New-York tribune., 1896-11-30

and colleges. Indeed. that very fact formed
strong part of DR. Mackenzie's train OF Argyll
mcnt Bur then the academies ana coileses
cou,d M, cxist NJ all without some form OF com
mon schools. And while in theory all. ana IN
practice nearly all children attend the common
schcols ONLY five IN a hundred reach the hlgh
schools and academies. and Only one III Il h"'''
drcl enters college. The majority in this coun-
Try must rule. There can he no olisar'h! oi III
relleci. Wherefore nothing can be more obvious
than the imperative necessity or making the
common schools. which are the only schools OF
more than nne-ienths of til" people, as perfect
a. possible That they are not so Is most pam
fully obvious. as Dr Mackenzie concluSlveiy
pointed out II is true they saw" the people from
actual illiicracy. But there is vast difference
between not being ilcrate ana being lh''hl-
gent The common schools teach now 10 reau
and 10 write and 10 cipher but even those Things
not always we'll How large a proportion OF
people educated merely at common schools can
be deemed masters of the grammar ol tielr
mother tongue: But if We go beyond these
things the showing iS depl0rablc. what do the
schools teach of mental and moral discipline:
What Of social relations: What OF political
rights and duties:
II is true dpporably true. ~ Dr. Mackenzle
said. that rs rule our most highly educated
men have sadly neglected The common schools
Of the \sion and that the schools need their
aid and cncouraCcmenf This neglect is some
times almost imposed upon them by "the blight
ing touch of politics" 1t would be possible TO
cite ease In which one Of the most conspicuous
leaders in higher education was deliberately re-
',cied as candidate for ;he superntcndcncy
of tine schools of Il great city. ana soc:lied
'pracicai' man. meaning practical poll,iciah'
was chosen in his place Such choice was Il
crime against civilization. The number of col
lcge-bred men and women among the teachers
of common schools is very small, and even II IS
largely made up of recent graduates. who take
10 teaching merely ~ a temporary mak'sh'it.
until they can get into something else. The
number Of colleges which have adequate depart
mcnts Of pedagogy Is wellnigh infncslmal
Yet what an anomaly ii all is. The physician
who treats child's body must be collcgc-brcd
But what Of him who treats its mind: The law
Yer who adjusts petty differences Of neighbors
over property must have an accredited diploma.
But what Of him who does. or who should. guide
the rising generation In the higher relationships
of individuals to each other. To society. and To
the state? If 1t be- true and 1t is true. 10 quote
Dr. Mackenzie once more, that ''the wiser cifi-
'zen>hp. the imperative need Of which has been
"garingly revealed 10 all lovers Of our com
''iry. can be attained mainly through the early
school We H.. then 10 college or univer-
SHY can have n More worthy department than
thai of Pedagogy. and no collcgc-brcd man can
have a noblor ambition in worldly affairs than
10 bring his rpcSi scholarship and richest culture
To bear upon the common schools. for their I'm
provemcnt and for the better instruction of their
inmates. Let us have Irrc democracy in e'ln-
cation. Then we may hope 10 have Il truly cdu-
Gated democracy