The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-08-14
DO NOT ATTEND SCHOOL.

the number of children between the ages
OF and IA who attended school IL weeks
or more. The district clerks report to
the town clerks who report to the county
| superintendent. The entire work has
been completed in this county and it is
THE COUNTY BETWEEN THE AGES OF AND
IA WHO HAVE NOT ATTENDED SCHOOL
EITHER PUBLIC OR PRIVATE THE LAST YEAR
Is 800. The actual number is greater
than this as In some districts children
have been enumerated twice they having
attended both public and parochial
schools and are so listed. From the
most careful estimate the editor of The
Pilot could make, he had set down the
number of children IN this county between
| these ages who did not attend school,
at 900. The facts seemed to justify hold
ing to these figures as correct but they
were discounted one-third, and the num-
Der in the state estimated on this basis,
which gave 10000 children between the
ages of 7 and IA years of age who are re-
ceiving no educational advantages.
But why, some captious critic Will ask,
is this conditions of things permitted?
Why is not the compulsory law enforced?
Why does not Gov. Hoard do his duty?
There cannot be complete revolution
in one year. Had a census similar to the
| ONO 4obop +b,o xaor baap tolvay oop,a vo,r
antedating the passage of the Bennett
la, a marked improvement would be
shown. Besides the organized opposi-
ton of churches sustained by tIme-serv-
ing politicians threw obstacles in the
way OF enforcement which no other law
| encountered. People who would willing
| " yield obedience to the law were stirred
to opposition by the appeals of politi-
clans who sought to arouse passions in
the hope that the upheaval would prove
beneficial to them politically. The law
was shamelessly misinterpreted and its
purpose misrepresented. The Germans
being the strongest foreign nationality in
| the state, it was sought to place them In
| a hostile attitude toward il. 1t was de-
scribed as blow aimed at them particu
| larly. The men most violent in urging
resistance to the law became at once the
leaders of the democratic party and those
who sought to apply the corrective,
which the law furnished, to existing
evils were set down as enemies of the
foreign element and of parochial schools.
And still with all this opposition of
| churches and politicians the law has been
enforced to an extent not reached by any
other compulsory school law enacted in
this state. The people were not opposed
to the law and are not now to the law as
it is, but to the monstrosity which the
politicians have substituted for it.
Why were not the other compulsory
school laws enforced? The question can
easily be answered by any one who has
kept watch of school legislation. The
first so-called compulsory school was en-
acted to prevent the passage of real
compulsory law. 1t contained provisions
designed to prevent it's enforcement, and
SO school boards discovered when they
met to enforce it. While the amended law
was an improvement it was simply build
ing on an abortion.
The Bennett school law has already
done much good. The discussion to
which it has led has induced many paro-
chial schools to change their curriculum
so as to include instruction in English.
1t is true that many of them attempt to
| teach English with teachers wholly I'M
familiar with the language. But atten-
ton has been called to the shortcomings
of many of these schools. SHOULD THE
BENNETT LAW BE SUSTAINED AT THE COMING
ELECTION THERE Is NOT SCHOOL IN THE
STATE GIVING ELEMENTARY INSTRUCTION
WHICH WILL NOT MAKE PROVISION FOR IN
sTRUCTIoN IN ENGLISH. THE LAW RE-
| DURING THAT CHILDREN BE EDUCATED
AND THAT PORTION OF THE INSTRUCTION
BE IN ENGLISH IS ON TRIAL WITH THE
VOTERS OF THE STATE AS JURORS. If the
result be favorable the law will practic-
ally enforce itself as it will he backed by
unmistakable public sentiment.
Those who complain that no attempt
has been made to enforce the law as
sumo to know that Of which they are in
total ignorance. They argued, to begin
with, that school boards would be offici
ously offensive. When it was found they
were conservative, as they should be, in
using the power with which they were
invested, they proclaimed that Gov.
HOARD was derelict in his duty because
of his failure to enforce a law which
they characterized as tyrannical. The
magnificent reply OF the governor that
"he looked to the people for the pat.
riotism to protect the house in which
they lived" was wholly beyond the COM
prehension of the yelping band
That there was need of coercive power
to make public sentiment effective, the
school census taken last month will
amply demonstrate. That the power
given to deal With The reccalcitrant por-
ton of communities should be used
judiciously no one will deny That it
has been thus used and with good ef-
feet those in educational matters will
readily affirm. That the law could be
enforced effectively and with but little
friction but for the disgraceful position
taken by the democratic party is patent
to all. That a repeal OF the law will
prove disastrous to the public schools
because of the animus of the real OPPOSE
, ton and the trucking of politicians de
f sirous of position the future will not fail
to show.
: What then is the duty OF democrats
? loyal to the party and true to the public
:, schools? Is it to permit the democratic
convention which meets on the 9th inst
to be the tool of those who would sci
principle for personal gaip2 Or is it Il
: make an effort to save the party from tn,