Year: 1876

The American State is founded upon
intelligence, morality and religion. Those
three principles blended in harmonious
action give life, and health and Vigor to
every part. The public school is the
only agency under the direct control Of
the state in which these elements can be
produced. In the discussion OF this theme
| shall first consider the grades of schools
that should be supported by the people,
and second, the kind and quality of in
struction given.


At the Threshold of this discussion
we are met with the question, Why
should the state educate the people at
the public expense? Why should there
be public schools? If all the people
could be educated without this instru-
mentality, and the proper equilibrium Of
mental and moral forces preserved and
.he state could have security that those
vital forces, essential to free government
could be forever guaranteed, then
public schools wo aid not be a necessity
But this cannot be done. No instance
Of general education can be furnished
except it has been provided at the ex-
pense of the state.


A tyrannical despotism needs no such
system, nor could it endure it, Despotic
thrones based on such vital forces would
be lifted up by them and overturned.
but in the American state, where all
power and all functions of the govern
ment, all forms of liberty and law eme-
nate from the people, the highest court
of appeal, above all legal enactments and
constitutions, it is essential that this
origin of power, in which rests the divine
right of revolution, this Alpha and Omega
Of fro ah h. e.
intelligent. Nay, it should possess to
the fullest extent these three vital forces
that | have named.


The state owes the citizen one single
thing, protection. 1t owes him this be-
cause it is one of the natural rights sur
rendered by the citizen to the state on
its organization, and all the obligations
OF the state to the citizen may be met
under this principle. 1t owes, in the same
sense, no sect or party even this il may
grant it, but it will do so for its own ben
eft, and not for that of the sect o. party
Ii levies taxes, raises and supports
armies, impresses duties on articles Of
foreign commerce, because all such acts
are necessity of the state individuals,
sects and parties may be granted certain
privileges, but all must be enjoyed at
the expense of those who receive them.
If there has been any departure from
this principle in the history of our gov
ernment, and there may have been many
in grants of special privileges, internal
improvements, and what is calleI pro-
lection, it has been in opposition to the
true principles of government.


The state must do all things for itself
1t cannot educate the citizen for tie citi-
zen's benefit, but for its own. Prussia
educates her children for the Govern
ment. She gives them a religiou> rduca-
tion, not because the salvation of tile soul
is OF any concern to the state tut be-
cause the state is the stronger Tor this
religious element She gives "a, m an
intellectual education because iutelli-
gence is the glory and strength oi the
Empire. More than all this, sa.. gives
them a military education, not because it
is of any private interest to the citizen
to be a soldier, but that she may use him
as an instrument of power in offensive
and defensive war. Not one thin. does
she do for her citizen simply a. "a man,
but the atfording of protection 30 i'm
our own country whatever military cdu-
cation. is given at our military and naval
academies, and whatever physical, moral
and intellectual education is given at our
public schools, is done for this one pur-
pose, the use of the government alone.


1t Is not then the private want OF the
citizen, or the convenience of any par
ticular party or Sect that can determine
the kind and amount Of public education
that the state shall afford And this
principle holds good moreover whether
the educating agent be the general gov
ernment, state, or municipal government.
The whole theory of public education is
and must be based on the public good.


In order to determine the extent of
public education we must know the
amount of knowledge necessary to con.
duct the general affairs OF the state,
county and city, how much intelligence
is needed as the basis OF the highest man
hood. Also how much and what kind of
education may be perpetually guaranteed