Year: 1875

to educate their children or not, it
is certain legislators think there is.


New York has followed in the wake
of Massachusetts, Michigan, Wis
consin and other States with strin-
gent enactment After the first of
January, 1875, every guardian of a
child between the ages Of eight and
fourteen must see that that child
has fourteen weeks of annual school
eight weeks of which must be con.
secutive-the penalty of non-com-
pliance being one dollar for the
first offense and five dollars for each
week thereafter so long as negli-
gence continues. The Prussian
and Swiss systems are of long STAN
ding and severe in their penalties; !;
and there is no question but that
education in those countries is very
general. But they rarely or never
attempt to enforce the law. The
fact is such laws are never thought
of until their need is anticipated. 1t
is the popularity of education that
will render it universal. When
public opinion has been educated
by the advantages of enlightenment
the people become greedy for learn
ing. SO long as the army is organ
lied on the principles of Bonapart,
whose opinion was ''that a soldier
is valuable in proportion to his ig-
norance," and so long as the State
is under the control of priestcraft
of any character, learning will be
at a discount. Prussia passed
through a similar period, in which
brute force was popular. She has
been led, not by compulsion, but
the development of a wise and grand
scheme, to look at matters quite
differently, and the people are pos
sessed by an enthusiasm of knowl-
edge. The same is true of good
portion of our own States. But this
same enthusiasm often froths over
in zeal to compel men over the
last few steps of the field they have
been so easily allowed to traverse.
The foolish must be forced to be
wise. The stupid must be made to
see clearly. The whole principle
of compelling men to be good and
wise lie false. 1t fails where it is
attempted and in many cases leads
to serious reaction.


Russia, it is said, proposes to
adopt the Berlin system, at least
give it trial. Insofar as this indi-
Gates the wonderful progress of
that country toward the enhShten-
ment of the masses, it is excellent.
It shows that the Cossack has learn
ed to desire and appreciate educa-
ton as well as freedom. But, If
public sentiment has not reached
that desire, the law will remain in
operative. If public sentiment has
reached that desire the law is need
less. In Michigan the report OF
the Superintendent is, eve have
never known case of prosecution.
1t is said the swiss never have a
prosecution under their law. The
whole secret of universal education
is to make education popular. When
a State has built up grand school
system, supported by general taxa
ton, the very first ambition OF even
the most degraded citizens will be
to school their children. Attend
ance. says Director Wirth, of Berne,
becomes a privilege rather than
legal necessity. The law of last
Winter as proposed in Illinois, and
which received so large a majority
Of the representative votes, was
much better conceived statute. 1t
required that all children between
nine and fourteen should be sent to
school at least three months year,
and should be taught reading, wri-
ting, grammar, geography and
arithmetic. In other and general
respects all such laws are alike, and
equally Objectionable. The peo-
pie do not need to force themselves
to the appreciation and use OF a
good thing. Make the article good
and it will make itself popular.-Ex.


To MAKE sorrowing woman hap
~, +olI bar there is an auction sale