Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1903-02-21

little semi-sins. Lent begins next
"Wednesday.
We educate for the benefit of the
public quite as much as for the good
of the individual. therefore the pub
lie should bear at least Il part OF the
burden. There may be good reasons
why small tuition fee should be paid
by pupils in attendance at our state
institutions but the reason given by
IL very un-American correspondent of
the Capital is not one of them He
says .-our state schools become vigOr-
Gus competitors to our denomination
al colleges. = because the state schools
charge no tuition fees. Such argu-
ment makes US exceedingly weary.
In the humble opinion of Theodore
the competitors" are the denomina-
tional schools A plea is made. also,
that if there were no denominational
schools the expenses of the state ms
titutions would be greatly Increased,
even multiplied over and again, by
reason of increased attendance. 1t
is probable that some increase of cost
would result but the attendance at
the university, for instance, might be
doubled without doubling the present
expenses of the same. Then, again,
such increase of expense at all our
state institutions would certainly not
equal the present cost of denomina-
tional and private schools. Hence the
total cost of education in general
whould be decreased
There was time when schools and
schooling were almost entirely in
charge of the church, in some cOun-
tries. Monks, priests and preachers
were the teachers and. no doubt, they
did much to advance learning and lit
terature but of course such educa-
tion was not general in either scope
or application. Ignorance and vice
90 hand in hand and consequently the
state eSpouSed the cause of education
as being good public policy. The
principle involved was early recognIZ-
ed in this country and we boast OF our
free school system where all classes
are on equal footing. Just of late
England has been discussing church
control of public schools. Such con-
troll would not be tolerated here al
though we are tolerant of church
schools of all kinds.
In our country we have no eStab-
lished church. We believe, at least
most of US profess to believe, in Sepa-
ration of church and state and that
education is within the province of
the state. On account of these be-
liefs the state can not support church
schools at public expense but il seems
that there are those who would seek
To even up things in favor of their de
nOmlnatIOnal schools by charging ad
mission fees at the vicious COMPETE
tive state institutions.
Theodore has some notions of his
own ''alOng these lines" He believes
that the education of youth is not
,nlya duty of the state but chat it
might best be the states exclusive
privilege up To the age when Il pupil
can choose for himself and also pay
for his choice of schools if he desire
something differ mt or better than
the state has To- offer. Theodore be-
ieves that the only valid reason for
existence of denominational schools
is that they may provide better or
cheaper education than is obtainable
1T state schools aud it is not apparent
that they do. He also thinks that
tile advocates of denuminatiOnal col
leges seldom or never give, or even
acknowledge. their real reasons. 1t
is urged that such schools give better
moral training etc. If moral train
ing were the object then several de-
nominations might unite in support
of the same school and save money,
cut they don't. Such a school would
not be denoininatiouai. The real OBJ
ject is hidden under the etc
Education should foster broad pa
triotiSm, not narrow partiSanShip.
But then. Theodore may believe TOO
much Or too little. Perhaps lie is
just IL crank on this subject At any
rate lie believes in u public schools
aud can't help it.
rruronopr