The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1912-03-09
WHY COMPULSORY !
EDUCATION

For psychological reasons, the associa-
ton Of the word compulsory" with
school attendance law" Is somewhat
unfortunate, since it is apt TO suggest
the contrast between the attitude of the
consciously thirsty horse and that of the
proverbial horse driven to water though
determined not to drink. Possibly this i'll
ulnened word is as much of red rag
to the political descendants of the heroes
of '76 and 81 as the word rex" Is said
to have been to the Republican Romans,
at all events, to Americans and half
assimilated aliens who tend to interpret
liberty in this land Of the free as the
right to do as ] please, and nobody can
hinder me" this ugly word compulsory"
seems to threaten our most cherished
fetish. But even more unfortunate than
this association of ideas is the undeniable
fact that not all children or even all par
ents respond eagerly to the privilege of
education any more than all horses are
thirsty when confronted with the water
ing trough. The above considerations
suggest several grave questions: Should
morse be forced to drink when his
equine spirit rebels? Is he well inform
ed as to the benefits of water to his sys-
TEN? And If not, is he the best judge
of his physical needs?
Not to treat this most serious question
which is before the lawmakers of Mary
selves frankly why the responsibility and
the privilege of determining the charac-
ter and amount of his children's educa-
tion should be taken from the parents, /.
e., in most cases, the father, and turned
over to the State.
l. Intelligent and ambitious fathers
recogni their parental respon-
sibility to give their children a fair
chance in the world and IL possible,
nla hi0har
ladder than they themselves have climb
ed, and furthermore, they know we'll that
material advantages without intelligent
training may prove a more serious han
dicap than poverty and neglect.
2. Unintelligent, narrow minded or sell
fish parents and their name Is legion,
assume that which was good enough for
themselves and for so-called self-made
men is good enough for their children;
or else, in their eagerness to exploit the
manual labor of their children for the
benefit of the family exchequer, they fail
TO perceive that they are penny wise and
pound foolish. They forget that by set
ting their children too early to unskilled
mechanical tasks Even if these are not
actually injurious to health of body or
mind, they are dimini' hing their child
ren's chances of entering upon more pro-
ftable skilled labor later in life.
3. There are plenty of accessible sta
tistics, which it is beside the purpose of
this article to quote, which show con-
cluslvely the ratio of illiteracy to vice,
degeneracy and crime and it's bearing up
on the economic AMI indus trial efficiency
of community. If the newly awakened
civic conscience of this Nation or of any
of its component States is to remain
awake and active, legisla lures must not
be allowed to take such risks as are in
volVed in the presence of illiterate or
unframed citi ems any more than the
rlsks OF contagious diseases or fretraps
" every man could be trusted to protect
his own family and his neighbours from
epidemics without compulsory sanitary
legislation, possibly, by analogy it could
be pertinent to leave to his judgment his
childrenS education. But the history of
modern regulated philanthropy alone
bears witness to the fact that it is I'M
wise and unsafe to assume that all par
ents can be trusted to determine what is
best for their children. The theory of
lhe patrla potestas as a modern working
hypothesis breaks down before the facts
OF American civil alton in both its ur-
ban and rural aspe,t s
1t Is true that our educational theory
and practice are in a state of transition
and likely to undergo profound modifica-
ton in the near future. Much criticism
ranging from the protests of local tax
payers and salf-important chronic "kick-
ers to the analysis of educational ex-
perts has been brought to bear upon the
situation. Signs are not wanting that
destructive criticism has already begun
10 make way for the work of reconstruc-
ton Never has there been a time when
more attention has been paid to the de-
mands of the farmer, the manufa cturer,
the financier for practical education for
life from the primary grades to the uni
verslty The slogan of economic efficiency
is heard within the convention halls of
the educators as well as in legislative
assemblies.
For these reasons il seems a most OPP
perfume moment to bring into line the
Few States which lag behind in this mat
ter OF providing against Hit aracy and
Its attendant evils. If our educational
system is not at present ideal it is at
least in fair way to improve and to
argue against the passage of the pro-
posed school attendance laws for Mary
land on the ground that our educational
system is open to criticism and not even
experts are aware of it, is the part of a
crank or dog in the manger
ELEANOR c. LORD.