The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-04-28
HULLY URGES
COMPULSORY
EDUCATION

ing some very important Scnool IegiS-
lation. This is as it should be Edu-
cation is the salvation of democracy.
An ignorant electorate is blind. The
present situation in Germany. Russia,
and the rest of middle and eastern
Europe proves the necessity OF public
education IL we desire to escape the
ills of anarchy in the state.
Our Common Schools.
America is unique among the ma
tions in the provision made for the
education of the children of all classes.
1t has been a fixed principle for over
hundred years that every child is
entitled to a common school educa-
ton. Our comman schools reach the
children more effectively than any
school ever started in the interest of
the children. Nothing is so firmly
fixed on us as the principle that every
community must maintain schools of
certain classes even in the country
districts for primary, intermediate and
grammar school education.
Horace Mann, Apostle of Education.
Horace Mann, common school
teacher with a clear head and nigh
ideal pushed the above principle until
it has covered the nation. 1t started
on the Atlantic seaboard, took firl:i
root and then as the people went
West they took the common school
with them just as they took their re-
iigion. their Bible and their other pos
sessions. Now in forty eight states
this system prevails, a veritable ret
work reaching down to every child of
the community.
Ahead of England.
The term public school in England
is misnomer. 1t is a term applied
to Elton, Rugby, Harrow, and othe.'
high class preparatory schools. The
English public school has pond
ed to our classical academies and prs
vate schools in America. They were
attended by the children of the rich
and we'll too do. The common people
had no place in them. They were not
free and the common people could
not pay the price. class distinctions
also operated against them. Almost
the last act of Mr.. Gladstone's career
in Parliament was to take a .,tani
for public education something like
that in America. 1t need not surprise
us that England was SO far behind
America in common school education.
be cause. the class system held every
thing of this sort in it's grip and delay
ed progress.
A Free School in a Free State.
The slogan adopted by our early
self sacrificing teachers was "A free
school in free state" We must never
let go of this slogan. II is right in
principle and it is effective in its work.
ing. The common schools are free and
they must be kept free. There arc
men living in nearly every state to-
Jay who can recall that there was
opposition to making public education
free. The cry was Let those who
want it pay for it. Don't tax these
for it who don't want it. And don't
tax those who have no children in
order to get money for those who have
children. These arguments in that day
were forceful. No one ever advances
them now, at least in respect to the
common school.
Compulsory Education.
Since education is SO vital and has
been made free, the children should be
required to attend. This is not an in
fringement of personal liberty. for no
one has the right to jeopardize the
state by his ignorance. The principle
of compulsion is applied in a thousand
ways under our laws. Liberty is not
license to do as one pleases when
cation will work a hardship in some in
stances where children are defective
or homelesss or remote from schools
and are subjected to other difficulties.
but these should be ironed out by local
school boards empowered to deal with
them.
The Need Of Education.
This state and this nation were ap-
palled at the extent of illiteracy when
the army tests brought the thing o
ligh. No one had any conception of
it. Other countries were worse off
than we are. Our common schools
had done good work and gave us
fewer illiterates than other nations
have. and that should encourage us.
We should apply the remedy until
illiteracy is stamped out We have
the remedy in the common school. 1t
is an effective remedy There are no
prejudices against it.
Good Teachers Fundamental.
The fundamental need in our COM
mon schools is good teachers. There
are two things that operate against
the teachers provided attaining any
standing of dignity or any very high
degree of usefulness. These things
are ID The law salaries, CD The I'M
certain tenure of office. Teachers
should not be made subject to the
impulses of irate school boards or
thoughtless parents. 1t should be pos
sible of course to reach Them and they
should be responsible to public senti-
ment. 1t would be undemocratic If
they were Mt answerable to public
sentiment-out not for every whip
stitch. Tine tenure of Office ought to
hQ a to iy,1v ho nf a
minister or as that of public officials.
AT present it is not. How many
teachers in Florida have an appoint
ment for more than enc year How
many OF them feel secure in their posi-
NJ fLox To-,