The Russellville Democrat., 1884-06-05
Compulsory Education.

correspondence or tue DtnotIat
 Please publish this for the benefit of the people of Pope county.
 Compulsory Education is a subject concerning which even thinking peo pie differ. But without differences. many times fundamental truths would not be discovered, and bene- ficial results brought to bear on man. kind. There is something about the word compulsory that is not very attractive; though for the good of others, it often becomes necessary to use it and to enforce it's full mean ing. And for this reason it should be advocated in education. Compul- sorry education IS like the temper. ancc cause, the more it is agitated. the stronger it becomes before the people. It Is well known fact that opposition to a measure often insures its success, while on the other hand too jealous vindication may cause I it's defeat. Caution should be used by the friends of this measure in bringing It before the people. Be assured if no cause existed for the enactment of such law, it would not here be advocated. But many causes do exist, and the object now is to get the massess of the people, if possible, to see the costly and evil results following ignorance. What. ever hopes and fears we may enter. tain of the future of our country, these hopes and fears are grounded Tn the present and rising genera. tions. Whatever we would have our state be we should endeavor to make our children. Whatever we would 1 have our children be we should en. deavor to make our neighbors; aad without some seemingly harsh means, we cannot do this. The power of ! persuasion seems to have lost its of. ficacy with a large per cent. of our people. To tell them that their children are in danger of being made the dupes and slaves of those who scramble for pelf, is fruitless ex- penditure of words. Children have rights that should not and must not be ignored; yet careless and thought less parents are trampIlng these rights under their feet year by year. The parent who keeps his child at home while school IS in session, to perform some trfiing labor which he could as we'll do himself, not only makes it his own slave but is fitting it to perform the most menial labor and drndgery for some future and harsher task master. In short, he is forcing bis child to become newer of wood and q drawer of water the remainder of it's life. When such q parent is oltl and it is too late to make amends for his folly, he sees situations of usefulness, ease, profit and honor go into the hands of his neighbor's child, who was more thoughtful. Thus the child, by lit. tie carelessness on the part of the parent, IS deprived of what should be it's most cherished rights, prac- tical education. Here remorse should become a caustic to the conscience Of such parents.
 This is not all by half. Children who are allowed to grow up without proper intellectual training, seldom, if ever receive proper moral training. They have no taste for the Sabbath school or the church. As rule, their highest ambition is to indulge in yulgarity and profanity, and to frequent places of idle and evil re- sort. Their minds are so contami- mated that they are not susceptible of pure and noble action. Have parents tue right to thus rear their children 10 become the, bane of soci- ety anu good government?
 Respectfully,
 L. JAnpc SnfIrrI