The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-02-10
The Three RS.
Of the Democratic Advocate:

To the Editors of the Democratic Advocate:
In your issue of February 3. 1900, noticed dia-
logue between Prof Geo. W. Ward and Francis B.
Livesey. I beg space for few remarks in behalf
of the public schools and the system of instruction
as used in the public schools.
Are the public schools for the masses who are
destined to fill the ranks of common laborers?
answer that 1t is not true in all cases. The pub
lie schools should not only be the schools of a
"Caste;'' 1.-THE class whose chief organ in the
hand and whose brains educated solely to serve
the hand better" They should have some link
that would join the public school education to the
college education and thereby make a smooth con-
nection for the student who would wish to leave
the ranks of common laborers and ascend among
the upper or higher duties of life.
The student of the school whose system is the
three RS, and who is standing on the top round of
such system finds his arms too short to reach the
spirit-"opportunity" whom he wishes to lead
him to the top of the high mountain of Education
al success
Aspiration is the Characteristic of the American
people, and any person who by diligent work has
acquired fortune does not wish his children TO be
as the children of the common laborers. And,
therefore, he sends his children to the college to be
educated When they have finished their educa-
ton they come back and make slaves of the chill
uren OF the common lADOfeEs hIA tHc Vi
three RS who think "they must be obedient to
their superiors."
Go in some inland district and start high
school or academy and how quickly you see the
classes divide. You will see boys and girls who
had finished the three RS and who had to be salts
fed with their education, and who had settled
down at working on the farm, leave the farm and
enter the high school or academy. When, before
this institution had existed they found that Heces-
sity was the mother OF satisfaction.
The establishment of a school whose curriculum
consisted of the three RS should be an insult to any
nation for it says in plain language to the common
laborers you have been common people, therefore
your children shall be common people; you never
knew anything, therefore your children shall not
know anything"
Mr.. Liyesey stated plain fact when he said,
birds of feather will flock together" That is
the common school people remain with the same
and the college graduates go with college gradu-
atcs And if these are left standing the two
opposite hills with connecting link we will
finally find our freedom-oying people surrounded
BY a band of Feudal Lords whom they will be
compelled to obey because necessity is the mother
of satisfaction
Mr. Liyesey also quoted Chauneey on education,
Education is the cause Of labor troubles That
is a fact because the people who do not know any
better aud who cannot get any other position and
can do only limited kind of work, cannot afford
to lose their JOBS and they don't know any better
so they have to be satisfied with what the employer
chooses to give them or what he chooses TO make
them do. Because necessity is the mother of salts
faction.
But the man who is educated can easily sec
when he is not getting his own, and when he is
not getting fair exchange for his labor. He then
,ks -. oh nd as s his
erty the results Of which are needless to relate.
And for the above reasons Andrew Carnegie lis
disnclined to assist colleges" Mr.. Livesey also
stated that mo college Is best, no college is
even good. and that the philosophy they teach is
no good" would say 10 him: Ny kind friend,
From where do the statesmen come. Do they
come from the common school Of three r'ss
From where do the Doctors come Do they
come from the three r's9 From where do the Law
yers the Editors the Legislators come. and all Of
the people who make the nation what Il is come
Do they come from the school Of the three rH
answer no TO all these questions The people who
run this government came from the best colleges
In this country.
Mr. Iivesey also takes great pains in reciting the
biography Of college graduate which he Chains
was sorry for his education. ! would say 20 Nj.
Livesey that every college turns ont It's black
sheep and guess that Is the way with the 50
called graduate whose biography he has related.
No college produce brains. but if any one Vho
has some Of the gray matter will attend any col
lege he can have 1t developed.
In every institution OF learning thOre are two
classes who not sepArahle until amer grAdnat-
ing when The division occurs and one class go up
In life and one comes down. Those which come
down are the ones who are eurSing and slanderiRg
their fellow schoolmstes and .her college, because
one has succeeded and the other has not
Those who to rule should BE- carefully ein-
Gated for those purposes"
Public noney has never been grudgca Tor the
education Of the governing class. And We know
that we are "a government Of the peoPle, by the
people and for the people. therefore u thc rA!iag
people X n
C8rer MI