The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-06-28

=. ms question, pertaining 10 the
branches to be taught in our public schools,
is as old as the system of free schools, and
Is so thoroughly settled, that to reopen it
would be like an attempt to prove that one
plus one equals two, and just as senseless.
To be full man or woman the mind must
be developed by thought and demonstration.
and for that purpose, aside from their util-
| ity there are no other lessons so valuable as
those of mathematics. So far as Latin and
| Greek are taught in the schools today they
are exceedingly valuable as from them are
derived the majority of the words used by
English speaking people, and the force and
meaning of these words depend largely on
| the meaning of the root from which they
are derived, while French and German are
almost absolutely necessary for common
use i'm the circles in life to which. in COM
mon with most others we hope some day to
| see our sons and daughters fill, If "Dlscon-
tented Taxpayer" and the writer may not
hope to reach them. Chemistry as
taught in the public schools is a part Of
every day life in every home, and If all Of
us understood it better we should be spared
many an i'll which by force of habit we now
attribute to Providence, and whether the
cost of teaching it in our schools is two or
five hundred dollars year, the benefits are
beyond computation in dollars and cents.
If Discontinued Taxpayer contributes twenty
DO .1aoc I, cI of "a
of the practically thorough course in Chem
istry now taught in our public schools, we
assure him the money is the best invest
ment of that sum he ever made, and that in
no sense is he paying for N''non-essentials."
Botany may not be as essential as Chemis-
try to most of the students in our public
schools, and yet we have no doubt that to
some one or more of the students "DiscOn-
tented Taxpayer has in our public schools
the study of that branch will be of value
that will amply repay him for the small
addition it may be to his share of the cost of
our public schools.
3. There is no expensive system kept
up for the sake of graduating. half dozen
pupils (mostly girls) a year, at a cost of
$50, 000p or any other sum. This is all
mistake, and if it were true, and all who
graduated were among our daughters the
value of our system of education would not
be in the least diminished. 1t would only
prove that thorough culture is more highly
appreciated by our daughters than by our
sons.
4. We affirm that there are no ''useless
studies taught in our public schOoP-nOt
one the complete mastery of which would
not be for the best good of every child i'm
the city, no matter what station in life they
are to fill, and in this country no man can
tell to what exalted stations their sons
and daughters may be called. With "Dis-
contented Taxpayer we disapprove of Uni
versity examinations, not on account of their
expenses, but for the reason that we fear
superficial scholarship may be the result.
5. Let me say to you Disseminated Tax
payer that you cannot afford to keep your
children out of school either before or after
they are fourteen years of age-until they
are fitted by mental culture to do well their
part i'm life. If you do not desire that your
sons shall rise above hod carriers, and your
daughters above the wash tub, they may
have aspirations that you may not crush
out and do your duty as father either to
your children or to the state. And on your
own showing, instead of being taxed to
educate other peoples children" you only
pay about one-sixth part it costs to educate
your own children, as you will see by the
reports of the Board of Education.
6. The ungraded school and the three
RS, and the rate bill, are among the
things that proved blocks in the progress of
our educational system, and in all the larger
towns, villages and cities in Michigan, are
buried as part of the undesirable rubbish
of the past and have given place to a system
that gives to each the same advantages, and
insures to the scholar and the public that
the~ money appropriated for our public
schools, raised on the principal that the
property of the state shall educate the
children of the state, is expended i'm the in
terest of all, but more especially for the
benefit of Discontinued Taxpayer" and
mon of his class