The clarion., 1885-11-25
Is Public Education an Evil?

ibtse DECLARATIONS are timely; for
without them the conclusion would be
irresistible that Justice" is an enemy
to public or even general education, and
nothing out his high character sa es
him from the suspicion that his utter
ances in this behalf lack sincerity. But
is 1t not passing strange that a friend of
public education should quote approv
ingly such opinions as are found in the
article of Justice" which we publish |
to day?
The argument Of Mr.. SAVAGE and of |
the Appears Columbus correspondent, |
when condensed, may be stated thus:
The community needs some manual
laborers; education units person for
manual labor, therefore all should not
be educated. The vice of the argument
consists in assuming that the minor
premise education units a person for
| manual labor-is true. That it is not
true Is within the knowledge of every
| observant person. In answer to the
conclusion drawn from the statistics of
Massachusetts,, we refer to Mr. BLAINE's|
famous speeches delivered during the
last campaign, wherein, having shown
by statistics the wonderful progress of
the country in wealth and population
curing the last quarter of a Century, he
attributed it all to high protective
tariff. Figures never lie; but the con
/ clusions drawn from them are sometimes
| full of error
| There was a time in the history Of the
human race when slavery was held to be
"A necessary feature of government; hut
the enlightened thought and conscience
OF to-day demand higher and better
civilization, based on universal freedom
But what would freedom be worth in a
country where those whose poverty
deprives them of the opportunity for
education, should be set aside as the
'hewers of wood and drawers of watero
Tor the more favored class, who, by the
accident of birth or fortune. are fpr.
nlshed the means of mental develop
ment. Some are born to be ''hewers of
wood and drawers of water" This "a
part OF the Divine economy. Education
Will not change it; but it will separate
from the masses those who are worthy
OF more ennobling occupations, and in
the process of segregation the poor will
stand an equal chance with the rich.
We are not mistaken in our view of
the benefit to be derived from educa.
ton. We regard it as the greatest
blessing that government can confer
upon It's citizens, especially in a repub.
lie. But we are not unmindfu of what
seems to be well grounded objection to
it-that it makes the educated less will
ing to DO manual labor. l. it not true
that the desire to do light work. or the
indisposition to do any sort of work !.
As much the result of other causes as i,
Is of education? "a little learning :;
dangerous thing" So it is. 1t make.
fools OF many, among whor may be found
those whose education units them fo,
labor in any sphere of life to which by
the necessities of their condition they
may be assigned. The theory of educa
ton Is not simply that the educated
hall be stored with learning, but that
the knowledge acquired shall bring with
It desire to serve ones fellow creature,
as well as self. Mere knowledge up
associated with noble aspirations amount,
20 nothing. Along with mental training
the advocates of popular education
hope for an improved condition in the
moral nature of MN. 1t is not thai
rascals may be more polished or shrewd
or that some may be taught to prev sue
cessfully on Others. In this view educa
ton is a blessing unless it fail of its
object, and thus the experience of the
past shows that it will not do except ir
individual instances. Who shall do the
drudgery of tins world7 The uneduca
ted, say Mr.. SAVAGE and the Columbu,
correspondent of the appeal VIII,
shall be the uneducated3 They saw
the poor. We say educate all, and lei
the distinction between classes be one
of m crit instead of condition.
1t is a narrow and selfish view of life
which leads to the opinion that certain
proportion of the community should
not be educated lest they aspire to some
thing better than menial service or
works of drudgery; and it fails to com
prehend that larger and more enlightened
phase Of the question, which looks fo,
improved morality. and contentment in
my condition which necessity imposes
as the ultimate fruits of educating the
masses.
In opposition to the opinion of so
respectable an authority as the New
York Observer, that ito give a classical
scientific and artistic education TO those
who are able to pay for it, or those who
are not, by taxing the people at large,
is an outrage upon democratic or
> republican principles" we quote from
the Constitution of Mississippi:
As the stability of Republican form
OF Government depends mainly upon
the intelligence and virtue of all the
people, 1t shall be the duty of the Legi..
ature to encourage by all suitable
means, the promotion of int liectuaI
scientific, moral and agricultural inn.
provement, by establishing uniform
system of free public schools hv taxation
p- otherwise, ,r all children between the
ages of (6) five and (2l) twenty one
years, ana shall as soon as practicable
establish schools of higher grade, ART
VIII, SEC. |.
| And since "Justice" is not advocating
an amendment of the Constitution. but
criticisirg the manner in which the
Legislature is dealing with fund raised
IN accordance with the terms of thai
instrument, We invoke the clause quoted
as complete answer to any argument
based on the views of the Observer, and
the Sun also.
Justice" misapprehends the object Of
our special reference TO Tougaloo Univer
sity. 1t was not cited to strengthen
our position as 20 higher education, but
to srow that the means Icing li.aited,
more good could be done with one first.
class school than with many vastly
inferior.
We think that Justice" although
one of the ablest lawyers in the State.