The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1941-10-23

education and non-sectarian instruc-
ton in higher education.
Sarmiento had met Mann and
knew the work that he had been
doing. The fighting qualities OF the
American appealed to the Argen-
tine. Like Mann, he saw education
as the duty of the government and
the foundation OF freedom and pros
perity.
So convinced was he Of the right
ness Of his views, that while in this
country. Sarmiento wrote a small
book entitled Education basis Of
prosperity in the United States"
Mary Peabody Mann the good doc
tors widow and an educator In
her own right. translated into Eng
lish what is said to be Argentina's
greatest literary work: Sarmiento's
Focundo. II was Mrs. Mann's influ-
ence which brought Sarmiento into
closer touch with her late husbands
work and as she writes. 1t was In
the name Of Horace Mann, that Sar-
miento on returning to the Argen-
tine introduced the common school
system in his country.
S4rmiento thus forms link
through education between Chile,
the United States and Argentina II
was Chile which drst gave asylum
to the young exilsd -Schoolmaster"
- tite which he priced above any
and allowed him to beei1. his bril-
liant career.
Hi. stay in Washington u Argen-
tine minister waS fairly short Ar
irving Immediately after the close Of
the Civil War. Sarmiento was wit
ness to the havoc that conflict had
caused. He also saw the beginning
Of the reconstruction period and dur
ing his stay here, he found time 70
write ! short biography Of Abraham
Lincoln. Politically also, Sarmiento
was influenced by his mission in
Washington. for contact with the
operation OF the federal system in
the United States brought him
around to advocating 1t also in Ar
gentina, where today it Is the basis
OF constitutional life.
Diplomacy. however, was only an
interlude in Sarmiento's career
Chosen as a compromise candidate.
he was elected in his absence to the
Presidency Of the Argentine. Though
he brought an end to the costly and
bloody war Of the Triple Alliance
against Paraguay. typically enough
it is his work as "Schoolmaster'
which stands out on reviewing his
tenure Of office.
Founder Of School System
II has been rightly said that Do
mingo Faustino Sarmiento is the
father Of the Argentine school sys-
tenn. His country knows and loves
the irascible old man who had no
patience with ignorance, and is
aware that he is directly responsible
for Argentina having one OF the most
complete and advanced school sys-
TENS in the world. He was a prophet
of free public education Today we
accept this as an everyday neces-
sity, but his life and that OF Horace
Mann both show that they suffered
the bitterest kind Of opposition and
attack. Sarmiento cast the mold OF
Argentine education. and thereby Of
Argentine thought.
Sarmiento's genius resides In hav-
ing been ahead of his time. He per-
sonified progress and that lively
spirit Of inquiry which Is 50 typical
Of his countrymen today; what Ri
cardo Rojas' great Argentine critic
and writer calls. the anarchistic in
dividuality OF the Argentine charac-
ter" Sarmiento had no theory to sell.
His only aim was to make the peo-
pie enlightened, democratic, modern,
whether in Chile. the United States
or Argentina.
Sarmiento's life was like that Of
Chaucer's scholar. "Fain would I
learn and gladly teach" He did both.