The Newtown bee., 1900-06-22

school privileges with the children and youth of Bethel. Bethel received S1, 827 % from the State In 1898 '99, and Newtown $1 559 26. Bethel, having S12 school children, expended total o1 $10,296 35, while Newtown having 693 children of school age, spent $6, ,628.1e, But at the same time, Newtown having no high school, and but one district in which was any graded work, paid $22 46 for each child in aver age attendance, while Bethelpaid $1S.62. It may be said that Bethel raised the money and paid for it's high school priyi- leaes, and 80 1t did in part, but that Is town education and not State; but 80 far as the state fund Is concerned, do the people of Bethel and Newtown receive that equal benefit which the constitution intends they shall haves In Bethel, a boy may go through High School and be prepared for college, or enter into the higher ranks of professional or skilled service, in public or in private capacity, while the boy in Newtown goes to the dis trict school, and as rule is fitted for nothing but common manual labor unless he goes elsewhere forrhis training. suoh comparisons as this might be naltiplied between many of the towns of the State. The point we make ia, that since public education assumes to be of such vital im- portance to the commonwealth as to take it's name from the State, and to be already subject to State support and supervision, in part at least, therefore 1t should in fact and wholly come under State control, and afford equal privileges to all.
 Indeed, thls duty of the State to afford equal fchool advantages has already found expression in the act of 1897, which provides that children residing in towns having no High School may be sent to High Schools in other towns, at the pub- | lie expense, 80 far as the tuition is con- cerned but in many cases the cost of transportation is more than the exE ense of tuition, and many cannot afford to take advantage of the privilege.
 There are three good colleges in Connecticut, but they do not belong to the State, they are not maintained by the commonwealth, and public education embraces only the Kindergarten, elemen- tary, grammer and high schools. Be- yond the high school our state system of public intruction does not extend, unless it may be said that the Agricultural College is the beginning of more liberal advantages. Industrial and manual {~osr kNo~ %o
 grafted upon the public school system, but as yet these things are more or less experimental. The great essential prln- ciple is recognized by all intelligent people that the State must make generous and wise provisions for the education of her children and youth. And if the schooling of her citizens up to & certain point is so very important as to be made compulsory, why should It not be the highest wisdom in all her good works to provide that the talented and faithful student in the High School may have 8 collegiate course also, at her expense, that the commonwealth may in the end reap the richest benefits of his noblest gifts and attainments? The ideal system of State education aims at the evolution of all the best elements of character, and capacity for usefulness, in all, according to each one's ability, taste, and ambition to serve his day and generation ''in that state of life unto which it shall please God to call him." Every one must have at least the primary education. More and more each year are seeking the privi- leges of the secondary schools many are needing and waiting for industrial and manual training; and not few would be glad to go to college if the way should