabbit. The largest one is still alive
Calhoun Times.
Mr.. j. ID. Moore, living near White Plains, has
a curiosity In the shape of cat. The head and
half the body Is that of a cat, while the balance
is a rabbit. 1t eats peas like rabbit and meat
anu Dreau IKE caI-CfQtCJOTQSUAle Den1OC7'Qt
There is a young lady in Lexington who has
two engagement rings and as each fellow calls.
she wears the ring he gave her. They both
called at the same time not long since and she
was in box.-Oglethorpe Echo.
Mr.. James Millians, of the fourth district tells
about forward chicken that was Matched at
the Widow Mics, in that district, few DAYS
ago. and when only twenty-four hours old it
crowed, and would go through with all the Ell
quette of grown chicken. The chicken should
be saved. for the country needs an early kind
Netcntda Herald.
Green Hill, not satisfied with her wildcat baby
and three-legged pigs manages to pull through
to the front this week with this: A cat gave
birth to two kittens recently. One of them had
only one leg In front, while the other kitten has
seven legs. four on behind and three in 'front.'
At last accounts they were living and doing we'll
We are authorized to state that if any one doubts
the above he can get fight any time by calling
on the proprietor OF the cats.-Lumpkin hide
pendent.
Bound Her Chicks Should Swim.
From the Bangor Wing and Courier.
Some time ago hen was set upon ducks
eggs, and In due time the ducklngs were out
and on their way to the nearest water. Biddy
was much alarmed at the apparent folly of her
hrO III. hrrt ffnp fnrxr ID. -t.ny a,A Ill