Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-03-21
Daily Keunsbet journal.
Ausgs1i. THURSDAY, MAR. q. 1888
JOHN L. STEVENS, EDITOR.
What ehsll be Taught In Our Public
arhoria

just how our common school system
should be adjusted to most effectively
serve the interest Of society and the
State 1. a question not easiIy settled.
That il does not accomplish all that it,
most sanguine friends have maintained
it can and should accomplish, "a bat too
evident. That Il {. necessary accom-
psninent, II not fundamental pre-
requisite, Of our republican institutions,
there j. no doubt. How IL .hoald be
made to achieve higher and more endur-
ing results 10 the individual, 70 the family,
society, and the State, is worthy
Of the most serious study Of
thoughtful citizen. and Of the chosen
guardians Of the public. The more con-
servative chnrcbmen entertain serious
misgiyings az 10 the way our common
school. are being conducted. They main
tain that there +. 10 them lamentable
absence Of moral instruction. that the
fundamental principles Of ethics are not
taught with sufficient clearne-s and force,
and too often neglected entirely. It must
be admitted that there IA more or less
truth In this But This il want
which can be supplied. fl certainly
il an error which should not be- tolerated.
And If ~e would protect our public
schools from the enrroachment Of the
ultra rcligioni-t., our educational mana
gers should zee 10 il that the -imple,
plain principles II morality are
taught in our common schools a. faithful
ly and per-. stently as geography and
arithmetic. Why NOT Why teach the
child the simple rule. o. addition. sub
traction, and multiplication, and neglect
To enforce on the mind and heart Of the
young pupil that which !. more necessary
to hi. or her welfare and 10 the interests
and safety Of society and the state; And
the application Of moral principles 10 the
practical emergencies Of life -hould he
even more pcrsi-tently taught than read
ing, writing, and geography. The lack
Of this moral instruction in our popular
schools tends to increase rogurs and crimi-
nal- instead Of lc-sening them. We are
struck with the correctness and clearue--
Of the recently expressed views Of Gen
Walker, President Of the Boston Institute
Of Technology, who avs;
Il would say that 10 not see how any
system Of morality which undertakes To 20
back To an ultimate rule Of right can be
taught without sectarisnism.
IT, however the teacher il content to be
gin somep hat short of that point. It seems
10 me perfectly practicatlc 20 give instruc-
tion in ethics without involving any -ectaran
issues. although il il doubtful whether this
can be done wthout arou.ing sectaran
spirit inasmuch there are certain sects or
denominations which resent the omission of
their own particular tensts, a. itself ire
ligIous and immoral. of course with such
people you can do nothing They are OPP
posed alike to public school teaching With
ethics and without ethics; and any attempt
to conctliair them or bny N their opposition
Will be futile and will only weaken the Dig
nifty and authority Of the school system
As 10 what may be- Taught Without rais-
ing -ecafian issues. Gen. Walker ventures
these -uggc-tiou,
II Legal ethics may be laugh, without
offence being properly taken by ANY one and
this von'd cov,ra large part of the deslrs-
bic field nf teaching Clearly all the other
acts . h ch atc urescr q. 4. or a-e forbidden
by the law ot The land may properly be EN-
btac.d IN the instruction Of the public
school.
.. u erpears to me that utilitarlan ethics
mar b. 'sugl in the public school, without
rHis,rg scD'atian issues. and without erousinz
the sc'tprian 'u-cC pi' iliti"s of any person