The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-04-21
Public Schools.

Public Schools.
The public schools will be closed in this
county on the second of June. The very
best months for small children are without
schools. The public schools should be open
every month in the year, as there is nothing
equal to a continuous drill and uninter-
rupted progress in educating children. The
old subscription schools were kept open all
the year, with perhaps vacation Of two
weeks in harvest time. But the taxes
necessary to keep the schools open are so
high, so the economists say. They had
much better add the entire read tax to the
school fund than have such crippled
school system as that of Maryland. The
money would never be missed from the
roads. On an average nature would keep
!he roads in better condition than the tax
expended on them. And where a very bad
spot appeared it would or could be disposed
of like the snow drifts, by the neighbors
turning out for few hours and fixing up
the broken place.
The fact is that our public school system
S the merest make SHIFT. The theory OF
public schools is that popular government
rests on popular education. No ignorant
people can be self-governing if they have
advanced TO any degree of civilization.
Savage people who live in common, are per
force, democratic and socialistic in their
government, or rather customs. But they
have little TO gain or lose, or employment,
save 10 hunt, fish and fight. An advanced
civilization demands advanced education,
which our children are not receiving, and
never will till the public school system is
placed on a solid footing. The theory the
present system is established on is that all
parents are able to feed and clothe their
children while they remain within the
public school age, which, theoretically at
least, is between the ages of aud IA years,
and that all the State should be required to
do TO acquit itself and contribute TO the
public education Of its children is to furnish
school houses and teachers. Books and
other school supplies must be provided by a
special capitation tax of dollar on each
pupil. And there is talk of compulsory"
school attendance, and in some States there
are dead laws of that kind on their statute
books.
1t is fact we'll known, in truth patent, to
all that families in Strengthened crcum-
stances, in plain language, poor families.
are not able to feed and clothe their chill.
dren, and keep them continuously at school
until they reach the age of14, but are com.
PEELED to draw upon the services of the
children 10 help support the family. 1t is
no more reasonable for the mother to be
compelled to take care of, clothe and help
yictual her children during these years
without assistance than for the parents to be
compelled to furnish school buildings and
hire teachers. If public education is ever
to become in practice what lis purpose is in
theory the State must psy for clothing and
feeding the children during this most i'm
portant school age. Then law Of compl-
sorry education would enforce itself. and
every child would have the foundation of a
thorough education laid, as we'll as con-
siderable advance in its structure, but under
our present lame and impotent system this
can never be accomplished. The how this
desirable object, nay, imperative duty, can
be circumyented opens wide field for dis
cussion. It could be done, however, and no
additions added TO the taxes at present paid.
Resolved-rhat oar public schools are
not what they should be: state reasons why
and remedy for the evil. This would
make good subject for the Teachers Asso-
citation. Will they tackle it?