The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1884-10-01
A School In Morocco.

While walking about in almost any city
of Morocco one is almost sure to hear at
some point of his rambles a confused
babel of sound. very like that of mass
of children reciting in unison lesson or
composition of some sort, issuing from,
usually, a mean, dilapidated building,
situated in an obscure, dark corner of the
street. Upon nearer approach, and, If
the surroundings are favorable, closer in
spection, one sees--in small, dirty
room, lighted only by a little window and
the open door, having for its furniture, if
any at all, only low desk, such as the
Moors use, of the meanest description,
together with few bits of ragged mat
ting stretched along the walls, and some
pieces of rugs, in equally ragged condi-
ton, covering the floor behind the desk
sitting cross-legged, a man, rod in
hand, and in front of him, ranged in a
circle, sit cross legged, also, number of
children, who, while changing in unison,
produce the sounds which attracted your
attention, accompanying the whole with
a rhythmic swaying of the body back
and forward. 1t is a school, as
has been probably surmised ere
this. The old man in the ragged jelaba is
the schoolmaster, while the almost naked
children are the pupils, who are being
taught the beginning and the end of a
Musselman's life, the Koran, which is
their sole education. the State defraying
all the expenses of the same, which can
not be very heavy, as the teachers only re-
ceive about fifteen cents a month salary,
the scholars supplying them with food.
The schools are free, and every city, town
and village has sufficient number of them
to attend the education of its children,
their attendance being compulsory. Here
! it is, in these dark, miserable, dirty
rooms, that the young minds of the chill
dren are dwarfed and the wall built around
them that bars their progress hereafter
beyond a certain point; this point was
reached over 500 years ago; from this
point since then they have not moved, nor
will they unless compelled to. Here it is,
also, that the seeds of that blind fanata-
cism which rules Morocco and other Mo
hammedan countries are sown, and the
degrading precepts of the Koran taught,
the effects of which are only too easily
to be traced all over the Mohamme
dan world, keeping back, as it has, its
duQ bnOSO WIN DO
lieve in and follow its doctrines into de,
PRAYED, sensual beasts, having no high
aims or motives in life whatsoever
Mohammedanism has had its day; has
served its purpose-partially civilized {
race of people that we're, up to the time
of the promulgation of that religion
beyond the reach of Christian influence
Here its mission and its power for work
ing good to, and promoting the welfare
of, the world ceased. Since then it ha
been as a clock with loosened hands; tht
machinery has run, but the hands ceased
to advance-pointing always to the samt
time. 1t is religion uniting men TO
the duties of life; and one which mus
have fallen ere this on account of its owl
rottenness had it not been upheld, directl
and indirectly, by the powers of Europe
who, through jealousy of one another
have built under it at yarions times tn
props which are now supporting 1t
existence as power, and which the in
domitable energy of Christians and tn
healthy truths of their religions are cor
, stantly underpinning, causing the gray
diplomatic questions" which are alway
, arising in the European cabinets concern
,, ing this rare of people, to remain in
chronic state of soreness. - Cinciand
Commercial Gazette.