Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-04
FREE SCHOOLS FOR
A FREE PEOPLE
The Ideal SLotvIy Realized in
Local Education
g n ACT to provide for the education Of
By WILLIAM DICK
Secretary Of me Board Of Public Ld""at'7n

60 A n ACT TO provide for the education OF
~ children at public expense within the
city and county Of Philadelphia" was the title
OF an act passed March g. 1918.
This created the Board OF School Con
trollers. now the Board OF Public Education,
which holds its centenary celebration in the
Metropolitan Opera House next Saturday eve
ming.
In these days Of liberal education the title
Of this act would seem to indicate that 1t was
intended 10 afford public education for all
children. However, such liberality was not
contemplated. for a provision Of the law In
question limited the attendance at school to
such boys between the ages of six and four
teen aud girls between five and thirteen
years whose parents or guardians were re-
turned annually by the assessors as too poor
TO pay for their childrens instruction
This characterized the schools at once as
charity schools" and many parents, rather
than submit to the humiliation imposed. re-
fused 70 allow their children TO attend. There
seems TO have been constitutional warrant
for this distinction, for the Legislature was
authorized by the Constitution OF 1920 only
TO establish schools throughout the State
IN such manner that the poor shall he taught
gratis Apart from this, however, public
sentiment was slow IN comprehendinE that
democracy such as was then IN ITS first
stages OF development could not attain its
highest aim IN the preparation Of It's future
cltlGens until education was made free 10
All, regardless OF station or condition
STRANGE as II may appear. II required
~ almost twenty years Of active campaign
ing, with the Governor Of the state invariably
cspouslng the cause, before the Legislature
at the earnest solicitation of Governor Wolf
could be INDUCED to approve what was called
the free school bill. II was passed in 1894
but contained provision that. before 1t be
came operative, the electors Of the several
school districts throughout the State were
to have the opportunity at a special election
TO vote For Schools or Against Schools"
When the returns we're finally computed it
vas learned that, out Of 9s7 districts ass
voted NO Schools" or took part in the
election
such was the opposition to the free school
bill that It became the leading issue IN the
next election Of the Legislature, the com
pleNton Of which was so completely changed
mat when it began its session IN 1885 there
was a sufficient number Of members pledged
In repeal tho law. 4 repeating bill was ac-
rordingly introduced and after passing the
Senate was scheduled for approval by the
House of Representatives, when Thaddeus
stevens, then a young member from LanCas-
Ter County took the noor and, m an irpas-
stoned speech IN behalf Of the right Of the
poor to have the same opportunity as the
rich to obtain an education, succeeded, by p
vote Of 80 TO IS, IN holding the free school
bill Oh the statute books
The following year the Philadelphia school
enrolment, which had Increased only 5000
IN eighteen years, showed an increase in one
year Of 10 oOO--the stigma Of charity schools
had been removed During the next three
decades. while the schools continued to grow
III numbers and popularity, the methods en-
ploved were not of the most approved plan
and yet perhaps were fully abreast Of the
schools of that day