Part 2 (1/2)

II _Is the particular education given in the public schools unfavorable to the morals of the pupils, and, consequently, to the morality of the community?_ I have already presented a view of the iven in the schools, and it only re features intellectual Itand development of the faculties, so as to make them har other things, the ability to read is acquired in the public schools In the individual, this is a power for good It opens to the s of the sacred Scriptures; it secures the coood, of every age; and it is a possession that, in all cases, must be the foundation of those scientific acquisitions, intellectual, moral, and natural, which show the beneficence and power of the Creator, and indicate the fact and the law of hueneral effect of the sciences taught in the schools is an illustration of the last stateh he took no part in the studies of the school, is to hiovernment, he acquires the habit of obedience, and, in time, he comprehends the reason of the rules that are established This discipline is essentially h partial and unsatisfactory, for the proper discharge of the duties of life But it is to be re when the presence of a pupil is recognized The constancy and punctuality of attendance required by all judicious parents and faithful teachers are important moral lessons, whose influence can never be destroyed The fixedness of purpose that is required, and is essential in school, reh it were a part of the nature of the child and the thens habits of industry when they exist, and creates them when they do not It is, indeed, the only means, of universal application, that is competent to train children in habits of industry Private schools can never furnish this training; for large numbers of children, by the force of circumstances, are deprived of the tuition of such schools Business life cannot furnish this training; for the habits of the child are usually e when he can be constantly employed in any industrial vocation The public school is no doubt justly chargeable with neglects and oood, measured by the character of the education now furnished, is certainly very great It inculcates habits of regularity, punctuality, constancy, and industry, in the pursuits of business; through literature and the sciences in their elements, and, under some circumstances, by an advanced course of study, it leads the pupil towards the fountain of life and wisdoiven, some preparation is made for the duties of life and the temptations of the world

III _Is the public school syste?_ As preliiven to this question, it is well to consider what the public-school system is

1 Every inhabitant is required to contribute to its support

2 It conteardless of any distinction of society or nature

3 The system is subject in many respects to the popular will; and ultimately its existence and character are dependent upon the public judgment

4 In the Massachusetts schools, the daily reading of the Scriptures is required

The consideration of these topics will conclude eneral subject of the moral influence of the Aland it is very unusual to hear the right of the state to provide for the support of schools by general taxation called in question; but I am satisfied, from private conversations, and fro minds in some sections of the country that are yet unconvinced of the moral soundness of the basis on which a system of public instruction necessarily rests

Taxation is siht of the whole to take the property of an individual; and this right can be exercised justly in those cases only where the application of the property so taken is, ; but it is possible that in soht be secured which could not be supported by a process of ht of taxation for educational objects rest? I answer, first, education diminishes crime The evidence in support of this statement has already been presented It is a manifest individual duty to make sacrifices for this object; and, as every crime is an injury, not only to him who is the subject of it, but to every member of society, the prevention of crime becomes a public as well as an individual duty

The conviction of a crioverne Offences are not individual ainst society also, inasht of society that all its members shall behave theht of society that its members shall behave themselves well, is it not the duty of society to so provide for their education that each individual part may meet the demand which the whole body asserts? And, further, as a majority of persons cannot individually provide for their own protection, it is the duty of society, or the state, or the government, to furnish the needed protection in the most economical and effective ht to jeopard property, life, and reputation, when, by a different policy, all these ht to make the security furnished, whether perfect or not, unnecessarily expensive It is the dictate of reason and the experience of govern crih punitive , our chief relianceof children and youth The facts drawn froland and Scotland, which have been quoted, lead to the conclusion that schools diminish the number of criminals, and consequently lessen the amount of crime; but I think it proper to add soust, 1856, by Mr Dunne, chief constable of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, to the Secretary of the National Refore and observation, that, since parental responsibility has been enforced in the district, under the direction of the Secretary of State, the number of juvenile criminals in the custody of the police has decreased one-half I know thattheir children into the streets for the purposes of stealing, begging, and plunder, have quite discontinued that practice, and several of the children so used, and brought up as thieves and mendicants, are now at some of the free schools of the town; others are at work, and thereby obtain an honest livelihood; and, so far as I can ascertain, they seeood and honest members of society

I have, for my own information, conversed with so the conversation I had with thereatest happiness and satisfaction froe in life I don't at all doubt the truth of these statements, for their evident improvement and individual circumstances fully bear them out; and I believe them to be really serious in all they say, and truly anxious to becoreatin many respects from the establishment of reforreater advantages have emanated from those institutions since the parents of the children confined in them have been made to pay contributions to their maintenance; for it appears beyond doubt that the effect of the latter has been to induce the parents of other young criminals to withdraw the them for the purposes of crime, they seem to take an interest in their welfare And I know that et such employment for their children as will enable them to obtain a livelihood; and it is my opinion that the exa in many instances to the same fa them also; for many of the by honest labor The result is that serious crime has considerably decreased in this district, so much so that there were only six cases for trial at the assizes, whereas, at the previous assizes, the average number of cases was from twenty-five to thirty, which fact was ratulation by Mr Justice Willes, the presiding judge”

These remarks relate chiefly to the reformatory schools, but we know that the prevention of crime by education is much easier than its reformation by the same means Indeed, it is the result of the experience of Massachusetts that the necessity for reforlect of the public schools It is stated in the Tenth Annual Report of the Chaplain of the State Reform School that of nineteen hundred and nine boys admitted since the establishment of the institution, thirteen hundred and thirty-four are known to have been truants It is also quite probable that the number reported as truants is really less than the facts warrant It est, in this connection, that when a boy sentenced to the Reforuilty of truancy, if the parents were subjected to some additional burdens on that account, the cause of education would be promoted, and the number of criminals in the community would be diminished From the views and facts presented, as well as from the daily observation and experience of norance is the ally of crime, and that education is favorable to virtue It is also the result of experience and the dictate of reason that general taxation is the only means by which universal education can be secured All other plans and theories will prove partial in their application If, then, it is the duty of the state to protect itself against crime, and of course to diminish the number of cri these results; if this education hly effective; if the state is the only agent or instrumentality of sufficient power to establish schools and furnish education for all; and if general taxation is the only means which the state itself can command, is not every inhabitant justly required and morally bound to contribute to the support of a system of public instruction?

It will not necessarily happen that public schools will furnish to every child and youth the desired amount of education Professional schools, classical schools, and acaderades, will be continued; but there is an a needed by every child which can be best given in the public school This training in the public schools ought to be carried much further than it usually is In the city of Newburyport, as I have been infor all the children of the town in the public schools up to the e towns and cities there is no excuse for the existence of private schools to do the work now done in such schools as those of Newburyport and other places where equal educational privileges exist

The chief objection brought against the public school, touching its morality, is derived from the fact that children who are subject to proper ht in contact with others who are already practised in juvenile vices, if they have not been guilty of petty crimes I am happy to believe that this stateland communities The objection was considered in the last Annual Report,--it has been often considered elsewhere; and I do not propose to repeat at length the viehich are entertained by the friends of public education

I have, however, to suggest that while this objection applies with some force to the public school, it applies also to every other school, and that the evil is the least dangerous when the pupil is intrusted to the care of a qualified teacher, who is personally responsible to the public for his conduct, and when the child is also subject to the restraints, and influenced by the daily exas, of the parents

Moreover, it is to be rereat value of education, in a moral aspect, is the development of the power to resist terowth of seclusion; and while neither the teacher nor the parent ought wantonly to expose the child to vicious influences, the school may be even a better preparation for the world from the fact that temptation has there been met, resisted, and overcoment of parents in a matter so difficult and delicate as a comparison between their own children and other children would not always prove trustworthy nor just; and that a judgment of parties not interested would prove eminently fruitful of dissatisfaction and bitterness

If all are to be educated, it only reeneral rule of society, that when a erous to the safety or peace of his associates, he is to be excluded or restrained Nor is this necessity of association destitute of ood were separated from the relatively vicious, it is not improbable that the latter would soon fall into a state of barbarity It seems to be the law of the school and of the world that the ht of public sentiment is on the side of improvement and virtue It is not necessary for me to remark that such a public sentiment exists in every town and school district of the state; but ould take the responsibility in any of these co the virtuous classes froerous classes? Parents, from the force of their affections, are manifestly incompetent to do this; and those who are not parents are probably equally incompetent But, if it were honestly acco effects of the measure upon those ere thus excluded from the presence and companionshi+p of the comparatively virtuous? These, often the victims of vicious hoood; and it should be a the chief satisfactions of those who are able to train their own children in the ways of virtue, that thereby a healthful influence is exerted upon the less fortunate of their race

There is also in this course a wise selfishness; for, although _children_ may be separated from each other, the circumstances of maturer years will often make the virtuous subject to the influence of the vicious The safety of society, considered individually or collectively, is not in the virtuous training of any part, however large the proportion, but in the virtuous training of all I cannot deem it wise policy, whether parental or public, that takes the child from the school on account of the immoral associations that are ordinarily found there, or, on the other hand, that drives the vicious or unfortunate from the presence of those who are comparatively pure When it is considered that the school is often the only refuge of the unhappy subject of orphanage, or the victim of evil family influences, it seeement, and support, which may be so easily and profitably furnished It is said that a sparrow pursued by a hawk took refuge in the boson asseite threw the tre bird from him with such violence that it was killed on the spot The assenation at the cruelty of the deed; the author of it was arraigned as an alien to that sentiment of mercy so necessary to the ades of his colleagues was degraded fronity which he had so much dishonored

It does not seeument in support of the position that the public school is not unfavorably affected, ment can be rendered only at stated times, and under the forms and solemnities of law The history of public schools would probably furnish but few instances of wrong in this respect The people are usually sensitive in regard to the moral character of teachers; they contribute liberally for the support of the schools, are anxious for their improvement, and there is no safer depositary of a trust that is essential to a nation in which is the hope of freedom and free institutions

And, last, a school cannot be truly said to be destitute of moral character and influence in which the sacred Scriptures are daily read

The observance of this require, of the Bible as containing a record of his will concerning men, and of the common duty of rational creatures to live in obedience to the obligations of ion

It has been no part of my purpose, in this discussion of the public school as an institution fitted to promote morality, to deny the existence of serious defects, or to screen them from the eyes of h discipline, a purer nition of the truths of Christianity But, viewed as a huood it has already accomplished The public school was established in Massachusetts that ”learning raves of our forefathers, in church and commonwealth;” and, in some measure, at least, the early expectation thus quaintly expressed has been realized Learning has ever been cherished and honored a us