The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-06-28
PORTLAND PRACTICE SCHOOL.
Relations Of the state to Secta-
rIan Education.
Pointed Remarks by Rev. j. M.
Frost.
Mr.. MCGOWAN If the School Conn
mittee Protests.

For ten years the Portland Practice School.
an institution similar to the State Normal
schools, has been doing very good work for
the cause of education. Many teachers who
have since filed important positions have
been graduated at this school. Heretofore
it has not been the custom to hold public
graduating exercises, but in order to bring
the school into greater prominence this year
was made an exception to the rule. The an
nouncement that public graduating exer-
cises would be held was sufficient to fill Re
ception hall with an audience composed
mostly Of ladies. Rev. A. I. Dunn gave
brief account of the history of the school
and its foundation by the late Thomas
Tash.
The following was the evenings pro-
gramme:
Piano Solo-Scherze fat minor. .......... Chopin
CO., Miss fhilbrook. u s.oro.
Mrs. Fellows.
Solo-Thursday .Molloy
Mr.. Mitchell
Address. ...Rev j. Nj. Frost
Solo-Angus Macdonald. ...................R Roeckel
Mrs. Morrison.
Conferring OF Diplomas.
Rev. A. T. Dunn.
Solo-Take Me, jamie Dear ............... Blschof
Mrs. Fellows.
Harvey Murray Pianist.
All the musical parts were rendered adj
mirably and gave great pleasure to the audi
ence. After the very pleasing solo by Mr..
Mitchell that was greeted with warm ap-
plause, Rev. j. M. Frost delivered the ad-
dress Of the evening, which was of more
than usual interest. Mr.. Frost held the close
attention Of the audience from the first He
prefaced his address with an account of the
teachers position and calling. In regard to
that Lerplexing question, the teachers sala-
ry, he said that unless the teacher derives
satisfaction from the very nature Of his
work he will fail to receive due compensa-
tlon. The teachers service contains his re-
ward. Whether appreciated or remunerated
he nobly serves, and the country is greatly
profted thereby. Mr.. Frost then proceeded
to say:
The State owes 1t to its teachers
1st. To remain strictly unsectarian. To
be sectarian it must unite with some one
church denomination, then 1t would demand
of you that you attend that church and also
subscribe to the dogmas Of that church and
teach them thus you would have to surren-
der your rights and liberties as you now en-
joy them, with the loss Of self respect; but
when service is at the costl lof principle and
truth and character, men die rather than
render it.
The nation demanding such sacrifice
would be unworthy of your service.
The State owes 1t to its teachers
End. Not to secularize the schools.
That would be to Danish the Bible, the
character Of Christ, the right of appeal to
faith, hope and charity as motives, and re-
duce the object OF education to merely the
importation of knowledge to the mind. Then
you would have no ministers on your school
committee, nothing but mental test for
candidates for teachers. your only business
would be to prepare your scholars for the
next class for so much pay per week, and
the honor and dignity of your profession
pe y0SaT 0r %oqd
spiration, influenced by only the lowest aims
and motives, oscillating between test. day
and payday, you would become part of a
lifeless machine, State drudge. Such SER
yes SSs9 a0s Se Woshy d
your schools would be lowered and the
bulwarks of your republic endangered.
Yet this Scylla Is forming on our left and
Charybdis on our right, and never were the
interests of our teachers and our whole COM
mon school system so imperilled.
For wisdom, solidity and inspiration in
your duties permit us to briefly point out our
established course, along which it Is hoped
you will safely follow.
The common school system was evolved
from the intense religious spirit OF its found
ers. In that famous original order given by
the General Court of Massachusetts in 1647,
by which every township of 90 householders
was required to establish school, we find
Its inspiration in the emphatic recognition
Of God and the Bible"
,afqr nm in 1897 0ur national p0vprnnna M
passed the following in reference to the
Northwest Territory: Religion, morality
and knowledge being necessar y to good gov
ernment, and the happiness of mankind,
schools and the means OF education shall be
forever established"
Daniel Webster, in that classic Grafton on
the settlement Of New England, after estab-
fishing the right of government TO provide
for the instruction of all youth, said /:
'Our ancestors established their system of
government on morality and religious senti-
ment. Moral habits they believed cannot
safely be trusted on any other foundation
than religious principle, nor any govern
ment be. secure which is not supported by
moral habits"
For nearly two and half centuries the
Bible has been read in our schools an un-
sectarian religious influence has pervaded
our system the character Of the teacher has
been an eminent consideration, and the aim
has been ID produce moral citizens Of the
highest type.
How grandly these ideals have operated
What lofty standard of morals we are getting
to havel How public sentiment has been ris-
ing to meet these principles as to temperance,
social purity, benevoleuce, gambling, Sab
bath observance and other great moral ques-
tions!
Denominations have been coming together,
race and caste barriers have been broken
down, and the cause of education has be-
come worthy of the highest devotion.
Thus it Is maintained
/. That it is the prerogative of the State
to educate
Education must be commenced before the
child can choose for himself. The family
cannot discharge this duty.
No denomination has ever been wealthy
enough to do so, and if il were, the majority
who are outside would be uncared for.
The party that has to care for the paupers
and criminals /, the party whose right it
thus becomes to deal with the cause produc-
ing. them.
The power that makes the laws and en-
forces them is responsible for its citizens be-
ing able to understand them.
According to Senator Blair, one-third Of
the children never attend church, so that IL
the common school does not educate them
under State compulsion they will remain il
literate.
Daniel Webster said: New England
early adopted and has constantly maintained
the principle that it is the undoubted right
and the bounden duty of the government to
provide for the instruction Of all youth"
2. Intellectual without moral education Is
failure.
knowledge and wisdom, far from being
one, have oft times no connection =
LORD Bacon said "In knowledge without
love there is somewhat of malignity."
Coleridge wrote: "All the mere products
Of the understanding tend to DEATH"
Even Huxley says: There must be NOR
al substratum to child's education to make
1t valuable, and there is no other source from
which this can be obtained at all comparable
with the Bible"
The history of Egypt, Athens and Rome
does not make men very much better moral
y.
8. 1t is the right of the State to educate in
morals.
The religion ofIthe church may be demora
lizing.
Egypt, Babylon, Greece and Rome were
never more immoral than when they abound
ed in priests and priestesses.
We have issues in our own land that foster
immoralities. If the State is to educate at
all 1t must in morals, because OF the very def
inition Of education.
Pestalozzis first principle was that 'edu-
cation relates to the whole man, and consists
in the drawing forth, Strengthening and per-
fecting all the faculties with which an all
wise Creator has endowed him, physical in
tellectual and moral"
Herbert Spencer's views are, that the one
end of all true education is to learn how to
use all our faculties to the greatest advan-
tage of ourselves and others, or in other
words, how to live completely
The PruSSianS have a maxim that what