Daily Republican., 1885-07-20
WHAT GOvERNnENTCAH DO.
National baptist

Ono thing which government can do,
and most important thing, lies In the
direction OF education. The govern.
| ment establishes schools for the people,
not for the rich, nor for the poor. moi
| for the capitalist, nor for the working.
man. but for all men, for the whole
people. But while the schools are not
for any one class alone or distinctively y,
yet 1t IL to be remembered that the rich
can, If they choose. send to other and
expense ve schools, while the working.
man, ~ general thing, cannot. Also
as the working men form the largest
portion of the community, II Is by them
and their children chiefly, that the
schools will be used.
These schools should be made as
good as they can be. They must enlist
improvem snts, the highest talent, the
most complete buildings.
But, of course, all these things cost
money. And what do see? see con
stantly the politicians economizing In
these schools for the working M on q
children, and the working men sub.
| mitting, IL not absolutely approving.
| learn from the last report of Prof.
Mac A lister, the progressive Superjn.
tendent of Schools in Philadelphia,
that the salary of q woman teacher,
unless she IL principal, even after AZ
teen years Of experience in teaching,
does not exceed $A7O.
Out OF this she must pay for board,
clothing, washing and all other ex.
penses. She must also out OF this make
some provision for the coming years
when she can earn no more, . period
which comes early in the history Of q
woman teacher, In whose work spright.
illness is needed. She ought also out of
her salary to buy books, to take maga-
zines, etc, 80 rs to keep up with the
world, and to have constantly In mind
subjects and suggestions to use in
arousing and interesting her scholars.
She ought to be able to travel, and to
attend educational meetings, as we'll rs
to rest and widen her mind by seeing
many scenes. When she gets new ideas
it is not for herself alone, 1t is for the
children Of the people, the children of
the working man
The buildings should be com mmodious,
we'll ventilated and light. But con
stsntly we hear the cry that there is NO
money for more or better buildings. l
wonder that the. do not de
mand more regard to their interests In
these matters.
Then the character OF the instruction
should be fitted to the wants of the
great body of those who attend the
schools. For example, there ught to
be instruction in the principles govern
ing wages, prices, industry. The pupils
should understand the elem entary p-in
ciplcs of public or political economy.
Many people are not awar. that there
are any laws In these matters. They
think that the rate Of wages is a mere
matter of will on the part of employ
ers on the Que hand, or the trades union
on the other.
They imagine that wages can be rails.
cd by vote Of the union or lowered by
the fat Of mill owner. They suppose
that IL only money Is "plenty" and
cheap" then all will 60 we'll. They
do not know what are their relations To
the State. If perehaDce thoy are elected
to Office, they are ignorant of their duties
and powers, and are liable to be misled
and bought aud used by the designing,
without knowing 1t.
1t may be said that there is NO time In
ths schools for all these things. But
for one thing, Of the scanty time now
spent In the public schools by the chill
dren Of the working man, @ large part
is wasted. Much OF the time spent II
ths higher arithmetic, and in geogrs ply
and all OF the time spent on spelling, il
wasted. open Q geography. and fint
great deal witch is wholly inoompre
hensibls to tho children, about msri
dians. parallels. axes. zones, orbits.
] find series of questions such q
Give the names OF all the capes OF
hA - -
Give all tho oapos on the coast O
ASIA" !" What IS the latitude of Cap
IGallinas?" What is the longitude o
Cape Pariua?" "What is the latitude
OF Cape Agullas?" All these hing
are absolutely sure to be forgotten
almost as soon ~ they are learned
We can save time for some rationa
and useful instruction by leaving on
some of these useless studies. 1t ma,
be said that the scholars In the publi
school are too young for rthese things.
Butthey ought not to be. Here com 81
in what said before about forbiddini
the employment of children below ,
certain age And 1t would be we'll l
tho children below . certain age wer,
employed in work only for q part of ,
day and were to attend school for th'
other part. They would study to just q,
good advantage perhaps as If givini
their whole time to 1t. while learning
something, and not being unduly con-
fined and taxed
The children In the schools should b.
taught to love reading they shoult
look on books not rs Q task but as
delight. They should also be taugh
to ex oress their ideas In .peaking apt
writing The workine-man suffers i'm
mensely from inability to state hi
case.
And the children should be taugh
industrial pursuits. Nor do i nov
speak of the children of the working
man as distinguished from the children
of the more wealthy all should bs
thus taught; but 1t would be of pecu
liar use to those who are likely to be
working-men and women.
They would then. If they entered OF
q mechanical calling, begin with many
advantages. The hand, the eye, tn,
Judgment would have acquired SOM
skill. In all our schools. the drawing
of machinery, Of maps, of architecture
designes, the carving of wood, thu
manipuls tion Of tools should be taught
| And while both sexes should pursui
all these things, the girls should ais
~ nuos hoo no uIuuBofy, uoI 40
high art, many of the things whicl
wisl make all the difference in the worlt
to their lives; they should learn the car
of house, the keeping Of household &C
counts, the preparation OF food, all tina
relates to the health of household and
Thousand other things.
All these things the governmen
should give; all these things the work
ing mau should Ask and demand Al