The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-09

now estimated at near 1 900. 444 people out
OF a total population Of 73000-000-one IN
every 20 persons. What a commentary
on the civilization Of the country Surely
facts like these should set our people TO
thinking and put them on inquiry as 10
whether there is not something wrong IN
our system Of public education. For my
self | have never doubted but that this
is on wrong basis. Thc-example OF Eng
land is to my mind conclusive evidence
OF this fact. There. where education Is
even more universal than here, for there
It is compulsory. crime Is and has oeeh
for many years rapidly diminishing. PTS
ons are being pulled down and the sites
sold. Where a few years ago Millbank
penltentiary one Of the largest prisons
In London. stood is now the site OF the
Tate Fine Art Gallery" recently given
10 the nation. The directors Of the English
convict prisons. In their report last year
10 the Secretary OF state for the Home
Department made the following state
ment: "In the last half century serious
crime has greatly diminished. In the five
years 1859. when the population OF
England and Wales was estimated az
49, PSI 900. the average number or persons
sentenced on indictment TO penal servi-
tude each year was 2,509. In the years
1888 with a population Of q $50 79. the
average yearly number was 9i5. During
the last three years the number has been
only 79i although the population IS esti-
mated at more that 29OO0.000 Both the
number and population Of young convicts
are considerably less than formerly. on
March 3ist. 1857. there were E4 convicts
under twenty-onc years Of age out or
a total Of 7.1s6 or 80 per cent. ON March
3lst. 1893. there were only forty-five out
OF a total Of 1894 or only 12 per cent.
This tends to show that the convict
prison population is composed In an In
creasing proportion Of the incorrigible
old criminals and that the younger per-
sons are not coming forward 10 keep up
the numbers Of the criminal population
The true explanation. I'm my opinion.
Of this difference between the two coun-
tries Is In the different character or the
education given to the young. Here we
have a purely secular system Of educa-
ton a Goddess system. In England more
than one-half Of the children are educated
I'm the Church OF England and the Roman
Catholic schools. In these schools educa-
ton Is based on religion. Religious teach
ing is given every day. The remaining hair
OF the children Of the nation are educated
I'm the Board Schools. maintained out or
the taxes. In the large majority OF these
schools religious instruction Is also given
daily. ii being optional with the Schooi
Boards 10 teach religion or not as they
think best The taxpayers I'm most school
districts take care 10 only elect on the
Boards men who will require religious in
struction 10 be given. In both the denom-
national schools and the board schools
10 ktr Ia n
rights OF those parents who may OBJ
iect 10 their children being instructed In
their religious duties. A conscience
clause" IS part OF the education act anti
under II any parent may require his
child TO be Withdrawn from the class
during the religious lessons and be taught
secular subjects. SO strong. however. Is
the desire OF parents that their children
shall receive religious instruction that
very few children are ever Withdrawn
from religious teaching. II would be dim
cult to find a schoomaster In England
who has ever had more than one or two
cases Of withdrawal in his experience.
To this intense and national desire or
the English people for the religious teach
ing Of their children Is. largely believe.
due the constant diminuition OF crime IN
that country No doubt there are some
other factors. prominent among when
are reformatory schools for young child
criminals. in which schools also religious
teaching is required but the great domi-
nant factor Is undoubtedly the RELIGIOUS
training Of the children on six days OUT
of the seven in every week. Here the
converse is the rule. Religion Is RELOCATED
10 one day out Of the seven, ana theh
only required for about an hour from
those Gho voluntarily choose to accept
such teaching in the Sunday-schools at
tached to the different churches. where
such teaching is necessarily and properly
UNCONVENTIONAL
Surely In the face OF the facts
[ have set forward as 10 the condi-
ton OF crime I'm the two countries Il
might be reasonable 10 expect that our
people here should feel doubts as 70 the
success OF the present system OF educa-
ton in this country At least religious
people might he expected 10 doubt the
wisdom Of the system and we might be
spared the anachronism OF seeing clergy
men defending a Goddess system OF edu-
ca.ior AID thus nra oticaHv nroclaimir'~
religion TO be only the business OF one
day in seven. instead Of permeating ana
dominating the daily If OF our people.
Until this Is the case ! despair Of seeing
our criminal population decreasing fac
tor in the statistics OF the nation. know
II will be said that In arguing In favor
Of this change / am Singing Psalms 10
dead horses" but trust that many OF
the best people in the land Will. after
a consideration OF the facts, see eye 10,
eve with me and work for the change.
What Il there 20 prevent II but that
miserable intolerance and bigotry which
holds Il Is impossible 10 teach religion
without teaching denominatoralisn?
This alone Is the bugbear and yet II is
absolutely unworthy Of consideration. To
teach a child Of school-going years the
verftfes ~ tina Christian religion uuor