The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-04-20
Public Schools.

tent, the cnliureu Oh the nation appears TO De
conceded and acted upon through all the
nations OF Christiandcm. Of late years this
question has been one of the foremost in all
of the states of this Union. and very early in
our national history the New England
States adopted the policy. The pressure
for enlarged facilities is steadily on the in
crease here as elsewhere. Not a meeting of
our Cecil County School Board that appli-
cations are not brought before it, for new
school buildings and improvements, the
alleged necessities of an increasing demand
requiring these enlarged provisions. This,
although necessary tax, is none the less
threatening to become very burthensome
one.
The question is being asked. and with
increasing earnestness, whether the funds
consumed in public education, are as
economically applied as they might be;
whether more permanent value to the
young and rising generation might not he
derived from the same expenditure. Our
sch DOL systems are the outgrowth of an ex-
tinct age, designed exclusively for pro-
fessional life, for students Of the closet.
Such system is clearly but poorly adapt
ed to ELL the want of those who perform
the manual labor of the world. Industrial
training had no part in school education
of the past, but the master mechanic took
the pupil as bound apprentice, and was
given entire control over him for a stipulat-
ed term, and if his master was thorough
teacher the pupil or apprentice received
careful instruction in manual training in
the trade which was designed for his life
support. This method has been entirely
abandoned. The great changes have
been ushered IN by the substitution of ma
chinery to do the work which was formerly
accomplished by hand, the substitution of
the large factory for the multitude of small
shops, and not least, the organization of
tyranical trade unions which exclude
American boys from acquiring trades.
Trained labor educated in Europe in large
measure controls these Unions. and the sell
fish domineering Of demagogues restrict
the opportunity for American boys to &C.
quire practical training in the mechan-
ical arts to the minimum. Under these
changed con ditions it devolyes upon the
state to take charge Of the industrial educa-
tion of its youth and conduct it by methods
suitable TO the changed conditions which
have grown up in the modes of labor.
The theoretic schoolman has been the
chief champion of UNIVERSAL education, but
his idea OF education has never scared
above the textbook. His notions of an
education have been one of theory void of
practice, and that theory is based on one set
of rules which are applied to every condition
of life and circumstances. And the more of
this so-called education that'can be crammed
into the mind of the child and youth
the better it is for him. Abundant facts
which may be observed every day refute
this false theory; and prove that three
fourths of the education so lavishly scat
tered, like good seed on unadapted soil, is
entirely wasted. Any person may readily
satisfy himself of this fact by forming an
imaginary circle of one mile in diameter
around him and ropirg in as it were, the
inhabitants OF that area. Not one in
twenty OF the most active, useful, business
men and women will be found using any
part of their school education except the
most rudimentary, They read the news.
papers, and an occasional book, they write
short business and social letters, they make
use of the simplest rules of arithmetic to
keep their accounts and transact business.
Even the merchant who is dealing largely
with the public. doing business through
banks and handling large sums of money.
seldom calls into requisition more than
these primary lessons of his school educa
ton, A higher education in this direc-
tion-notice we say In this direction, the
direction our public schools are pursuing
IS Of no more value than lot of fine fur
niture stored away in the garrett Of from
tier cabin or fisherman's hut. The own
er's condition in life, his business, his sur
roundings, the pressure of his time to sup
ply daily bread, prevent his making any
use of this costly furniture. Then why
should the State incur the useless expense
of higher education than the nineteen in
every twenty will be able to make any use
Of in order to benefit to limited extent the
twentieth? The State is under no moral or
sensible obligation to bestow an education
upon the children than it is to give them
all fortune. The States obligation as a
benefactor ceases when it has placed every
child as far as its natural abilities will per-
NIT, in the way Of acquiring an education
and accommodating a fortune. When the
State has placed every child inside the
open door of the temple of knowledge, free
of charge, it has performed lis duty to the
masses as an educator. When it insures
protection to the weak from imposition by