The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-01-06
EDUCATION AND EDUCATIONAL
DESP0TISM.

Undoubtedly education is the key
to the highest state of civilization. 1t
is also the handmade Of progressive
and enlightened christianity. 1t is
right and proper that the people sup.
port such ldudable cause for the in
tellectual advancement of the young
and rising generation. 1t is the inn
perishable inheritance that alone can
be bequeathed to the youth of our
land 1t is the foundation of "honest,
upright, patriotic and progressive cit
izenship'. We worked almost a life
time in the cause of education. We
appreciate and welcome every advance
step that promotes its welfare.
But in its cause are men enlisted
who have a zeal, either without knowl-
edge or without consciences. Men
who cndeavor to build up an educa-
tional despotism upon our Free Pub
lie School System, seeking to obliter-
ate condition by substituting a the
ory. What is the theory' A longer
continuous school term, minimum of
8 months increased salaries and COM
pulsory education without additional
cost to the tax payers by reason of
larger appropriations. We ask DR..
Waller how this strikes the farmers of
the rural districts. He and his subor-
dinates in the educational harness are
all salaiied officials The teachers
are all salaried. The farmers are not
salaried. Their aggregate annual pro-
duct is their wages which they are
obliged to convert into money to pay
their taxes and other Obligations. A
farmer whose school tax was ten dol
lars twenty-five years ago, and assum-
ing that to be his average annual
school tax, and by virtue of increased
appropriations the school term is ex-
tended to eight months, teachers sal
aries raised and new educational ma
chinery added by compulsory sys-
tenn, the farmers tax does not exceed
ten dollars. The theory is that there
is no additional cost to the aforesaid
farmer. DR.. Waller does not pro-
pose that the farmer shall be bit re-
lieved from the burden of taxation by
reason of increased appropriations,
but asks the Legislature to continue
these burdens without additional cost
by extending the school term and sug
gesting such other expenditures that
to him seem necessary. To further
illustrate, we will take for example the
farmer whose average annual school
tax is $40. Twenty-Five years ago
four bushels of wheat was sufficient to
pay that amount of school tax. Now
it requires fourteen bushels. His real
estate and live stock is worth only
half as much as it was twenty-five
years ago. Besides, DR.. Waller would
rob the farmer from the help of his
children eight months IN a year, and
thereby compel him to employ outside
help which he may have Of his own.
The school age is from to 81 years.
The teacher who realized SIS per
month twenty-five years ago, with one
months salary could buy IA bushels
of wheat. The teacher who realizes
SIS per month to-day, with one months
salary can buy so bushels of wheat,
&c bushels more than twenty-five years
ago. How does this condition coin
eide with DR.. Walters theory? No
) "additiohal cost to the farmer, by
raising the public school standard to
the plane for which he has been paw
ing the way. The great inequality, or
difference between the purchasing and
paying power of the product of all the
salaried classes, and the purchasing
and paying power of the product of
the agricultural classes, either escaped
the notice Of the superintendent of
Public Instruction. or he deliberately
seeks to cast additional burdens upon
the latters' shoulders that he and the
salaried classes would under no cir
cumstances be willing to bear, or sub
NIT to- We know as well as he, that
the same number of dollars will meet
the usual amount of taxes, expenses,
or other Obligations as formerly; but
we also know that it acquires nearly
, three times the amount of agricultural
products to meet the same obligations
Theoretically there is no additional
= cost to the proposed several changes
in view of increased appropriations
but practically it costs the farmers q
| great deal more. How can DR.. Wal
Ter reconcile all interests, and practic
t ally apply his theory IN justice to al
concerned?
J. c. WENNER.