The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-04-16
RALEIGH, n c.. TUESDAY. APRIL l6 1907.

/ be remembered that no despotisrn has
! ever existed not based on an oligarchy.
4 In fact, only two forms OF government
are possible among men oIigarchy
/ can never tong be trusted
to rule the many wisely The
French noblcsse, the English arieto-
| cracy, the Russian beaurocratc deS-
potiSm, are but instances Of the many
cases in point. In tho long run the or
/ dor ana peace that society maintains
viii rest at tho level Of the average
wisdom and morality OF the nation
/ ut large. And 50 i hat degree OF self
| restraint the masses Of the least in
/ cendent Importance. The reign OF ter
rOr IN France showed some Of the
dangers that may come from the bar
barism latent in the prolctariat. That
/ barbarism was nourished by the long
enduring folly and WickedncSs Of the
/ ruling class. II was not the fcrocity
! of the Paris mob that set up the gull
] lotine on the Place de la Greyc
i 1t was the cold bIooded sclfishness
the rcmorselcSs tyranny. the grinding
i despotiSIn Of agcs OF ariStocrats Ro-
] bcSpicrre and Marat were but the con-
! crete expression Of many generations
! OF privileged selfshnesS and Srasping
j oppression.
The great lesson or fair play for
all Il one Of the first Of Importance i'll
! q democracy. 1t is Of the very essence
] Of true civilization and every teacher
! should remember that he is 4 mission
airy Of civilization. lie has with him
I. 70" q short time but al Il plastic age
! those who are TO make the veal or
! woe of the republic. If these few
years. or months in the school room
| can teach some thouShtfulness tor
| others, some power. Of moderation,
/ some sense of fairness and Justice it
Will be Well for the body polite.
The fourth thing which the public
schools should aim TO give is:
Ambition 10 do the best work, bOtn IN
kind and degree. OF which one y
capable.
1t is 4 great lesson to know ones
capa bilities. Too many Of Us try des-
| pcrately to do things that other peo-
pie 90 exceedingly welI-that we
4 should like Very much to DO equally
/ well--but for which we are totally un-
/ fitted. The important things for a
child 10 learn are:
First: What sort Of things Will prob
| ably be i'll his power to do
| Second: OF these things is there any
! one which he can do especially Well
! Third IF there are several Which
| ne can do indifferently Well, as often
J happens, then what ara these.
/ When the proper thing to do has
! been ascertajned. then it becomes all
! important that one should have All
! honorab BILE pride in doing his work
in making a nation strong ana pros
| porous. Nelson signaled at TrafeIgal'
| "England expects every man to do his
| duty. Nnd from tho Admiral TO the
/ powder boy every one did hi best
| where he was placed. That came
| from tho rugged genuinencss Of Eng
| lish National Character.
! On the other hand the prevalence IF
merely perfunctory work of the eager
| ness to get ones pay and of iIldiffer-
! ence to earning it-tileSc are among
! the true siSas of National deca dence.
1t is the spirit of Nelson which
! should anirlate cye;-y school in the
| land. II Wc can do common things
! we'll we need not fret about tho great
! things. The servant girl whose litera-
ture Oils her mind with the doings OF
| Lady Belinda and Lord Fitzjam mes is
| quite likely TO sweep the dirt under the
! lounge and not to be too careful Of
! her hair when she IS cooking. She
forgets that one can make ordinary
things fine by the spirit with which
| they are done.
Turning now from an attempt to
analyze the purposes for which public
| education is provided. let us consider
briefly The philosophy on which it is
based. Are there ct least any moral
rights involved on one side or the
other.
1t is generally accepted in our
country that the state may iegitilnate-
| ly do two things at least bearing on
education: 1t may tax all for the sup
port Of free schools ana within "ea-
Sonable limits il may compel attend
unce at those schools.
| The right Of the State to enforce
education is usually baee ell on The gen
eral welfare Education. if properly
directed. as has been said. increases
| the efficiency OF the young. II makes
them better ada Dtcd 10 earn Z living
! - ~
habits Of industry and honesty. n
these ways the state IS to that cHten;
saved from tho burden Of b&r6arisn
and crime: tho more school houses
fewer poor houses aud l2ils Ant
! quite aside from these merely mega
. tive considerations Il is also trur that
the added efficiency given by education
to that extent increases The total re-
sources Of society. t adds to the gen
cTal power and To the general happi-
! ness
But if Tor these reasons the State
may justly enforce education on What
grounds may the stat" leFE Il genera
tax and with the proceeds maintain {
system Of tree schools?
Tho State would not be Il state if il
did not have tho power 10 conlpc
! people 10 do what they do not wish t
do. Who wants to pay taxes 1T all
In such problem Is that o.
education, then the only real question
. is: Would toe end in view be attain
co by a system Of private or privately
endowed schools alone" The quest ior
needs only 10 he stated N order {,
bring the negative answer While i
the state should Withhold lis hand. pri
vate endowment might largely in
crease. yet the experience merely .
j. England shows plainly that such en-
doy1tueIlts would he little inOr- than
drop IN the bucket.
The obvious fact is that universe
education is simply phase ot demo
cracy. And it is inpracticahie unies
a democratic state attains this prim
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