New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-06
THE Si41E and THE SCHOOLS.

TIE oi17E And THE SCHOOLS
The annual report Of the Superintendent OF
puhIic instruction. which will be presented 10
the Legislature this week. is a document which
ouch, TO be more generally and carefully read
than there is any reason to suppose II VIII ne
There are branches of the state H0Ncrhm'h'
which do not greatly interest. though they may
closely concern. a large proportion Oh the poo
plo hut the Department Of Public instruction
i no, one of them More apprccaby than any
other popular institution the common schools
occupy the thoughts. enter into the calculations
and modify the life OF every family ana !e'
the annual record Of their operations, embodN
inc much sound and wcghty criticism ana
Offering many important suggestions Is gen
orally ignored outside the Legislature, and too
little considered even by that body.
II i, the custom of public speakers. as often
o< occasion offers. TO glorfy our common school
system aS the foundation of public order ana
morality. and such no doubt, ii Is. But TINS
habit of indi>clmnatc culogy, without a hint
of shortcomings of negligence n one point ana
wasted energy at another is really pernlclouN
in IFS effects superintendent Draper l. On
titled 10 high praise for the di>ntcrc>tcd frank
mes, with which he has always revealed ana
condemned the defects and determines oil the
schools His latest report makes many as
olicting disclosures. The schools have cost
the pcoDlc about S16O00.0p0 during the last
wear If the fact of that great expenditure l.
= t,ibutc to the popular intelligence which
comprchcnds the vital necessity OF assuming
such BURDEN the additional fac, that the per
ccntagc of attendance in 1859 was only 90.
and smaller than in any preceding year, i less
hattcling.
Mr.. Draper is impcllcd by this condition OF
affairs TO renew and amplify his previous Mt
torancc> on the subject Of compulsory cduca-
zion. and 10 URGE the adoption of a measure
similar i'm It's character and purpose 10 mat
which failed 10 become "A law last ,cl 10y r'd-
son of thc Governors veto. IL l.. a, hc re-
marks. worse than futile 10 a>sum" that alt
sons charged with the care Of children Will
Voluntarily send them 10 school and ut Is
worse than useless to admit the principle thar
the State should require children 10 be sent to
school and then pretend 10 cniorc" II without
doing So" II is. moreover a manifest truth
that ngid enforcement of the compulsory
rIiucipic is nowhere els" 80 lndl>por sable -
i'm the State OF Newly Okla state OF large
citio, whose population j. augmented ~ mar
Nolou>. if not an alarming. ra'o. by ihc inilH\
of foreigners possessed of only the yaGu''t
comprehension @. American institutions ana
satisfied with very inferior standards. rom
Tins point of view the chief yalu" and >Ignii-
canoe Of the schools. ~ Mr.. Draper SAYS aI"
not that they teach reading and arithmetic
Lut ,ha, thf7 teach yiItuc obedience. self
rcspcct and patriotism That j. a sort Of IN
,,ruction which public safety impoiaiiYcly de
mand, ard in exact proportion 70 the thorough
nc>, and impariality with which these essen
tial clements Of good citizenship are cultivated
will the dangers which threaten popular GOV
eminent disappear The worst concolyahl"
dcSpoti>m is a dcSpOt>m Of ignorance and wee.
and between the State and that horrible do
minion free public education is the only bull
walk.
Thus far it has proved a strong. If not an
absolutely sufficient defence bu' here. II any
where. eternal vigilance is the price of that
liberty which is in the SharpcSt contrast with
license. The people are proud of their schools
and their pride is cOmmcndablc and encourag-
ing 50 long aS il acts rs a stimulus rathcr than
scdatiyc. That the practical Application OF
this article i'm our National creed leaves very
much to bc desired no one who has observed
and thought prctcndS to doubt. II falls lamcn-
taby short almost everywhere Of the standard
al which theory aims and we cannot truth
fully affirm that the immediate prospects are
highly encouraging. There is, however one
hopeful augwy namely, the prevalent con
yiction that the schools are not what they ought
10 be. If we are not deceived by false appear
anccs. there is spirit Of discomfort abroad.
which will not be quoted by anything less
than radical and comprehensive reform in
the design and methods Of public education.