National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-01-10

generous sum Of more than half q million
dollars for tho instruction of q, 900 child
rem aud youth. Its seats arc crowded
with pupils from the most eminent
families of all the states sitting by the
side Of children from tho hum blest
homes. Four years ago my advice was
asked by gentleman OF culture and
cminence respecting tho education of his
young children. He was thinking OF
London, Paris, Berlin--every place.
suggested to him that there was no better
spot on earth for the elementary school,
ing Of his young family of American
children than the franklin public school
house, a stones throw from his own
home in Washington. Already have the
common schools OF this city taken honor.
able rank with those of tho most cult.
waited communities in tho older states, and
to tho whole south, now Just building up
the American systOm of popular instruC.
ton, they are a perpetual model and
object lesson" of what public school
should be.
But the American system Of culture Ia
not confined to tho common school. II
includes every variety of good institu ton
which any body Of good people are will.
ing to support. And in this city wo find
complete representation of every sort Of
| fAANebVt anu tOlltKlhtt
seminary for all sorts and conditions of
youth; colleges with honorable recor da
and growing endowments; the most com.
plcte university for colorcd youth in the
country; private, parochial, and academi-
cal schools Of various grades; the kin
derRartcn for the little ones and tho be-
| ginnings OF that industrial training
which is destined to become so great q
feature in tho country; schools of law,
medicine, aud theology; the noble foup-
. dalton Of gallery, with tho prospect Of
q great school of art. Perhaps the least
developed OF all is tho higher training in
music, which still waits tho building Of a
music hall worthy OF national fame.
But this excellent beginning of school
education is only one Of tho depart
ments Of
THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY WHICH OUR
NEW WASHINGTON Is BECOMING.
Mr.. Mathew Arnold tells us that the
tendency Of the new university life Of
Europe is to the location of great schools
in great, cultivated cities. Five hundred
years ago the ideal seminary was an edu-
cational establishment, in rural retreat
or q wilderness, whore group OF schol-
ars and ecclesiastics labored to mould
tho superior youth of q country to be in
huOhtoA ouNpNoeo' nun poltf
sans of their own creed. But tho
ideal modern university 10 gener-
Gus and liberal group Of schools planted
in the heart Of the most vital commu-
nifty, touching every benefcent institu-
tion, and Offering to it's students the most
complete opportunities furnished by
the spirit of the age. While in some ro-
spects, the present Washington ia doubt
less inferior to other large cities of tho
land in those metropolitan agencies, yet
in several of the most important IL sur
passes them all.
The time has passed when tho church
or any of its sects, will be able to control
the education of any large portion Of the
American people. The present concerted
effort Of the Catholic priesthood to re.es-
tablish the decaying European parochial
school in this country will either break
down through the revolt of their people,
or, If it succeeds, tho school itself will be
captured by the Catholic laity, scntially
changed and made vital part Of the
American system of education. But the
church, tho clergy and the Religious peo-
Pile Of every name will not lose their hold
on American schools. The ultra secular
education which ignores the whole spir-
itual side of man, 10 an impossbility.
Three.fourths Of any good school must be
moral; lisoi plinary ofcharacter by the very
necessities Of the case. And tho way to
mako education religious and moral Is
for all good people to close up around
tho school, insist on superior persons
for its management, the noblest manhood
and womanhood in its teachers, and fill it
with tho best moral and social influence
of the time. And herein the religious
public in Washington has this advan-
Nh.N an oh. nHnu Dab hA
breadth and liberality of thought aud
growing charity of the national life.
Many Of them have been built and must
DO supported by people and denomina-
tions representing all states and sections,
classes and races. And here will be
found, in time, tho best development of
tho peoples idea Of religion. Even in the
days of Washington, the religious people
of the union, in many respects, were
ahead of their clergy, sects, and churches;
and to this fact we owe the religious lib
erty secured in the very organism of ma
ton and state. The country is growing
in this direction, and Washington repre-
resents that growth. As time goes on,
the organized religious life of this city
will become one Of the most powerful fac
tors of its educational opportunity.
Time would fail to attempt On elaborate
review of the
GREAT "ANNEXEs" TO THE SCHOOL LIFE
of the city of Washington, which es.
pecially represent tho national spirit and
make the capital city the nations best
university. He might speak of the in.
stitute of science founded by tho English
man. Smithson, who SO early appreciated
the position of Washington in the educa.
tional lifo Of the new republic. We have
| Ixr tn Ionlf at tho M nn1lantinra nf he
national museum and tho medical mu
scum, with Its choice library. unrivaled
in certain ways with their groups Of
learned men aud women, and tho various
associations for scientific and literary fell.
lowship for suggestion Of the possibilities
in this direction. The botanic gardens
public grounds, and the remarkable de.
velopment of general ornamentatiou
which is rapidly making this the mos;
beautiful of American cities arc, in them.
selves, no mean feature of true univer-
sity life.
Over against this we find the patent
office, the worlds true chamber of magic
better than all seats of learning repre-.
senting that mighty onward surge Of the
human mind, which, since the days OF
Washington, has reconstructed COM
mon life, and, more than all the
clared man the divine child OF
the omnipotont God. Tho youth who
could walk tho aisles Of that sublime
temple of human inventive skill and fifty
comprehend the meaning of it all would
be educated as few scholars in the proud.
est cloistor can boast.
Every department of tho government
is really the branch Of great university.
The department of state is incarnate his
tory, girdling tho world with its daily
message. The interior includes tho most
valuable interests in the growth Of the
country and tho gradual fusing OF III
millions into true national life by the
magic of modern travel. What memories
crowd the soul of the patriotic youth AZ
no walks the corridors Of tho palaces
erected for the departments of the army
and tho navy. The one master Of finance
does not live who can fifty appreciate the
complete significance Of tho financial ad'
ADMINISTRATION of tho government for the