New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-24
SELECTIONS FROM THE NAIL
PRIVATE RIGHTS IN EDUCATION.
HOW THE PROPOSED BILL AT AbBANY MAI
PROVE OPPRESSIVE.

PROVE OPPRESSIVE.
TO the Editor Of The TrlDuhc moo
sir: All intelligent Americans VIII heartily -
celebrated expression of Horace Mann tlat
LOG child born into the world had a rght 10 !"
oducation.7 To secure that right against the IL
aieoroncc or the greed Of ignorant and selfish par'u'S'
u i important that legal provisions be made, adequate
:, the end sought. But It IS also most important
La, sucb provisions shah be so guarded and shaped
os not TO interfere with the private ~riehtS-soclai'
domestic or rcliglous-of any class Of citizens
Unfortunately and strangely, however, this Is pre-,
cjsclv the difficulty with many Of tho laws propooeu
for compulsory education. 1t was so, most grossly
win the bill in this state two years ago which Gov
ornor IIll very properly vetoed. Now. again. II
vould seem from the brief outline given IN your
columns last week that a bill is introduced al NIoah''
which would involve hardship and Interference III
The affairs Of social and domestic life that couu
hardly lc imagined as seriously proposed In America
From the outline as then prceented, the new law III
troIuced into the Legislature would appear to incIudo
two other statutes an act to prohibit private educa
ton by tutors or parents an act TO prevent families
with children from leaving the cities at any time
except between July l and September /. The state
mcnt Of these facts would seem ludicrous, If they
were not absolutely involved in the bill rs outlined
In the dispatches from Albany.
The requirement is that every child under the age
Of fourteen shall attend some public or private school
on every day on which the public schools Of the dis
trict shall be in session. What are the trainers OF
such a bin thinking about! In the city If Ncw-Iork
the public schools are open from the first Monday
Of september till a day or two before the Fourth Of
July. This Is wen enough, no doubt, for the bulk
If the population. But every one at all convcrsant
with the private and corporate schools knows that
they begin later and close earlier, for the simple
reason that most Of their pupils 90 ont Of town with
their parents In juno and remain there well into
september This Is more and more the case as ono
passes into the wcllthicr and more cultivated classes,
many Of whom have permanent country seats and
summer homes. to which they feel # important 10 take
their children during the whole period of summer
warmth. The term, Of this cxtraordinary bill would
prohibit this under penalty.
Again. In the matter Of private tuition. There
seems no recognition or provision for the right Of
parent, - give children a home education. Some II
the finest and choicest education Is impaired in this
way. and there are many refined families who will
not allow sensitive or delicate children to be exposed
to the miscellaneous associations and wholesale and
cXacting methods If the pubic schools. Here again
i, q mon-troua disregard II domestic need, and private
r.ilr among the hct cla,- Of the community. It IS
sd great. The whole aspect Of these and similar pro-
visions in other bill, has a Startling suggestion of a
.'iIh4t| 10 me lu"n' ,i"'I - sion ANA u ignore ana
IMPEDE any other methods or r.eht'.
Many other form, Of htriship and Interference are
involved ln lhc-c PROVISIONS for example. all private
and corporate school, must needs BE- kept In session,
kept Iu TIC warm cuy for several weeks I'm June and
~|optcmhcr. when there j. np demand or need for tha
by h"r children. no iH1iicr how competent She may
Do perhaps herself e teacher for years. To oversee their
-'ldi"- az home. In the" ana various way lch q
lI a. Tat proposed. unless greatly modified ana
-~ulli.i. IN AN invasion 81 private rights aurl - the
ru.t"i state, never has -c"n before.
Tie public schools aw doubles, u great and cX-
crIcn; system. admirably adapted 70 The mass Of TO
people. and Iart.clI4ri' T. thc Ansrican1ins Of tn:
,ildr n IL our foreign clement. INT tio' arr me-
adapted. for this very reason. t. tn more f'inc''