Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-02-01

or had they been compelled to read the
| Protestant Bible, there might have
been some cause for complaint; but
such are not the facts.
The Protestants, on the other hand,
urge objections to the public schools
because the Bible is excluded from
them. The fault is not with the pub
| lie school system at all. 1t is merely
| the spleeny vaporings of few ignoi
ant religious fanatics, who are never
satisfied with anything.
A man afflicted with jaundice sees
everything in one color; the earth, the
grass, the trees, the sky, all appear in
the same tint-yellow.
While these grumblers may not be
afflicted with jaundice, or any other
physical disease, the fact is plain that
they suffer prejudice to blind them
from the truth, and that is worse.
To show the folly Of the foregoing
objections to the public schools, let us
inquire little into the matter. The
free school system has been adopted in
every State in the Union. In the
Northern States it. has been in opera
ton nearly fifty years, and in the
Southern States about thirty years.
But let us be liberal. Let US go back
to the year 1647, when the first free
schools were ordered and adopted in
this country, and see how they will
compare with private and denomina-
tional schools.
From the day the public school sys-
tenn was first adopted, it has steadily
grown in the favor of the people.
Hundreds and hundreds of schools
have been organized; thousands OF
teachers have been employed, and
millions of children reared and educat-
ed in these schools.
1t is an institution possessing those
attributes which challenge the high
regard of all men. Its numerical
strength, considering its recent ap-
pearance, is without precedent. 1t
has spread with astonishing rapidity,
and numbers of the best citizens in all
professione and pursuits of life are rec
oguized as students of these schools
and regarded as the first men in socie-
| ty. And SO far as the system has had
an opportunity to unfold itself to the
public eye, its department has been
such as to commend itself to the favor
able consideration of a large majority
of the good people of this great coun.
try.
But" says religious critic, "the
results are unsatisfactory" Unsatis-
factory, are they? Well, let us now
take your side of the question. The
public schools, you will admit, have
existed in their present form only
about fifty years. Yes. But let US
see; how long have the denomination
al schools existed?-ever since the
dawn of the Christian era, believe?
Yes. Well, then, what have all the
good men, the preachers, the religious
teachers, the theologians and philoso-
pliers who have lived from the founda-
ton of the world to the present time
time been doing, that there is so much
ignorance and sin in the world? Echo
answers, What?
In this contrast we see that the
Church has had eighteen centuries in
which to instruct the people, if We go
no further back than the Christian era,
while the public schools have had on
ly about fifty years.
In spite of all that the Church has
done, with the public school thrown
in for good count, it is urged by the
enemies of the public school system
that illiteracy abounds in every State
Those who are SO short.minded as to
make these complaints, are not able to
think and investigate for themselves.
If they were, they could see at u glance
that illiteracy has existed from the
foundation of the world, and always
will exist. 1t is natural consequence
of imperfect development, and belongs
to the human family as much as infe-
riority and insubordination does.
The public school system is a grand
success; it is the backbone of the ma
ton; it is the poor mans friend and
the nations security. That it has its
weak points, all candid people admit.
While it has these, We are glad to
know that they are not grievous ones,
and the people will correct them ut the
proper time.
The reference to the Church in this
connection is not intended as a slur
upon that institution. The power of
the Church is q wonderful factor in
the civilization OF q nation. Its inftu- |
ence for good is unequaled; but the
misfortune is, 1t is shorn, in great
measure, of its usefulness through the
curse of sectarianisrn. 1t is from this |
very source that all opposition to the
public school system arises. If the
Church will attend to her own busi- i