The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-01-16
A Duty For Public School Teachers.
To the Editor of til. Esrrnrnrsr.

the experience Of censorship Of the
press, regulation by which certain
officials decide upon what shall and what
shall not be printed, with a view to regl-
lating what people shall read. The
practice of the Roman Catholic church
in this matter, is well known. To re.
move all restrictions, Spain, Switzerland,
Norway, Sweden and Denmark have,
within recent years, abolished superin-
tendance, whi France, Germany and
Russia, retain supervision over printed
matter, even to the present day. In
the United States, such censorship has
never existed, public sentiment afford
ing the only restraint allowed.
The most general, as well as the most
enlightened view, is that this censorship
is all wrong, 1t enables few, perhaps
not specially intelligent, nor specially
gifted with correct tastes, 70 say what is
or is not beneficial for people to read.
1t may also become an instrument in the
hands of government to uphold and
enforce tyranies Of various sorts. For
bringing to light all things, the freedom
of the press is required, so that secret
and selfish schemes may be detected and
destroyed. If the liberty is occasionally
abused, this had better be endured than
to run the risk of abridging the right
of free and independent criticism. Yet
there is an acknowledged evil growing
out Of the abuse Of this freedom, an
evil of so gigantic nature that it is
becoming burning question for the
hour. What shall be done to protect
society against itS The periodical press
teens with items Of sort, no pure
minded person should read, while the
trashy story papers are more numerous
than the lice Of Egypt. These are sup
plemented in a powerful manner by the
cheap novels. We are simply inundated
with wave aftor wave of demoralizing,
pernicious literature, IL 1t deserves such
a name as that.
II everybody had good sense and
morals, vigorous enough to refuse to
read such things, the question would be
solved of course. But 1t is painfully
obvious, that as yet, there is very little
conscience about the matter. Many of
the victims are those who regard not
morals in any matter, and Of course,
care nothing for them in this. Others
are too young to be able to discern the
evil and to spontaneously shun it. What
therefore Is to be done and who is to do
itp
1t is impossible, perhaps, to reform
many who have contracted the taste for
vile reading. The only hope lies in a
gradual change for the better, and
especially II not entirely, by guarding
the young and enabling them to form
correct tastes. Much of this work
might be done by parents, even all Of it
should be done by them; but there is
little to hope for from this source, be
cause in such vast number Of cases
the parents are part Of the thing TO be
reformed. The Sunday school teacher
and the minister may do something, but
their power is only advisory, and many
do not come under their instructions at
all. 1t must be some person or class of
persons, possessed Of a sufficient degree
of authority, and power to enforce it,
and having access to all the youth Of q
given generation. There is only one
functionary in our society, al OF present
constituted, possessing these qualifica-
items, viz: tie teacher in the public
school. Besides, the duties of teach
ing how TO read and what TO read are
cognate, the latter having an affinity
with the former II has with no other
office in the community. Teachers have
something more than advisory influence
over their pupils in other things besides
textbooks and school room discipline.
Or, If 1t be necessary. their authority
could be enlarged in this direction. For
no inconsiderable period Of the life Of
the young, they have immense influence
over them, an influence extending to
nearly every able,bodied youth in a
community. II those who never go 10
school, should do nothing else but read
pernicious literature, their element in
society would be nevertheless insignifl-
cant, because they are SO comparatively
few.
The conscientious teacher will do
something in this direction anyway. But
let It be understood that the board
desires and requires that all of them
do the best they can with the means at
their hands, for cultivating taste for
proper reading, and doubtless more
HoofIaI aod -no.lt. ,ytil