The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-02-03
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The Writer Thinks They Should
Not Be Free To Children Over
Fourteen Years.
OTHER VIEWS on the SUBJECT

fredericksburg. Va Jan 30 1906.
To The Free Lance.
As YOU are iree lance bop" You lc'l
at liberty to publish "A few thoughts ON
the hnrd-riddcn horse Free Schools.
In the recent campaign all ui th" candi-
dates seemed 10 have groomrd the
old stager and m united for the race.
Ssme were unhorsrd and somr rode to
victory My ideas are doubtl ~ unpnp-
ular. and il j. not go win Smiles NOR
court iavurs that ! express them. \
sonse Of Justice and firm belief ln tie
ultimate good To- h.. derived suggest the
expressions
IL is easy 10 tickle the fancy and win
the patronage of a voter 10y impirssing
him with the idca that you are going 10
educate all of hi. cli.dpn. Wh-iher they
are white or oil color. and tit th'm Tor
teachers or preachers or other soft snaps
that will keep them from hard work
One party wanted tu furnish inr books
The next dodge would be lr,rclothr- aud
free lunch
do not object 10 Others having an
education becausc have not but claim
the privilege of the Tree -rhOol- arr al
ready too unlimited.
The idea of boy having The lee bpne-
TT Of free schools from { To q years old
is an imposition ON the taxpayer and
robs the boy of all SENSE Oi sell reliance
and manhood.
Give the children the benefit Of free
schools from TO 1t years Old aud after
that time require them To pay noml-
nal tuition. say from So To So per year
From Ii years old and upwards let the
pupil pay hi. tuition tO the superintcn-
tent Of the county schools and receive his
receipt for the same and present it 10 the
teacher when be- enters the school
There are many instances in which the
parents are not able tO pay this tuition,
but If there is any snap IN the boy aud
he really wants an education. be VIII
work for the money during vacation.
This makes him more manly aud self
reliant II there is nothing in him be- Is
better off without education.
An able writer has said, N Owlcdge
is power only when il j. tempered with
morals" 70 educate the viciOu andim-
moral makes him but the more astnte
william.
Some years ago | chancrd to be- at
the O,age Mission in Kansas. and old
Father shoemaker told me the best edu-
Gated boy he ever new was au O-uge
buck. and in less than two years be- was
the ringleader of all the villiany oi his
tribe-education aud NO morals.
Some years since | was spending an
evening with Col Darwin Marmaduke,
warden of the penitentiary OF Missouri.
He invited me To attend services in the
chapel and hear some good singing. /
looked over the crowd of prisoners. and
on returning TO the colonel = office lasked
him if guessed the crime of the majority
OF the men under p would he tell me? ]
wrote "Fogery." and he said that was
true. but wanted TO know why guess
ed. | said free schools will soon Oyerrun
your institution II the people had hot
elected Folk governor of Missouri the
State would have had to lease hall OF
Kansas 10 hold the scoundtels.
Seven years Of free school ought To be
enough Tor any child. Tie tuition paid
after fourteen years old should oil be APP
propriated to the improvement OF the
free schools Employ more advanced
teachers. pay them better and prolong
the sessions OF the school; fix up the school
houses. make them bright and cheerful,
a. well as comfortable. This will induce
the children to be neat and industrious.
as well as intelligent.
Our Legislators are now hauImering at
a bill 10 separate the white from the col
ored school tax. All OF that can be oh
waited by passing a bill Incorporating
these ideas, AMI the result will be the
survival OF the fittest, which will be for
the good OF all the people.
s. B. J.