The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-08-30
THE SCHOOL AND THE PENI-
TENTIARIES

The civilization of the latter part of
the nineteenth century has developed
the most expert and fiendish criminals
the world has ever known. To realize
this hideons fact, we have only to read
the daily papers. This is also pre-. emf
nently the age of education. There are
more college-bred men and women now
than ever before in the history of the
world. Christendom teens with them,
and the masses of the people have more
cultivated intellectually than was ever
known in any age. We also have mere
crime against the person and against
property, much as we may regret that
candor compels us to acknowledge it.
leges were run in opposition to penit-
tentiaries and jails; but the fact re-
mains that as institutions OF learning
have multiplied crime has multiplied
in a greater ratio. Is education
failure? Unquestionably as preven-
ton of crime it is. While it
has developed more truly great and
good men than the world has ever seen
it has developed the criminal instinct
also. Can it be that our system of edn-
cation is all wrong? That not only is
what it can be, but that is precisely
what is Wehave educated the head
and not the heart aud hand. Education
of the intellect alone will always be a
failure as to making men better.
Two years ago fifty tra,nps, or vaga-
bonds, were fed at a table supplied by
charity, and in response to questions it
was learned that of the number seven
could translate Greek and Latin; seven
teen had taken college courses, all
could read and write, and only three
had learned trades. Now what is the
significance of these facts? That the
ranks Of vagabondism are recruited
from among those who have not learned
the very things that must be done;
those who have not learned trades, and
that colleges do not make useful citi-
zens out of unpromising material. 1t
is evident, therefore, not only that
the moral nature must be cultivated as
well as the intellect, but that If we
would develop good citizens from the
raw material on hand we must educate
the hands also. There is no better
guarantee of good citizenship than an
industrial education. This 10 too plain TO
call for any why's or wherefores. We
would not waste time arguing with
man who is fool enough to deny it. A
number of our Agricultural and Me
chanical colleges are doing grand
work on this line, and 1t is a cause OF
regret that we cannot include all OF
them in the statement. But from the
nature of the case these colleges cannot
fill the bill, though they have the right
sort of goods. Industrial training
should be prominent in curriculum
of every school endowed wholly or in
part by the state. A literary univer-
sity may turn out some good lawyers
and doctors-of which we have enough
already--and great numbe OF gamb-
lers, saloon keepers, and all round ras-
Gals, of which we have great deal too
many already; but as at present organ
lied they fail, in proportion to oppor-
tunity and effort, in the matter of
making useful citizens.
When a young man is given trade
at which he can earn a decent support
we have his bond for good behavior as
a mem ber of society. Agriculture and
the mechanical arts, and the branches
that tend to develop life of useful in
dustry should be taught in every public
school, and the practice as well as the
theory made compulsory. The state
has right to protect itself, and there
is no better way than this to do it,
Texas Farm and Ranch.
RAILROADS are using high pressure