Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-01-16
The Function Of Public Education.

ry. by Henry Dwight Chapih, upon
the subject Of education by the state.
! Mr.. Chaplin ranks high among the
educators OF New York, and his
views command attention. II il
gratifying to find that the TRIBUNE's
ideas 81 what should be attempted
/ in public education are supported by
such high authority. Following are
extracts Of general application from
Mr.. Chapin's article:
The large aud growing interest in
the subject Of public education finds
voice. not only in private discussion,
but in the number Of articles thatare
constantly being written upon the
subject. In following the latter, one
cannot help noticing how diverse,
and often confusing, are the ideas adj
yanced. The writers start from dif-
fering premises, but generally come
/ 10 some vague conclusions about the
/ necessity Of more and better educa-
| tioual facilities. In all this, the dis
! tinction between education in gem
eral. and state education in particu-
/ lar. appears to he lost sight of COM
pleteiy. School boards are criticised
/ and beiabored, the most elaborate
and expensive systems are strenuous
/ ly advised. and il Is assumed that it is
! the business Of the state to furnish
/ all the higher education that the ris-
/ ing generation may find useful. Much
I confusion would be avoided, and the
j discussions less at cross-purposes, IL
writers would clearly define what
they mean by public education. Why
does the state educate? and how
/ far should it educate?
The state does not educate for char
/ ity. The most ardent advocates Of
higher education by the state do not
put the ground of their request upon
charity. Neither does the state un-
dertake education TO give culture or
polish to number Of Its citizens; If
SO, it beco.les form of socialism.
and. to be consistent, other good
things should likewise be furnished.
Where shall we draw the line? In
any scheme Of advancing socialism,
higher education should be the last
thing attempted. As at present con-
7titnted, the state does not educate
with socialistic ideas and motives.
Why, then, d0cs the state educate +?
TO preserve itself How far should
the state educator Simply to the
point necessary for its preservation.
The uaderfying Jriacipic ~ state 81
ncdtiOn tx state psrserrdtiOa- The
moment we leava the principle Of
necessity, we are on uncertain and
debatable ground. IL does not re-
uuire much discussion to determine
a
OF education that the state should
teach in order to protect itself against
gross ignorance and inetiieiency.
| Reading, writing, figuring, and a
| knowledge of the country's history
should be most thoroughly taught.
/ 10 this could be combined an educa-
ton of the hand as well as Of the
/ head, the first rudiments of training
having been started in the kinder
garten. All appliances for teaching
these fundamentals OF education
should be most modern and complete
and carried on under the best by
gienic surroundings. The absence
Of any attempt - cope with the
! higher and most 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
IL now universally recognized, as ii
is, directly or indirectly, made COM
pulsory in all civilized countries.
| When, however, the state attempts
TO carry education along higher lines
the temptation To neglect the hum
Bile primary branches in the inter
est Of the upper and more SNOWY
grades, becomes apparently impossi-
BILE 10 resist.
When the question IS looked at
from the standpoint of state preser-
walton, as well as from Justice and
right, the folly Of this disproportion
of expenditure upon upper grades of
schooling in proportion TO the mum
Der OF children benefited, becomes
apparent. At bottom, it is finan-
ciaI question rs 10 where money that
has been given for certain purpose
can be, and should be, best spent. We
are not here discussing the desira-
bility of universal higher education
although much can be said on either
side of this question. Greece. with n
population of barely two million, and
seven gymnasia or colleges, " it'll one
university, might be looked Mt from
all sides in studing such problem
Experience has shown that the state
can devote about so mucl money to
the various functions ii has to per-
form. Public education can claim
no exemption from this rule. When
more is attempted than is justifiable
10y the resources at hand, either some
part of the course must suffer, OF
enormous demands he made ut the
hands Of the taxpayers.
Outside Of the great expense OF
properly housing the children, the
cost Of instruction averages ssh per
head in New York, with from l15DG
70 10000 enrolled. II all the child
rem could take advantage OF the
Whole course, ii might be i question
whether this large expense were not
justified Only small proportion,
however, advance to the upper
grades, which form the costly part Of
the system, while for bali that sum
per head, thorough primary educa-
ton could b. furnished to all Com
plete elementary instruction of the
best quality, freely guaranteed 10 cv-
cry child, is all that the city or state
should be required to furnish. When