The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-11-05
sired to know Mr.. Livesey's qualifiea-

sired to know Mr.. Livesey's qualifiea-
tons.
Livesey-Ah, well, this is a horse
of entirely another color! Literary
style Is one thing and life experience
are another. See? ! thoroughly agree
with The Independent on this point,
and say that every reformer should
have experienced the ups and downs
of everything connected with his re-
form.
/ was sent only to the best private
schools until about IL years of age,
although at one time was taught at
home. The whole of it was by the
memorizing process, exactly as is prac-
ticed in the public schools. The whole
OF it was torture to me and has left
its marks on my mind and body to
this day.
Like all boys, knew not what
suffered. | know now. and it is in
this knowledge that am now work.
ing to get the boys relieved, and not
from any of the selfish motives, eco
nomical or religious, that are some
times impugned to me.
liz puUllCt 5CuOOl ullStS Ouly IIOLl
the private school in severity, and if
suffered all that did from the latter,
can well believe that Edward Box
told the truth when he said that the
public schools kill yearly 3d. 900 of the
modern innocents and ruin double as
many more or less for life.
| have also been intimate friends
with many public school superinten-
dents, principals, teachers and pupils,
and from their own lips and pens have
received my corroboration of public
school conditions.
Ex-Supt. Henry e. Shepherd of Bal
timore, for instance, has told me that
| have not half told the public school
situation and has authorized me to
publish him to that effect
{ When. | was attending school my
parents took me to Fowler and Wells,
the eminent phrenologists, for exam
nation. Prof. Fowler gave my par
epts most emphatic warning that my
mind must be kept back and my body
brought forward-that they were kill
ing me.
Not that | was precocious in the
least, but that the system was injuring
me. Perhaps his warning saved my
life, as | was allowed to run the
streets pretty freely about that time.
When | left school at IL | was not
AZ far advanced as the average 12-
year-old public school boy, and after
| became of age | found really knew
nothing.
| went to work with my hands and
began to think. finally had to go
back to a primer and get my educa-
ton all over again, digesting it as l
went along. This took some years.
| was like one of the leading writer's
OF the day who says. II owe no coll
lege anything" This writer has been
engaged on leading magazines and pa
pers, and, after graduating from two
colleges, said the above. So say |, |
owe no school anything.
AS it was with me, SO it is with
many a normal child. Bodily activ-
ity is the rule for childhood and men
tai activity for adult life-just the re-
verse of the present private school,
public school and parochial school pro-
cesses. They are all alike damnable
and hellish and the nations most CIV
en- to their acceptance are feeling in
various ways the helish results.
am not at present emphasizing the
point against private and parochial
schools because they are not being
forced upon the people by compulsory
school laws, as are the public schools.
Neither are they compelling those who
disbelieve in them to support them.
Neither are they proving the stepping
stones to state socialism By leading to
state food clothing, shelter, beer and
tobacco as we'll as to a so-called edu-
cation.
Every MN and woman that sane
tons the present school system has
no claim to Christianity. Christ COM
manded no school. His enemies said
to Him: Whence knoweth this man
letters, having never learned?"
Christ's source was my source.
Independent-It seems evident that
Mr.. Livesey has lodged
iLvesey-Does II seem evident now?
Independents handwriting bears
earmarks which indicate that he may
have learned to write In one Of the
very sort OF schools he affects 10 de-
splse. II SO. he Is qualified TO de- |