Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1889-02-08
THE SCHOOL QUESTION.

pges OF ak and siIieeh, inclusive, in the
common brancheA Of knowledge, aud in
the principles Of the christian religion. .
The qnes,ion may be Rsked-Why dotr
the State educsie7 Why not ~ il fire..
quen,ly urged leave ihA question of ed
ucniiun TO the church, To the parent
or snnrdinn7 There ia no doubt but the
church in a matter % important NJ this
would do IN her own way what she could,
and the parent and guardian might sup-
pliment the work TO n certain extent; sill
II Ia apparent that very large clhsp, how
large we may not be able positively to
assert bnt authorities puts II down ht one
thhd-certaimly IL is not less-thAt would
cnst upon the bosom Of society as desiitute
of moral or intellectual culture as the
subject upon which "Miss 0phelia" was
to engrAft her own New England ideas.
No State could long endure the barbarian
such hord Of ignorance would entail,
under such circumstances. The State
must reach forth her hand and do what
neither church or parent or guardian can.
and do 1t in obedience TO the law OF self
preservation as imperative in the State rs
in the individual. But it may be said
In objection TO this section that this is the
work Of the State, that the general gov
ernment has no right to impose gusrnn-
tees, bu, this does not necessarily contem-
plate any compulsory act; II isa volun-
tary assumption OF an obligation made IN
the ratification Of this amendment, but
early in the history Of The government II
laid down the general principles upon
which it's existence could be maintained
In the memorable act Of the "Old Con-
gress OF 1887" (while yet the convention
was in session for drafting the Constitu-
tion OF the United States) known as the
"Ordinance Of 1887" the measure origin
atcd with Thomas JtfIerson and It's rati-
ication in the new Congress was with but
one dissenting voice. The preamble to
this instrument settles with much plain
ness the purposes, and convictions OF the
men who were laying foundation of gov
errment intended to be as enduring as
time. "For extending the fundamental
principles Of civil and religious liberty
which forms the basis on which these re-
publics their laws and constitutions are
erected to fix and establi.h tluse princi-
pies as the basis OF all laws, constitutions
and governments which forever hereafter
shall be formed in said territory" How
those principles were to be fred and estab-
iShed Is fully made 10 appear in the lai.-
luage Of this ordinance which has been cop.
led into and forms part of the constitution
Of this State; and has been the model for
the government Of six Of the most prosper.
GUS and happy states carried out Of that
consecrated domain. 1t thus states the
conditions: Religion, morality and
knowledge being essential 10 good govern
ment, it shall be the duty of the general as
sembly to pass suitable laws TO protect
every religious denomination in the peace
able enjoyment OF It's own mode Of wor-
ship, and encourage schools, and the merns
Of Instruction." There is here recognized
three requisites ns essential to good gov
ernment--two disseminating influences.
The church and the school, both institu-
tons are to be encouraged and protected;
both are expected to be the propaganda
essential principles, not one but all-no
divorce of religion aud morality from IN
structIon. Nothing but an unbrokeu trio
could safely guide the ship OF State. No
contemplation OF seculariLsd school as 8
qualifying condition oil citizenship. but
the blending OF the therein beautiful and
graceful union az essential principles In
citizenship and good government. IL is
among the blessings which the states Of
the OHIO Valley acknowledged in their
rec lat great celebration, eliciting the
finest turned periods of oratorical powers in
eulogy of that wiAdom that built upon
snch stable foundation. True TO this idea
the schools Of America TO very large ex.
tent have been tile nurseries OF morals
Its literature has been largely impregnated
with christian thought, christian morality |;
the dicipline Of the school has been chris
iian dicipline and that school was regard
ed as failure that had not fulfilled these
requirements. Commissioner Sharp OF
OHIO said in his report on common schools
in 1875: III there should exist in. any
community a school which exerts no NOR
al influence, and in which no moral in
struction Is given, such r school is an in
jury to That community, and to all COM
munities since the rower of influence
reaches out without limit" A reaction
has set in. The school which Com. Sharp
here condemns an ian injury TO all COM
muniiies." is TO become the rule, n secular
theory is to be made applicable in all
transaction Of government A secular
education ia to lay the foundation Of
character in citizen sovereigns; the intel
leciual capacity alone Ia to he cultured z;
the other side Of hs nature. like neglec-
ted garden, is TO be allowed to he over
run with noxions and ranking weeds.
The New York Herald, in a recent lame
speaking ot our common school system
says: "The public school system R n
purely state affair, n secular insiitntiOn
it can never be anything else. It's sole
businesa is 10 give the rudiments Of edu-
cation, that the boy may have brain ns
we'll rs a pair OF hands for the struggle oi
the future" That ia to say that the State
is only to look upon the boy AZ having
brsin-no moral nature; no heart to cul
ture. 1t would be we'll for the country il
this were only the tone OF the Herald, bni
the idea Is widely disseminated. and
practiced TO a far greater extent than il
generally known. 81. Louis, San Fran
cisco, Rochester, Cincinnati, and multi
tude Of smaller places all moral ard re.
ligious culture has been ruled out Of on
common sehool.. Our school liieralnr,
has been largely expurgated to meet III,
new order Of things. Guyot's Geograph,
, was forbidden in the schools Of Chicago
the city OF Anarchism and Anarchial Sun.
day schools where boys are sysiemalicall'
taught to he human devils because tn
h. author declared ths earth showed evidenc
, Of design In its adaptation for humal
/, hAbitation.
All this reflects upon the entire countr