The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-10-26

nariOnalif les out as Tree CltlZeIs or tlle
United st; ties of North America.
Our repu bile viii only have durable
existence when the State has made pub
lie education it's most important and
highest aim. We do not uudervalue tn
assistance of other means, but we ~ =
clare that 1t Is the intellectual dsvelo o.
ment of men, which includes the on
dition for the welfare of a nation 'Onl,
under such conditions will each or re es
TEEN his feIlow-man as his broth .er only
when even the lower classes arr, con
scious that their happiness depeu rs on
that of their fellow-citizens viii IL be
possible to obtain the unity of th,s whole
among the various existing elements.
But IL the schools shall reach their high
aim, they must not only be inst Itutioaa
of knowledge, but also nurse ries of
morality; then only they will prove
to be beneficial institutions of the
State and a true blessing to the nation.
There is for all our schools great need
of a system Of education which should
in all its stages be carried through with
the strictest con sequence by the teachers,
principals, superintendent and members
of school boards. If this Is neglected
the spirit of piety will disappear more
and more among our youth, and they
will aim at tendencies which will lead
them astray. instruction must be con
sldsred as one part of education and
must accommodate the school with prac-
teal life. instruction is performed by
the communication of ideas, " hich are
given in a certain plan and i'll certain
completeness, while yet each single or
isolated experience has a training in
fiuence, and works in the development
OF feelings and ideas. But the result of
education depends on the influence of
the whole, and as ii is difficult for our
selves as well as for others to find the
connection by which satisfactory sue.
cess can be secured, so the mistakes ia
education are found so frequently.
As however with the best method and
the best talent of the advancement of
intellectual development will bring little
fruit without moral foundation, there
fore the school must introduce in all its
organizations training elements and keep
them with strict consequences. The
pupil must consider il as one of his first
duties to have the highest esteem for the
law and the entire submission to il: he
must be convinced, that he is very far
from that aim of intellectual perfectuess,
which he has to reach as man and as
citizen of the State; he must endeavor
with diligence to make himself free from
all evil dispositions in order TO attain the
higher life of humanity and its true free
dom. In this the school must become
one of the most important helps for the
future prosperity of the State, which is
necessary in high degree, for this alone
can bring better spirit in all our polit
ical and social relations. By this the
school VIII finally not only correct many
mistakes made in the education at home
but will be able 10 give TO this latter
a profitable direction.
If State shall reach a high degree of
moral, scientific and political progress,
1t is necessary the such an organization,
which is appropriate to the claims of our
days, is not only introduced in our public
schools but IN all institutions of learning.
A system Of education, complete in all
its branches, and having not those many
deficiencies of our present system, must
offer TO all members of the State the
means to satisfy the longing for higher
culture. If we consider conscientiously
our public schools, we must soon discover
that even with the most carefuhinstruct-
ion of our children, and even when they
have faithfully and earnestly finished
the studies of the highest class, then they
meet a void, which they can not fill and
must therefore skip it when they have
to attend higher institution of learning.
They miss systematical connection, and
this can have but bad Influence on their
farther instruction. These deficiencies
are great nuisances, and ought to be re-
moved. 1t is therefore necessary that
all transactions from one school TO an
other can be done in the right progress
i've way, and only when this is done, we
have a system of education and can con-
slider the instruction from the public
school up to the highest institution ne
whole and complete one.
The public schools must be preserved
to the nation and ought to be supported
with our best efforts, for they are the
real bulwark of our republic. Where
they fall, or where their existence is only
poorly kept up, there the republic Is 60
ing rapidly to its ruin; there the nation
sinks hastily downward: ignorance and
superstition are then growing every
where. Faith, truth and charity are
like fading stars-our social relations
lose their moral foundation, the wealth
of the monopolists is promoted, and the
peoples prosperity is ruined. The polit-
ical freedom disappears, and with il the
national Consciousness; despotism gains
power, and erects the bridge on which
the nation is lead from its freedom 10
bondage, from republic to a monarchy. !