The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-01-12
Compulsory Education Wrong.
To the Editor:


Farmers in most all the counties
of the state have given expression to
their contempt for the compulsory
school law, but it has remained for
Carroll county to have the first ar
rests and to see the first legal test
of the lu" The Baltimore Sunday
Sun OF January It'll stated in a dis
patch from Westminster that farm
eTS Of the county are up in arms
against the law Some declare they
will never follow il, as it IS unjust
and places them under the regula
tons of slavery times" 1t also
stated that Attorney f. O. Weant
would represent Tie accused in the
forthcoming trial.
There is not one point that has
been made in favor of compulsory
education, that experience in the
States that have it has not to-
tally knocked it in the head. The
foremost plea has been that it makes
far better citizenship. Boston and
Chicago have led in the compulsory
trials In both these cities the boys
that haAe re4n turned out OF late
years ere criminals beyond endur-
ance-tl.ey are educated away from
work and are fitted only for sharp
practices and crime. Country boys
are wholly educated away from the
farms 10 such an extent that there
is now Oh foot a movement called,
Back to the Land
Mr.. Eemillar ana other truant Off
GERS will say, Oh, it is the law, it is
the law" Nothing is law that is not
hn of ln
law has never in any State been sub
mitted to the people Every law of
the kind has been sneaked or rushed
through at the closing hours OF the
legislatures by small cliques Of self
interest educators, club women and
others I have myself opposed those
cliuues in this State for Is or is
years prior to the last meeting OF our
legislature, and kept the law from
Statewide application all that time.
At the last session | said | would let
my work stop and the law would be
PASSED, and sure enough it was.
Some people say parents no longer
nave anv regulation OF their child
zen and compulsory education is
needed to regulate them but it was
the compulsion that took authority
from the parents. Listen to one or
our State governors:
II am absolutely opposed to COM
pulsory education. Compulsory edu-
cation in the hands of the State
means the disruption of the home, for
it dethrones the authority of the par
ents and places the paid agents OF
the state in control of the children
thereby destroying family govern
ment. These agents stand between
the child and the parents. They I'M
press upon the minds of the children
tie view of the state and virtually
say, I'VE have taken you out OF bon
dage and made you free; we are Civ
ing you what your immaterial par
ents would not give you.
No child on earth can be subject
TO such influences and teachings anc
escape imbibing the spirit of rebel
l:on against parental authority, and
consequent disrespect and ingrati
tude. Children are TOO easily infected
with the idea that their parents owe
hem everything, while they owe
hem nothing in return, and with thu
design and law of God set at defiance
who can compass, by tne
tretches IF the most gigantic mind
&c condition that will follow?
Family government and parenta
possibility antedate all others, ant
is possible for wild extravagan
ID madly enthusiastic men, who SCI
theory and theory only, to destro!
flmily government, ALLEVIATE children
ON their parents and force the lane
irto scene Of strife, rebellion ant