The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-06-19


of this IS will be rising up into
higher 'oyment, requiring skill,
or the .... ement of capital in trade,
or in other associations wherein extra
energy, enterprise and intelligence are
employed. In this way our rich !
merchants, bankers, large farmers,
master mechanics, big stockmen,
grocers, hotel keepers, editors,
teachers, insurance officers, and traders
are generally produced. - }
A few OF this class having recei%
common school education arg
spired to a laudable ambitI 20
struggle up to the acquisi4e of a
higher education in the acfh b?iies
colleges or universities TO fit 4 o%n for
more intellectual pursuits. ElT
For such persons, as well a 5ySSor those
whose means enable theph to avail
themselves of such Advantages, higher
schools should be furnisy bed by the
State to fit them for the LEARNED pro.
LESSONS for statesman |thd jurists, for
college professors, for civil engineers,
and for scientists generally. This
kind is necessary in aiding and giving
direction, and Improvement to the
material development, general well
being and social advancement of the
whole community This too, must
exist as perm1Gnent class in the
country, and if they are to be fostered
and produced within the State they
will be imported into it. There should
be proper proportion of the different
classes according to the needs of the
country. Erhey are mutually DEEPEN
dent upon each other. Their har-
moniou& desperation is requisite to
produce the best results in the effort
to elevate the whole people in the sca.e
of civilization. A large surplus of
highly educated persons, as it is said
exists now in Germany, is an evil, as
they would be untitled for other employ
ments. A college graduate would not
make good plowman, cotton picker
or blacksmith. Indeed, ifw will look
around we will find few good bus
mess men in the higher employments
of labor and enterprise with college
diplomas. On the other hand if the
whole people in the country had q
good common school education, and
there was marked deficiency of
learned people, they would be like an
army without leaders and worse still,
if large part of the people had no ed
ucation at all.
1t is the law of progress that the
whole people must rise together or not
at all, the broader and stronger the
base the higher the pyramid may rise
or ascend. Various speculative rea-
sons have been assigned by the friends
of education why the government
should establish and support an
efficient system of public free
schools. The reason given in
the constitution is that gen
eral diffusion of knowledge is
essential to the preservation of the
liberties and rights of the people. 1t
will be well if such a diffusion of
knowledge can be acquired, by the
support given to all Of the schools of
the State, including the highest, as
we'll as the lowest in grade. They can
at least lay the foundation for acquir-
ing such diffusion of knowledge, and
that OF itself is reason enough. In the
present struggle for power, and mater
ial advantages throughout all civilized
countries, a useful education of all
sorts is necessity, in order to keep a
people in harmony with the progress
of the age; without which, no organ
lied association of people can preserve
their equality, and maintain their
prosperity,
Experience, in the absence of inter-
ference by the government, shows,
that the primary, or preparatory part
of the education of the people is di-
vided into three classes of schools, to
wit; common schools for the millions,
academies for the thousands, and col
leges, or universities for the hundreds.
To these are added the perfecting
schools, to wit the law and medical
schools, and the normal schools, and
the agricultural and mechanical
schools. When the government takes
charge of the subject, it is reasonable
and proper that it should observe and
provide for all such schools, in their
natural order, according to the de-
mands of each to secure proficiency as
far as practicable.
For the support of the public free
schools there is ample provision made
in the constitution, by lands and
bonds for the permanent fund, the
proceeds OF which, supplemented by
taxes levied by the legislature, con-
stituting the available fund, is annual
ly apportioned by the board of educa-
ton (the governor, comptroller and
secretary OF state,) to the counties, &C
cording to their respective numbers of
scholastic population. Flexible ar.
engagements are also provided, for the
institution of those schools to suit The
condition of the different localities,
10th in the country, and in the cities
and towns. So that in the country,
either the community or district sys-
tenn may be adopted, to suit the con-
ven elce or wishes of the inhabitants;
and cities and towns may be made
| separate districts and an additional