Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-09-24
zsE HIGH SCHOOL TIE PoeR MAE's
SCHOOL.

After declaring that if it had its way il
would abolish the high schools, retain bat
one superior school, and strike from the
coRrse of study for the free schools every.
thing except the teaching of the element.
Rry English branches, the San Francisco
ArgonGsa abandons its usual good sense TO
ray awe have never been able to under
stand why the children of wealthy parents
should be educated at the expense Of the
community" etc. If the Argonaut means
TO be measured by the hteralness of its
words. then it is guilty OF trucking to the
prosperity hating sentiment, which would
put all the burdens of government upon
the wealthy, and let the poor live in luxu-
rious idleness That there ia such senti-
ment abroad, none know better than the
ArgonGut. Now, just so far as the judg-
ment of the people in their governmental
capacity determines that the free educa.
tional system shall extend, just that far Oh
children have rights in the schools, and the
ArgoHaW very well understands that the
children of wealthy parents should be ed
ucated at public expense precisely to such
an extent, and no more, as are the children
Of those less blessed with worldly goods.
What the Argonam does mean, though it
is unfortunate in the mode OF its express
sion, is that it is opposed TO public schools
that can be availed of only by the rich,
etc. We know of but two schools Of this
kind, the High School and the University.
However it may be in San Francisco, the
fact in Sacramento is that the High School,
where the branches sre taught that the
Ar9oaaut considers merely as accomplish
ments, is availed of mainly by the poor.
For all the period Of its existence, the
children of people in but moderate
circumstance, or absolutely poor, have
largely outnumbered the children of those
who were able to send their youth to pri-
vate academies. In fact, in the school re-
ferred to, the children of small taxpayers
have so largely predominated, that the
children of the rich have been scarcely no.
ticeable. Lat our contemporary note the
fact, also, that it is one Of the best schools
in the country, since its pupilg, on exam.
ination for the State University, as Z rule,
out rank the children sent from any other
preparatory institute, and this has been
frequently testified to. Without the Sac.
ramento High School, where most of the
specific branches are taught which the San
Francisco paper objects to, scores OF poor
children would have been deprived of the
higher education which has fitted then, for
superior usefulness in the country to which
they ows their intellectual training. We
are perfectly willing to admit that tbs
number entering the High School is dis. |
proportionate to this number gra3usted
from the several grammar schools of tie |
oisy. That is to say, while our grammar |
schools send from the frat grade aunussly |
from ninety to one hundred, only from twer- |
ty-tWo to thirty enter ths High School,
while q few others from private schools !
enter ca special examination. Now the /
High School is a local institution. 1t |
exists because the people, independently of
the State system, support it, and they sup
psrt it beoaEse they realizs that it IS essen.
tally the poor mans school. Thus it comes
about that our rich are taxed to maintain
The school which they least avail of,
while the oisss that coutfihntes least TO its
most enjoy its privileges. II
ssss Argon1as viii examine into the matter
Ne will wager that in San FranciacO it viii