Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-06-18
SCHOOLS AND RELIGION.
An Interesting Subject Ably Dis
cussed.
Rev. g.. w Cues sermon at the First
NJ. Il. Church Last Evening---A Com
pIiment TO the Teachers.

/
the Christian Church TO Them" Hi
text was from Proverbs. 4:13;
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go
| keep her for she is thy life.'
Intelligence is the life of our republic
| said MIR. Cue, and it is the only founda'
ton on which tree government can b,
built. Popular education has been tht
| ruling thought in our government from
| the beginning. The founders of the gov
ernment. the trainers of the constitution
| the early presidents and early con-
crosses believed it the duty of the nation
| to provide for the education of her sub,
jects. There was in the act of 1887 8
distinct recognition of the Importance OF
popular education. and the necessity OF
federal action to secure the financial
| basis of sound school system. The
early presidents favored the establish
ment of national university. In addi-
| ton to what former congresses have done
our late congresses have built up a nucleus
of grand university in Washington
City. Every patriot and every lover OF
virtue and humanity should feel deep
interest in the bills that have been pending
in our congress to extend liberal aid in
the way OF education throughout our ma.
tional domain. These are omens of good
in the deep interest taken in public edu-
cation at the present time. Never before
were such magnificent temples dedicated
to public education. Pouring out the
money of the nation into the school treas
uries IS the best way possible of beats
ing swords into pillow shares and spears
into pruning hooks"
Bettera thousand times put the money
of the nation into school buildings,
school books and for the liberal support
of good teachers than into munitions
of war for the purpose of killing men
While as citizens of this republic we are
Justly proud of our school buildings and
educational system; our needs and deS
ficiencies IN the educational line are such
rs to humiliae us and fill us with alarm.
The national educational bureau shows
that none of our large centers of popula>
ton provide adequate school room and
skilled teachers even for the children
whose parents desire TO send them to
school 1t is notorious that thousands
of children are growing up in our cities
in idleness and crime, who might be
saved II school facilities of the right
kind were provided. One of two things
is certain, schools must be provided in
which to train these children III the rudi>
ments of knowledge and industry or else
build penitentiaries and prisons To hold
them in in after life. Education is not
keeping pace with our material growth.
The superintendent of public instruction
of New York says: The large uneduca>
ted class is growing larger and the at
tendance upon our schools does not keep
pace with the increase of population.
These thoughts regarding the illiteracY
Of the people should be made public,
Not to know that such ignorance and
prevails is greater danger
TO a republic than even illiteracy itself.
According 10 the United States crnsu8 of
1880. about five and ii quarter million of
our citizens now of voting age are unable |
10 write, and over 2, $50 900 of these have |
heir hand already on the helm which |
guides the ship of state. They consti- |
ute about fifteen per cent of the voting |
population. Now, what are we really |
ioing in this nation to enllghten this |
FAST mass of ignorance hanging over
he destiny of this republic?
According to the reports of the United |
States commissioner of education of 1885
6, ten states where illiteracy is most
prevalent, spends less than one dollar
,er capita for all educational purposes,
md five of them spend less than half
lollar for education. According to this
eport the nation at large spends less
han two dollars Isl 80 per capita for
ducation. For public education we
pend $50, 600, 900, and do not hesitate
o spend 100000, 900 for liquors and
$780, 600 900 for tobacco. 1t has been
recognized fact for some time that
ommon schools of New York and New
England are Tetrograding. In the ems
ightened state of Connecticut, with her
puritan ancestry, there are 1853 teachers
Who receive less than $50, and 500 who
re paid less than $50 per month. This
rmy of teachers, bearing the responsible
ty of educating the children of our na>
ion, do it simply for their food and
lothes. Can anyone be surprised that
EDUCATIONAL interests are declining in the
Jew England statesf No state or dis
riot can afford to bid for cheap teachers.
was ashamed when | read in the papers
he other day that one of our neighbor-
ng villages had decided to reduce the
lready too small wages paid for teach
ny their schools, thus driving away abil>
iy and bidding for ignorance. The best
aid men and women in the nation should I
C the teachers in our public schools, and ,
he primary teachers should receive for
heir service wages equal to that paid the
Ugh school professors The most re-
ponsible teachers in the world should be {
q the primary departments. They have ,
D do with first principles-the laying of
he foundation, the shaping of character.
Tho toarhar etanHinn in tho nrnaanca |
{ the child is throwing around it an
lfluence that will affect it through life;
es, forever. AS the twig is bent, so the
rec is inclined, this is especially true of
haraCter and the human mind. With
1ese facts before us, what are we gong
} do regarding the increasing illiteracy
] our land2 AS the federal governme Mt
amply able to assist in the support of
ducation, let her take the supervision
f the whole matter into her own hands ,
nd carry every bit of responsibility. 1t
her business to provide suitable build
lgs for the education of her children,
lst as much so as to provide buildings
or her revenues. 1t should not be left to
1t is not a local matter.
ONE communities, like individuals. are
DO poor to educate their children. Il
The government mas no right 10 take | 7
for granted that the churches and char
v will see that the children are educat>
/. 1t Is her right and duty to know [
lat her subjects are educated, for her {
lfety depends upon it. She should de- T
Iand by compulsory education. that all
lildren in the nation should enter the
ublic school and remain until they have l
from the high schools. Paro- /
all schools are not equal in their course
f instruction and training to our public
;hools. If churches want their children
aimed in their peculiar doctrines, let it