The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-01
WHAT THE STATE SHOULD
TEACH.

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education by the State do not put the
ground of their request upon charity.
Neither does the State undertake educa.
ton to give culture or polish to number
of its citizens; il 30, it becomes form
of socialism, and, to be consistent, other
good things should likewise be furnished
Where shall we draw the line? 1t would
be much better for the State to furnish
hygienic houses and apartments to the
people at q moderate rental, than to offer
the advantages Of higher education.
The former is actually done by most of
the large cities of Great Britain. In any
scheme of advancing socialism, higher
education should be the last thing at
tempted. As at present constituted, the
State does not educate with socialistic
ideas and motives. Why, then. does the
State educate? To preserve itself. How
far should the State educate? Simply
to the point necessary for its preserva-
ton. The underlying principle Of State
education is State preservation. The
moment we leave the principle of neces-
sity, we are on uncertain and debatable
ground. 1t does not require much dis
cussion to determine the simple and
fundamental branches Of education that
the State should teach in order to pro-
tect itself against gross ignorance and
inefficiency. Reading, writing, figuring
and a knowledge of the country's history
should be most thoroughly taught. To
this could be combined an education of
the hand as we'll as Of the head, the first
rudiments of training having been start.
ed in the kindergarten. All appliances
for teaching these fundamentals Of edu-
cation should be most modern and COM
plete, and carried on under the best by
gienic surroundings. The absence of any
attempt to cope with the higher and
more ornamental branches would leave
sufficient time and money to lay proper
ground work in every child's case, even
the most backward and unpromising
one.
The Importance of primary education
is now universally recognized, as it is,
directly or indirectly, made compulsory
in all civilized countries. When, how
ever, the State attempts to carry educa-
ton along higher lines, the temptation
to neglect the humble primary branches
in the interest of the upper and more
snowy grades, becomes apparently i'm
possible to resist. The tendency is no.
where more glaringly exhibited than in
New York, where public education is
poor and incomplete in the primary and
fundamental parts, but elaborate in the
higher and non-essential grades. We
have two well-equipped colleges with
many courses, and numerous grammar
schools on the one hand; on the other,
primary schools without proper appli-
ances for either health or education,
over crowded and unable to accommo-
date many of the children who apply for
even this poor modicum Of instruction.
The great majority of the children of
New York who are educated at the city'e
expense never get beyond the primary
grades. as they have to begin to earn
their living at from twelve to fourteen
years of age. A conservative estimate
places the number of children who can
not be accommodated for want of room
at the public schools. at fifty thousand,
the great majority Of whom are candi-
dates for the primary grades. Poor as
ii is, the fundamentals of education are
thus denied to large number of child
rem who need such training. Many of
these children are of foreign parentage,
and are thus in danger Of growing up in
ignorance of our laws and Institutions,
unless the State educates them, as a
measure for its own protection. H. d.
Chaplin, IN North american ReUieac.