Arizona weekly citizen., 1892-12-03
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL MAP.

 The entire population in 1880 was 12, ,S66,- 900; there Is consequently a larger nar tion of children now in our free schools than the whole nation of sixty years ago.
 These 13,O00,000 public school pupils are One-ffth of our present population of 65, 1000, 900. There are something over million more in private and parochial schools. But it is this nation of our free school youth, this nation within the nation, that will be controlling the re- public fifteen years from now. These children of the states" imbued with our characteristic American spirit, will soon be the leaders of the people who are to solve the problems of the opening years of the coming century.
 One-fifth of our population in the pub lie schools means that the American idea is that childhood and youth shall enjoy a sacred immunity from labor while the preparation for life is going on. In all our states the age when children can be employed for wages during the school term Is steadily creeping upward. The time IS not far of wlren one-fourth in- stead of One-ffth of its population will be enrolled in the schools. Here is the place for state legislation to make rapid and sure strokes. When the children of a poor family are kired out for wages there comes an apparent relief to the family; but child labor invariably re- duces the labor of adults. Raising the school age always operates to raise the wages of the men and women to whom labor belongs. In the states not vet awake to this the children who ought to be in school arc with their little hands holding down the general rate of adult wages. If fifteen were made the uni- versal school age, with strict penalties for hiring child under fifteen during school hours, millions of toiling chil- lren would be added to the hopeful na- ton of pupils now in the public schools.
 Who age the instructors of this vast democracy of youth? Three hundred and fifty-two thousand teachers are em- ployed One-third of them are men, two-thirds are women. The men are usually well trained The proportion of trained female teachers is increasing year by year, as the normal schools send out their classes. Nevertheless, scores of thousands of these female teachers are untrained. Forty per cent. of all the female teachers teach for only one term! Think what that means. In the rural districts of many states teaching is job" to which almost any girl may turn. Careful examinations of teachers are not to be expected when the school fund iS So penurious that the cheapest teachers are the only applicants.
 The faults of the. American public school system, However, are all on the surface and can easily be remedied. State sCperirrende,lts and higher edu- catOrs generally are giving ts all the weaknesses discernible in our system their careful attention. They are de- termined that the new century shall open upon an educational plant as near ly without defects as progressive energy can make it.
 The public school Is our most distinc- tive American institution. It Is this same public school which, more than race; has made the difference between this republic and the republics of South America. When the world gathers here at our 40Gth anniversary to scrutiniZe our life this. our proudest institution, will be pointed out as the dearest source of American greatness and enhghten- me1t.
 It is a ve-y fitting thing that the eel ebratiOn of Columbus Day, Oct. 12, bs placed in the hands of the American public school. Through the school house flag movement, and the education in patriotism aroused by it, the schools of the republic have been grasping the sig nificance of their relation to the life of the nation. As our IS, ,000, ,O0O of public school pupils see committed to them the celebration of Americas greatest anni- versary they will receive a new and in- spring lesson in the responsibilities of public leadership which devolves upon the educated American.
 The BaroDet at the rsvtofnSs.
 Some time ago Sir Reginald RarnweIl kn English baronet, visiting this coun- try, directed his correspondents to send his mail to the general delivery at Balti- more. Reaching Baltimore, he went to the postofice and inquired of the clerk at the general delivery window if there was any mail for Sir Reginald Barnwen- After looking over the letters in the boy marked ''B" the clerk told him there was none. He returned the next day, and still the next, but always received a negative response to his inquiry for letters. de thought this very strange as he knew his correspondents must have written, and that his mail should have reached Baltimore even before he got here himself. All this he explained to the clerk, but the looked for letter was not given him.
 Finally, one day after his usual in quiry had been made with the usual re- suit, he said to the clerk, If am not too oficious, might ask to be allowed to look over these lettersY They were handed him, and as he ran over them he kept throwing some aside until he had pie of twenty or twenty-five beside him. He then gave the package back to the clerk and commenced berating that of 6cial for his carelessneSs in forcing hiIr to come to the office four or five days | successively for mail that had been waiting there more than week. The clerk then asked to see the letters | Sir Reginald had taken out. They were | handed him, and on each he read ''Sir | Reginald Barnwell, Bart" "Why, sir" ae said, ''these are not your letters; they | belong to Sir Reginald Banwen Bart, | while you asked for the letters of Sir | Reginald Barnwel' The baronet took | ais letters, not knowing whether to be | angry or amused. Sun
 THE MORENO OF THE DISCOVERY
 Immortal Morn. Gll hail,
 That Saw Columbus sail
 By Faith alone
 The skies before him bOVed,
 Back rolled the ocean proud,
 And every lifting cloud
 With glory shOne.