The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-06-20

their eyes, and when How many with the
modern fairness of chest and rounduess of
shoulder can make an intelligent motion IN
calisthenics, or stand in military attitude
three minutes without intolerahle weari-
ness speak of no particular city, nor do
know that the average private school is
better in this respect than the public but
fail to find that throughout the land there
is any careful, thorough education of the
body, especially among those children who
cannot in the nature of the case receive it
at home.
How about the spirit ? Well, the wretched
jealousy, the fear lest some Jew, Turk OF
infdel should be offended, has driven
spiritual teaching, and even common reEg
ion, almost out of our schools. The result
is that all over the land is springing up that
most unfortunate of all mushrooms, the
denominational school, educating, indeed,
the spirit of the child, but tending lneyita-
bly, to certain narrowness, and creating
evils of its own. These, however, are so
numerous that we may expect ere long a
political issue upon the question of paying
taxes to schools which do not do their
work, and so compel people to found others
which will. But do not our schools train
the soul-that is, the intellectual and moral
faculties of our children Well, do they !?
do not blame the modern public school
that it does not as yet teach the industrial
arts or trades, for the demand for these is
very recent, and has arisen lately from the
difficulty boys and girls have in learning
their trades in workshops. The action Of
workingmen in reducing the number Of
apprentices is making it more and mora
difficult for boys TO fit themselves for mas
49,. Ae.t, atTo
education must be In this direction.
But setting the question of trades and
industrial arts aside, it is evident that a
system of general instruction, applicable to
all classes, costing the country between one
and two hundred millions per year, and
paid for out of the public tax, should in
some way fit boy or girl coming thezefrom
at the age of fifteen or sixteen to earn a
living IN the world. Does its Take the
first ten boys and girls Of working families
and see. They went to school at six, and
now come from it at fifteen. What, 10
those nine years, have they learned TO
qualify them practically to fight the great
battle of life clearly, honestly, intelli-
gently? Do they know any trade? Do
they even know the practicsl details Of any
trade or business? Have they been taught
y
spoken of to-day, which underlia and xegu-
late commerce and society," Have they
learned anything which should prevent
them from feeling that capital is tyrant,
that unions ana councils and conventions
can take the place Of hard work and indi-
vidual independence? Have they Tbeen
taught the falsehood of the notion that the
world owes them living, and has
got to give it to them whether
they deserve it or not? Again, do
our schools teach morality Aside
from certain seedlings lrom the teacher.
which may lead boy to think that
sin consists chiefly in being late. or
knocking off another's hat, or shutting on
the floor, what does the average boy of if
teen learn at school OF the fli6rsi Law Of
God Has he been taught in any way the
nature OF sin and the demands Of a holy
God even upon child? Has he been
taught his moral duties even as citizen Of
this State or country Does he know that
he should be ashamed as well as afraid L,
sin? Does he realize the inevitableness Of
its punishment, and that holiness is manli-
ness and sin co vardly and mean as well az
deadly Has his honor ever been fostered ?
Has he ever been taught habits Of thrift
and saving. and So the sin of the awful ex-
trayagance of American boy and girl life.
most fruitful cause of the dissipation and
theft Of later years? / mean has he been
taught this, not by an occasional moral
pellet given him by conscientious teacher
and received as castor oil or rhubafb. not
as regular part Of his Systematic and
authorized instruction. Has he In the
same way been taught reverence and re-
spect for bis betters Go down in morn
ing horsecar and see boys and girls from
lO TO 10 sitting dawn, while white-haired
gentlemen and ladies, old as their mothers.
are standing in tie aisle. Shame, shame
upon generation whose children have
forgotten to bow down to women and old
age Are our children taught respect to
law ss law? Do they learn at school what
shall be the spirit of lady or gentleman?
1 would not say that none of onr bows
learn this, but if not taught in the schools
the many do not learn it at all. Yet this
IS education, and of the truest kind. This
is education !; not the nlexe holding Of a
pen, not putting two lis" instead of one is
the word traveller, not solving impossible
problems which no one in heaven, or earth.
or under Che earth, or on the sea has ever
been or ever Will be called upon to solys in
private life. This is education the train
ing of the whole nature, the fitting of ives
to be first aself-supporting, self respecting
man, then good citizen, then, il not
scholar, 81 least gentleman. Here is
something, then, to think of when we speak
OF our popular education, and the agitation
of this il one thing which, as gentlemen
and Christians, we owe to our generation.
Say what men may, Christianity every
where represents the bestsculture we have,
and the Bishop is right in appealing to the
church to lead in the cure Of social lgnor.
ance and disorder. And now the second
influence which we may bring 20 bear upon
the work, is the spirit Of Christian charity.
We have said that the social evils OF
this time and all time String
from our ignorance or neglect Of
these laws of God, which no legislation
can reach. And our remedy for these evils
is the same as our remedy for all evil.
There is no otA sr- 1t is the cure of God,
the cure of Christ. Not by free-trade or
protection, ncs by win astss pr 1t equal
izing the grades of social life or distribut-
ing capital, not by eight hour laws or steam
ship subsidies. or forced raising of wages,
t1<<s al 4 y