The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-08-06
Schools fer Clinton.

Nh EDITOR May | add q
word of plain but perhaps un-
welcome truth to the discussion
of the school question ?
Clinton can maintain two good
schools "a male and female
and no more. Two good schools
have not been supported. Why?
Three principal causes have
operated during The last twenty
years to make good schools i'm
possible. They are ~ pique,
prejudice and other kindred per
sonal feelings; (2lnepotism; and
t3) sectarianism.
Parents are too ready to take
their children from school be-
cause they have had a tiff with
the teacher, or have taken a dis
like 10 him not involving his
fitness to teach. The most tri-
ding disagreement often leads
to the withdrawal OF n child
from q good school, TO stay at
home or TO & 10 4 poor school.
The interests of the child are
sacrificed to the misguided i'm
pulse of benevolence which in
duces parents to contribute in
tuition money to the support of
needy relatives. In this way
little side schools-suckers from
the main shoot, which sap its
strength without bearing any
fruit themselves--are brought
into existence and destructive
rivalry with good schools.
1t is natural and proper that
parents should desire their child
rem to grow up in harmony with
their own religious views, and
that they should streuuously
object the incubation in school
of doctrines at variance with
their own creeds. But the pri-
mary or the high school is not
the place to teach denomination
alism: There is enough Of chris
tianity common to all the de
nominations to constitute the
elementary religious instruction
AT SCHOOL Of children from six
to eighteen years Of age. Iven-
ture the assertion that no effort
has been made in any school in
Clinton TO give a sectarian bias
to the mind OF a child, unless il
be in one of the many little
schools opened and patroniz~
upon sectarian principles
These three causes of tht
multiplicity and consequent de-
terioration Of the practical utiii
ty Of education. The paren
does not realize that in takins
his child from a good school t
spite the teacher, or to patroniz'
the school Of a relation or fel
low churchman, he is lowerin!
aud limiting the destiny of tina
child.
In place where the most IL
nOrant can make d living am
: the best educated can do littl
! more, the money value of an ed
ucation as a tool of trade is ap
to be underestimate. But il
this day every boy, and only il
a less degree, every girl is a pre-
spective citizen Of the world
, He is not being educated to con-
pete at home with his schoo
fellows alone; but to follow hi
interests across the Mississippi
to the banks of the Amazon c
up the Congo, and maintai
them in rivalry With the bes
equipped talent in the world
t To keep such a child unnecesss
e rily out Of the best procurabl
+, schools is to cheat him out c
,, his bir, L right and his chance i
life, and to send him weaponles
into a great conflict, where tn
weakest go TO the wall and tn
strongest to the top Of the lac
der.
Unite, and support two school
and no more. Do not patroniz
a school to help the teacher, bu
send to it every possible minut
for the profit there is in it e.
your children. Let bushes,
not benerolence, guide yonr az
ton, and two good schools wi
grow up and thrive in Clinton
Independent of casual suppo,
} from the outside. EARNEST.
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