Evening journal., 1895-03-12
EDUCATE THE MASSES.
Cry of the Members of the
New-Century Club.
THEY WANT A NEW SCHOOL LAW
Speeches BY Chief Justice Lore, Rev. A.
d. Mayo, MRS, NieIds and Mrs. Ball
at the Mass-meeting in Favor of Com
puisory Education Last Night.

pulsory Education Last Night.
Assuredly the nasty, dlsagreeable
weather was the cause OF the small
audience at the mass-meeting fsvoring
compulsory education last night
Chief Justice Lore presided. Seated on
the stage were: Mrs Benjamin Nields,
Mrs. f. Ball, Mrs. W. w Pusey,
Mrs Wesley Weldln, Mrs A. d Warner,
Mrs Charles r Miller, Mrs Charles s
Rowland, Mrs. A Fl Berlin, Miss MSr-
gsret Hilles, Rev Merritt Hulburd,
d. D., Charles S. Rowland and ]. B.
Roberts
Judge Lore called the meeting to
order at s 10 o'clock. During q short
address he said that with the people rests
authority to do what is necessary for
their defense and we'll being, and under
this head comes the subject, the consid-
erstion of which is tine object of,this
meeting Intelligence is an essential
qualification of a governing forcs. This
is true of all governments, and is par
ticularly true Of a republic where the
people are the law-mRking power and
make laws either wise or vicious accord.
ing as they are intelligent and virtuous
OF ignorant and vicious. Scientific in
vsstigstion has proved that given /, 900
ignorant people, and 1000 Intelligent
people, the production of criminals by
the vicious /, 600 will be as z to / Of the
intelligent people. OF the same people
the proportion Of psuperism will be 10
to1
Experience teaches that the state must
educate its citizens. This teaching is so
plain that it ia not questioned 10 its
broad sense. In all intelligent nations
provisions are now made for the educa
tion of the masses, and in many Of them
1t is made compulsory. This is true of
twenty eight states Of the Union, and
whenever the law has been complied
with it has produced good results.
Rev. A d. Mayo, of Washington, the
chief speaker, followed Judge Lore He
outlined the facts of early American
history in regard to public education,
and the growth of the public schools.
There is no reason, said he, for people to
lay awake at night In fear of the spirit OF
Socialism or Communism These things
do not belong in this country, for the
reason that society here is built from the
bottom up and not from the top down, as
| In Europe. 1t is this fact of building
| flom the bottom that makes it evident
that this educational movement must 60
on, and that 1t must end in compulsory
education. He also said that the new
century was the century of women's
rights. The women exsrt far more
potent Influences than the men: a d
they are demanding that If they are tC
give to the world q race OF men capable
of accepting graver responsibilities
than have ever fallen upon any Other
generation Of men, they must be giveI
the conditions which make It possible t
comply with that demand.
For Morals and Economy.
Mrs Nelds followed Mr., Mayo in al
interesting address. She said, in part
George William Curtis once said
Every intelligent man knows that tn,
sure foundations of states are laid il
knowledge, not ignorance; and ever
sneer at culture, at education, at bool
learning, is the demsgogue's sneer q
intelligent liberty inviting nRtionR
degeneration and ruin A month ago vi
would have said, Certainly every in
telligent man knows that But since vi
began to advocate this measure We hsv
met with many sad surprises. TIL
most startling is the discovery tina
there exists in this state to-day the oil
idea prevalent in the slave holding
states prior to $780, that only a favored
few in each state should receive th
benefits Of education. That the rest
the great masses of the plain people, ar
the dust Of the earth TO be trodde
under foot So, instead of being able t.
J stand shoulder to shoulder with ou
J sister states on this question We ar
compelled to 60 back, back, back, and
remind our citizens that more than
, century ago their forefRthera declare
that All men are created equal
when we plead for education we meR
/ much more than proficiency in the thre
Rs We mean the development Of ever
{ muscle of the body. We mean th
training Of every faculty Of the minC
! We mean the Strengthening Of the wi
1 and conscience until every generous an
noble trait Is fostered and every WeR
r and evil one destroyed Give sue
1 training as this for fifty years to ever
! child within the state, and we feel aul
! you may pull down your jkils Al
warehouses;. So if one simply consider
' the sordid matter OF dollars and cents
4 will be economy"
why the Women Are Interested.
8 Mrs ]. Frank Ball was introduced. 81
q referred to the fact that she was one
the seven girls who composed the hr
T class graduated from the WilmingtC
n High School, and said that she shoul
advocate universal education did n
n seem anomalous 10 her. She said
"Why are we women interested in IL
educational affairs of the stete2 v
answer FIRST, for the child's sake; secon
for the states sake. For the child
1t sake because at present we are providin
le neither chart, compass nor guide book, b
y, thousands Of children. who. stan
Sc ing with expectsnt feet. where &
" brook and river meet, are 500
rlTT to have responsibilities thrust upC
* them fer which they will be total
unprepsred. For the states sake, becau
the child will be the future citizen;
- will make and enforce the laws und
3, - which We live; he will have a voice
IL the large affairs Of our nation, and
vs influences will be for the veal or woe
ae the state. Is it not. therefore, eminent
in fitting, nay would It not be denial
I'd the mother instinct within us Il we
u otherwise, that we should yarn oV
neglected little ones Of our city al
state whose lives are cramped and ma
unDsturAlly hard by the neglect a
indifference Of parents"