Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-06-06
Public School Work.
Theolorical Seminary, Y.

Inc recent nappy inPuIeo .o""iN .
higher standard for the public school
work. and the whole hearted recognition
of the conscientious, faithful, unobe'rn-
sive labors of the public school teachers
indicates that this is a subject of general
interest which its importance fully testl-
fes. There are two points to which the
writer would attrsc. attention, through
YOUR courtesy. The first is the iLdisposi-
lion of wealthy or well-born people, So
called to patrOnize the country public
schools: the second, the condition of the
school houses themselves whether they
are Calculated TO attract cultivated minds,
or satisfy refined tastes.
The first question, as to the attitude
of welI-to.do country people toward the
public schools, is very interesting. l
have heard people say repeatedly: "The
great problem of country life is how to
educate ones children" They are Oh
livious, apparently, that if one throws a
stone one may strike a public school
house in ones own nelgIborhood.
Governesses with piles ofrecommendatory
letters from bishops, priests and deacons
are every where, in many cases accom-
plishing very little. Small private schools
drag along, afiording scanty education
to the pupils, and scauty livelihood to
the teachers-and every where the pub
lie school is passed by.
Why is this? Partly, think, because
of a prejudice which is dying slow
death-partly because the public school
houses are inferior TO the teaching pa
hently offered day by day by faithful
women within those unattractive walls.
The writer can well recall twenty years
ago hearing a gentlewoman OF the old
school in Alexandria lamenting her in-
ability to afford her sons an education,
protesting in the same breath that they
should never 90 TO the public schools
"with common people children" She
comforted her loving heart with the
thought that, though uneducated, the
distinguished name they bore would al
ways give them can assured position 10
society" A few parents still think
this way, but in so thinking prove their
inexperiene. The old name alone, un-
supported by other qualities, might in
sure recognition in the home circle III
Alexandria, or Berryvillc, or Fairfax
Court House; but how much would 1t be
worth in the rush and struggle aud com
petition of New York, or Chicago, or
London?
Now, the wise parent is disposed to
say, 'Let me send my child where he
will receive the best and fairest and most
thorough training" and prefers not to
make a fool of him by shutting him up
in glass case. The wise parent does
not want to send out into the world a
poorly-equipped, selfsatisfed, conceited,
purse-proud, narrow-minded child; the
parent does we'll to remember that in
the democratic school-room the boy or
girl must hold place, as must the man
or woman in society, by right of merit,
by intelligence and work and descent
department. Neither his pedigree nor
his bank account will win for him
the prizes which the brainier and
more disciplined sons Of butchers
and bakers and candlestick makers
capture under his very eyes. If he
does not learn at school TO regard him
self as one, perhaps very unimporian'
one of many, and to adjust himself early
to existing conditions be is likely to ac'
ouire this knowledge later, at the cost
of many humiliating experience and
hard knock.
For special lines of study, for sweet
and gentle influence, private schools are
undeniaby necessary, and the writer
, mss reason to bless the generous COURSE
of many such, and to wish them all Ions
J life aud all prosperity, but the protest
cannot be too strong against the idef
that private schools are for rich men,
r. children and public schools for poo
mems children. This is false and an
lust Many a silly mother, in order t
7 show tha, she can afford "to pay" send
ber girl to an expensive private school
where she learns, perhaps, to recogniz
y an imported hat or tailor-made dress
or disrepu;able actor at sight, bu
where she learns little of real value
e Many another mother, unable to pay
and equally silly, keeps her daughter a
home, and lets her grow up ignoran
rather than openly admit her poyert,
by sending her girl to public school
Many an ambitious mother, meaning
- we'll BY her children aud little r. alizin
H how ridiculous she makes herself, snub
those who were her friends, and send
d her children in the wake Of erich peo
ples' children
Thus injustice is done on all sides
and in every case the child is the su
e ferer.
What is more calculated to fostt
that spirit of brotherly love towar
e, which our race, thank God, is mos
ing than the bringing together OF nc
: and Door, in the innocence of childhoc
MS MS under the roof Of common school
M NJ The children of the rich need to Ieai
sr modestv and fair appreciation OF Il
Of superior qualities Of others; the chli'
ren of the poor need confidence in then
selves and in their destiny, and the
get it when they march to the head
the class. just so long as the irol
,sd seats in our churches are reserved !
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