New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-29
Shall Private Schools Continue?
The Issue Has Been Raised by the State of Michigan
and the Attention of Every Parent
Is Challenged


1s it not more reasonable to suppose
that by setting up and strengthening a
private school where these ideas may
be promulgated, or by supporting one
already in existence, we may, through
this very example, convince the public
OF the desirability of this particular
plan Of education and thus pave the
way for it's widespread adoption?
A singular illustration, among many.
of this very outcome was rccountcd a
while ago by Dean Andrew p. West,
of the graduate school at Princeton
He has recently been making an educa-
tional tour of the country, in the
course of which he has noticed the
growing impotence of the people with
that emphasis upon vocational training
for which they have themselves long
clamored. Some have observed that
while the public high schools have
been making their courses more and
more practical, so as to enable the
pupils to earn u living, authorities
have at the same time been almost
dropping those general studies, the
humanities, which teach men how TO
live.
Meanwhile the private schools have
gone right on teaching we'll the lam
guage and the civilization of the
Greeks and the Romans and many
parents have found that here alone
could their children receive that noble
tradition. In Cincinnati, where voca-
tional training shas become almost a
fetish, Dean West discovered so great
reaction that the authorities have
finally set aside-calling it now "Thc
Classical High School"-the Walnut
Hill High School for general educa-
ton, with no vocational feature If
the steadfastness Of the private school
to the classical ideal has helped to
bring this about is the fact not one of
countless illustrations Of public gain
from private initiative?
Things Accomplished
Private education in this country
has, indeed, been responsible for
almost every great educational step in
advance. The kindergarten, emphasis
upon manual arts, vocational guidance
itself, the utilization of athletics for
mental and physical development and,
most recently, the country school
movement all these impulses have
been contributed by private education.
Brought up, then. in an atmosphere
which expresses the conviction Of a
group of parents willing to make gen
uine sacrifice for the expression of
their belief in education, the private
school graduate is peculiarly likely to
recognize the value of initiative and
to be willing to cast himself into the
lists for that in which he believes. If
he holds that the first duty of citizen
ship is service, it is not to be wonder
ed that you find him expressing this
conviction through action.
That old hymn, God moves in
mysterious way His wonders to per-
FORM" suggests that we take a great
deal upon ourselves, any of us, when
we maintain that in a democracy the
through the uniformity of the public
schools. Provided it be assured that
boys and girls are literate and that
they all are taught the privileges and
the obligations Of citizenship, democ
racy should rejoice that the spirit Of
the pioneer is so far alive in education
that groups of citizens will support not
only public but private schools. Who
will venture to say how much sooner
advances in education may be brought
into general use through private init
ative than through the slow and dis
couraging processes of great public
system?
PRO bono publico" is, then, inscribed
upon the hearts and minds of those
who devote their lives to private edu-
cation just as deeply as upon those OF
the heroes and the heroines who teach
in the regular system. 1t is merely
difference in emphasis - the one
group prefers to teach well, in their
own way, a few students, while the
other chooses to spread a fine influ
ence over as many as possible in the
way laid down by the public authori-
ties.
Their Best Belief
Shall we, then, in our efforts at
leveling. drive from the field of edu-
cation those who are willing to make
any sacrifice in order to teach in the
way they believe best? Or those who are
willing to go through fire and water, il
need be- to give to our boys and girls
for example, a religious impulse?
Just as long as there are parents
willing to support these leaders, there
exists the possibility, yes, the proba-
bility, that they will help to advance
the cause of education in general. Just
as the public school systeA has always
gained from their initiative, so it will
continue to use that which proves good
and to avoid the expense of trying that
which is shown to be Intellectual.
The proposal to abolish private edu~
cation is of piece with the numerous
plans now rampant, from socialism to
communism, to destroy private initia-
straint for freedom-not the restraint
of evil, but of ADM tied common good.
1t may safely be assured that the pub
licity accorded to the Michigan effort
will enlighten the people of the United
States as to the service of private
schools and so preserve to the Repub-
lie that spirit of initiative in education
which has led to the greatest advances.
The Michigan movement is also GER
tain to rouse parents to the danger Of
losing the right to give to their chill
dren tina form of education which, in
addition to the public school funda-
mentals, they consider the best. When
all children must go to the public
. school, not merely cover under auspices
approved by the state the ground pre-
scribed for every one, the right to lib
crty guaranteed by the Constitution
will, in respect of education, prove but
a Pigment
This is the first Of series OF
four articles on the private school
question: The three others aoul be
published soon IN The Tylbune)
Grand Army of Republic
TN NT l. 1.