New-York tribune., 1910-08-22
PUBLIC SCHOOL ABOLITION
The Growth Of Socialism an Argument
for Private and Home Teaching.


To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: The August issue Of the Columbus
Ohio Medical Journal gives an article
from The Tribune under the caption
Curse of Education" II relates 10 a lect.
ure recently delivered IN England ~
Harold z. Gorst. The Tribune embraces
Mr.. Gorst's utterances N The following
sentence:
The schools OF the present day should
be swept from the face OF the earth and
the present system OF education put cut os
existence"
But The Tribune observes also. But II-.
Gorst didn't say that all education was \
curse"
It is always taken for granted By ths
public that when a man calls for public
school abolition-and that IS what NJ.
Gorst aims at--he calls for the oblireratic
Of all education
Herbert Spencer called for the abolition
Of all state education. but he did not de-
nounce proper education. Thus II IS that Z
have done for thirty-fve years.
After Mr.. Spencer's death few years
ago a body Of leading and learned Eng
lishren were convinced that his antagc-
nism TO state education was based on d
proper understanding OF its evils. and thav
formed a society called tbs Society for
the Liberation Of Education from STATE
Control. This society issued paper called
The Protest and also repuoIishsd and
sold the pointed utterance5 OF Hsrbsrt
Spencer on education. A large number og
leaflets and pamphlets were also got out,
among them The Curse Of Education.
BY Mr. Gorst, he being q member Of The
society.
The Protest. freouently published con-
r1lInications from my pen in whtch 7
showed that this country had n IL as zeal-
GUS q public school aboIitionist IS any that
could be found elsewhere I believe NJ
actual call for abolition preceded that O.
Mr. Spencer. However, we both saw the
public school or state system Of education
breeding socialists.
With men like Messrs- Gorsr and Spencer
denouncing the educational systems, ~
might suppose that the general public
would show its respect for their optoton and
besin the work OF abolition az once. But
while calling EIr. Spencer one OF the t--es
greatest authorities on education tnar rne
world has ever produced, and the cnlF
great authority OF the present tine, tn9
publis ignores his protest However. CAV
bv day and year By year The dangers q
th6 H1uC2Ilon2I SlIGAL1JI Co-S@---1 A---'-| a..
more apparent The whole eighteen mill
ions Of public school children Of this com
nv seem 10 be irnhibing socialism, and J-7
graduates from the schools who enter Pc
Ntfcal life seem 70 make II their especlat
business 70 introduce continually aIl kinds
Of patsrnalisttc and socialisto measures.
which mean everything IS free for th7
adults as education is for the young
Nothing short Of public school abolition
and the inauguration Of private schools
and home training will suffice 70 restor7
the neople 70 a proper conception O. 1-s
and IT'S duties Already some attempt has
been undertaken 70 tnaugurare home ed'i-
cation-a congress az Brussels is 70 en-
phasize il. and the home instruction -ca-
partment of the Calvert School, Nesl
Chase street. Baltimore, IS bringing Y -
+ne hearrhstcne Of every family n ths
country that applies for Il
FRANCIS B LTTESEY.
CIarksou. Nd, Aug =. 1910