Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-08-03
q. MONTGOMERY.
Los ANGELES, August 2d.
A WAY TO BRING THE SCHOOL QUESTION
TO A POINT.

so false position before your readers
that am sure you will not deny me the
use of enough space to set myself right.
Under the caption, "Save the
Schools" you say; "Mr. z. Montgom-
ery's proposition that education makes
crime will win few converts"
Now, Mr.. Editor, if l have ever ad-
vanced such proposition. as that "ed-
ucaton makes crime, shall be thous-
and times obliged to you if you will tell
me, when, where and in what connec-
ton. On the very 6rstpage of Drops from
Poison Fountain" than $4,000
copies of which have found circulation
amongst the people Of California; dis
tinctly assert that '1t is very
true that ignorance is The mother
Of vice" and that at is also
"true that an educated people, il prop
"erly educated. are more moral. virtu-
"ous, contented, happy and law-abiding
"than are an ignorant people. Thus
'far we think there can be no difference
"of opinion between the most inveterate
supporter of the New England public
''school system and ourselves"
And every article l have ever written,
and every speech I have ever made
against the pernieious influence of our
common school system, is based upon
the ground that it is false system Of
education. That it rests for its founda-
ton upon the wreck and ruin of parental
authority; that it tends to make children
ashamed of manual labor, and ashamed,
too, of their parents who are laborers,
and by disqualifying them for any hon.
est pursuit within their reach, almost
forces upon them resort to dishonest
appliances to earn living. Now, Mr..
Editor, it does seem to me that the truth
or falsehood of these charges is the sub
ject of legitimate inquiry and discussion
If they are true, why should we not all
admit them to be so, and 60 to work like
sensible, honest, patriotic men to find
some proper remedy for so crying an
evil, Why attempt, as some people
are doing, to divert attention from these
facts by raising the bigotted and nom
sensical no-popery cry?
put Is ~ no. a1,o roo. o~o +-,o ,,1,x
not stand up boldly and not only deny
them, but by facts and arguments put
to blush the man who has the hardihood
to make thems
To bring this matter to focus / now
propose this syllogism for discussion,
namely: A proper system of education
as rule tends to increase virtue and
diminish vice amongst those brought up
under its influence. But the common
school system now prevailing in Califor-
MIA does not, as rule, tend to either
increase virtue or diminish vice amongst
those brought up under its influence,
but does tend to the contrary result.
Therefore the common school system
now prevailing in California is an i'm
proper system of education.
Now, Mr.. Editor. if any friend of the
present common school system can be
found in California, or out OF it, who be-
lieves he can successfully negative either
of the foregoing premises or conclusions,
let him come forward and l will agree
to find an advocate for the affirmative,
and we will have the question debated
and decided as follows:
We will secure the best possible hall
for the accommodation OF the public.
We will take as a presiding officer the
elder of your Superior judges, with the
County and City superintendents of
Schools for associates, and we will take
for umpires the first twenty-five names
beginning at the top of page Of the
Los Angeles Great Register, the particu-
lar page to be determined by a seven-
year-old child, while blindfolded, by
inserting a knifeblade between the
leaves. The debate shall continue from
time to time until the disputauts are
satisfied, or until two-thirds majority
of the uInpires are ready to decide the
question. After the decision the de-
fcated party shall pay all the expenses
Of the hall, lights and incidental ex-
penses of the debate, for which expens-
es, however satisfactory, guarantee must
be given before the discussion COM
mences.
1t seems to me, Mr.. Editor, that a
full, free and fair discussion of this
question on its naked merits or de-
merits would be far more sensible and
patriotic method OF settling it than
either by incorporating the position
of those who oppose the present public
school system, or by raising false,
irrelevant and unmeaning issues about
priests or popes. which have no more
bearing upon the present question than
they have upon the question Of the
comparative merits of gas and electricity
as an illuminator for your beautiful city.
Respectfully,
ZACH MONTGOMERY.
Los. Angeles, August 2.