The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1891-04-03
MORALS AND THE SCHOOLS.

To the People of Marion County
ana Particularly the Teachers of
Public Schools and Sunday
Schools.
To the Editor of the Banner.
III matter of history and fact adj
mitted by all who reflect, that education
and wealth 60 together, while ignorance
and virtue are not incompatible. Or, as
one has said, "The ignorance of vice is
more potent for good than the knowl-
edge of virtue" Then the query arises:
What can be done to neutralize the
tendency of wealth, education and re-
fnement to evil. Such surely is not the
LEGITIMATE results of these blessings, but
rather a warped or perverted condition.
We all recognize education as being a
great blessing, mighty factor in human
sfFairs. a powerful lever for the uplifting
of the masses when the moral as well as
the intellectual attributes of man shall
he drawn out and developed pari pdssu.
The christian world recognizes the
Bible as the foundation of all moral
teaching, and the query is: How can we
hest utilize the Bible? II has been tried
as a text book in our public schools, and
its use here is generally condemned.
And vet the Bible must be taught some
how If we ever hope to raise the future
generation out of the narrow shells of
Ignorance, superstition and general
human depravity.
Did the parents of our land but recog-
nize the great necessity of educating the
the moral as well as the intellectual side
of the rising generation, then the great
tendency of education to vice would be
somewhat ameliorated. do not believe
that the school room should be held
responsible for all of the shortage be-
cause il is but one of the factors, and a
weak one too, as compared with the
mothers influence. The mothers of our
land are the magnets around which all
of the human race revolves. She is the
hub, and from that center should emil
nate virtue and morality else reform is
hopeless. As are our good school marms
are but the day mothers of our children
Just to that point are they responsible
for their future.
Professor StIeator has written a good
arti. le on Religion in the Public
schools" The Professor took the broad
ground of religion, and not the narrow
spirit of orthodoxy-and yet, the fac
that the law provides that teacher.
should be of good moral standing, does
not fill up the void. So far as l can see
our only hope is in our Sunday Schools
as the day schools draw out the dormant
intelleets of our children, so let tht
Sunday Schools draw out the laten
spirit Of reverence for all things good, al
the day schools teach honor, sobriety
and virtue as means of commanding the
respect Of men. So let the Sunday
Schools teach honor, sobriety and virtue
as means to win the love of God-as the
day schools develop the intellect, SO le
the Sunday Schools develop the hear
and soul. 1t does seem to me that the
two are twiR sisters established by Goo
as co-laborers in the uprising of human
ity. If tins is correct then let our Sun
day School convention, which meets il
Ocala on the 7th, Sth and 9th of April
consider the relationship existing be
tween these two schools, and in some
way cooperate for the lettering. Of OH
fellow man.
The day schools. as well as the Sunday
SSiA,lhaols, are are as yet but in their in
fancy. Whsslhey will be when grown
into maturity 10th not yet appear" bu
ws know il they Bun approximate the
model as first planned by Sod, that they
will be glorious. institutiorA, shedding
love and light over the dark regions o.
the earth, and we know th9t anyone
who lends a hand to the furyhering Of
that end will be benefacaor to the
human race, and this should tSe the aim
of every true man and womanS
If every Sunday School convention IL
The state would take as one Of their sub.
eots for discussion, THE relationship
that exists between the public Schools
believe good would grow out oft, and
a mighty impetus wolld be given TO the
Sunday Schools and the charges against
our free schools that they are ''soulless
institutions" would be less true.
L. NJ. AVER.