The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1915-12-09
TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION

I s-NN~'A5 - ~ k'VAAnN w - ASAApAANA
from more than rs per cent. Of the
lqualified voters Of DeSoto county,
has ordered an election to be held
January /, TO decide whether it is
the will Of the people of the coun-
lty to have the compulsory educa-
tion law passed at the legislative
session Of 1915, made effective in
tDeSoto county.
While the present law does not
embody all Of the requirements,
yet it is far better than no law at
all and the best way to get a bet
ter one is to make use Of the one
THAT we have.
You ask has the state the right
to compel parent to send his
child to schoolg Does the law in,
terfere with the liberty Of par
ent? Is 3 compulsory law ne
cessity in DeSoto county? Is at
tendance just as great without
the lawY Would we be able to
meet the additional expense inn
posed by the enforcement of the
law?
To the first question we give
the answer Of Prof. w. III. Hand,
state supervisor of high schools,
South Carolina: eff a universal
school tax is justifable on the
ground that popular education is
a necessity, compulsory attend
ance by the State is also justifia-
BILE. For the State, under the
mandates of law, to collect taxes
for the education of its children
and fail to give the education to
the legal beneficiaries is moral
crime, if not statutory one. /"
In answer to the second ques-
tion, we ask why not offer the
same interrogatory to laws re-
quiring men to serve on juries, to
obey the summons Of the sheriff |
to aid in arresting criminals, to
serve in the army and navy in the
time of war, to compel the parent
to feed and clothe his child?
There are laws on our statute
books prohibiting owners from
treating cruelty dumb beasts; is it
not equally as humape and just
that a parent be restrained from
dwarfing the mind and debasing
the character Of his childq When
we speak of the rights Of the par
ent, should we not at the same
time consider the rights Of the
childY The child has right to
life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness. Do you not rob him
Of the power to enjoy all these
blessings when you deny him the
opportunity to develop those God
given abilities which will enable
him to use them.
Let us apply the principle Of a
square deal" :" We are Justly !,
proud Of the magnificent progress
)eSoto is making in the .construc-
ion Of good roads. This work ]
las necessitated bond issues to Z
he amount Of $750,000, payable !
n thirty years A movement is |
low being pushed to increase /
hese issues $350,000, making a q
otal Of $1100,000. Who will a
'ay the major part Of the princi- +
'al Of this great debtg The boystt
+ today viii have to meet these q
bligations. Since you have not q
their wishes in the mat t
er of placing this debt upon Ii
hem, is it not your duty to give n
hem every opportunity to pre-
are themselves to meet it with q
he least possible burdenY Before Fl
ou decide to vote against the a. Il
option of an attendance law, Ia
ather the boys Of your commune 81
Y together, grip their hands, a
,ok them squarely in the eyes, u
nd tell them of the stupendous tt
you have elected them tt
} meet when they become men. a
lake your decision to act with
lstice and equity, not with the G