The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1903-02-28
.SHOUZD all BE POLI-
I/C/4 W.S.

q people who care so little for
their govern ment. 1t would
seem that the Importance Of
discharging their civic duties
has never been properly in
stilled in the minds of the men Of
to-day. Both the home ard
school appear to have been
derelict in this respect. Th"
percentage of citizen who are
not conversant with the work
ings of the government is APP
pallingly great. The popular
idea seems to be that the govern
mert is a thing which will take
care of itself and that it is not
the citizens business to take part
in it's admins tration.
The only remedy for this con-
ditiOn of affairs lies in the hands
of the State. 1t is the correct
education of the young. That
broad education of the child
which the State alone is able to
give offers the sole cure for this
common disease which so Sc
riously affects the body polite.
In a country like this where the
the people are supreme and
where the popular will is law,
it is important that the voters
should have proper apprecia-
ton of their duty to the State.
Too much about the government
can not be taught in the schools,
and it should be impressed upon
the mind of every boy that it is
a great privilege to be born an
American citizen and it is still 4
greater privilege to be allowed
to exercise the rights of Ameri-
can citizenship. Il id fayette Ga
zettc.
What the Gazette says is true
only too true. But how is the
trouble to be rCmedied: There
is not now a text book in eXiS-
tence that will answer require
ments, nor is it possible to origin
nate one. A great deal can be
accomplished in this direction
by text books, but they fall far
short of requirement.. The SOlu-
ton of this trouble is to be found
in newspapers of the better
class. One of the metropolitan
dailies should comprise d part
of the daily course Of every
school in the land, both as q
source of general information
and means Of arOuSing an in
tclligcnt, active and patriotic in
tereSt not only in ones country,
but in life itself. The schools Of
this or any other country could
do the world no greater service
than make a rule and practice to
turn out habitual and methOdical
newspaper readers. Our govern
ment is controlled by this ele-
ment, and it is entirely too small.
We need more men and women
capable OF thinking and reason
ing intelligently for them Selves
concerning the living issues of
Of tho day. instead of either ig
norinG them entirely or being
led aStray by demugOGuos who
delight in coddling their igno-
rance. The disgrace is not in
the per centage of illiteracy in
the several States, but in the
degree of ignorance among
those who are not illiterate. con
corning the affairs of every day
life, and particularly of an intel
ligent conception of the duties of
citizenship. We will never have
a better class Of citizens nor bet
ter government until we get a
better and moro general class Of
newspaper readers, and this
will never be until children are
taught at home and at school to
make the papers a part of their
daily study. Those who are not
habitual newspaper readers
cannot grasp the full import of
this idea, but we beg those who
are to ponder it we'll. 1t is
worthy of serious consideration
To teach Of the past and not of
the present is to ignore the most
important and practical half of
history. 1t is preposterous that
the living issues and incidents of
the present should not be taught
the youth Of the land until they
become ancient history. Mat
ters educationully have not kept
progress with, or awaited of, all
the facilities afforded by the Art
Personalities F'elicianas
No doubt more newspaper
reading by the people would
result in a distinct gain along
the lines suggested by The
Felicia mas: but it is in the school
house where the work must be
done. 1t is there the idea OF
civic duty must be inStilled in
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