Part 23 (2/2)

Lalor, in his prize essay on education, published ten years ago in London, has recorded a kindred sentie: ”The schoolence and athe infant minds of the community, can stop the flood of vice and cri in childhood those wild passions which are its springs Nay, often will the ainst the terrors of the law and the contempt of society, be softened to tears of penitence by the innocence of its educated child speaking unconscious reproof”

EVERY CHILD SHOULD ATTEND SCHOOL

The plan of this nation was not, and is not, to see how uished, but to see how high, by free schools and free institutions, we can raise the _great mass_ of population--REV JOHN TODD

I promised God that I would look upon every Prussian peasant child as a being who could complain of me before God if I did not provide for him the best education, as a man and a Christian, which it was possible for me to provide--SCHOOL-COUNSELOR DINTER

Good school-houses maybe built, well-qualified teachers may be employed, and schools may be kept open the entire year, but all this will not secure the correct education of the people, unless those schools are _patronized_; patronized, not by a few persons, not by one half, or three fourths even of a community, but by the _whole community_ As was said in a former chapter, there is no safety but in the education of the masses A few vile persons will taint and infect a whole neighborhood

In the graphic language of the Scriptures, _One sinner destroyeth ood_

The better portions of the community every where provide for the education of their children If they are not instructed at hoood schools, public or private, where their education is well looked after Unfortunately, those children whose education is lected at home are the very ones, usually, that are sent least to school, and when at all, to the poorest schools

But how shall the evil in question be reenerally at the schools, provided good ones are established? In the first place, diligent effort should be made to arouse the public mind to an appreciation of the io far toward re the evil It should be arded as dishonorable in a member of our social co up a child without giving hie of the duties of an American citizen

But there is a portion of almost every community who feel hardly able to allow their children the necessary time to pursue an extended course of common school education, and who are really unable to clothe them properly, furnish them with useful books, and pay their tuition This class, although coal provisions made for such children vary in different states Wherever the free school principle is adopted, their tuition is of course provided for This provision in soan relating to primary schools make it the duty of the district board to exees not only, but fro fuel for the use of the district, all such persons residing therein as in their opinion ought to be exempted, and to ade not only, but the district board is authorized to purchase, _at the expense of the district_, such books as may be necessary for the use of children thus admitted by them to the district school The entire expense incurred for tuition, fuel, and books, in such cases, is assumed by the district, and paid by a tax levied upon the property thereof

We have now arrived at an interesting crisis We have exhausted the legal provision, generous as it is, and yet the blessing of universal education is not secured to those ill succeed us Good schools may every where be established, in which the wealthy, and those in comfortable circuenerous provision, though but just--has been made to meet the expense of tuition and books for the children of indigent parents Still, they may not sufficiently appreciate an education to send their children; or, if this be not so, theyunable to clothe them decently How shall such cases besuch children into the peaceable possession and enjoyacy which noble-islators have bequeathed to thehter of this republic?

Legislation has already, in many of the states, done much--perhaps all that can be reasonably expected, at least, until a good common education shall be better appreciated by the co the _necessaries of life_ The work, then, must be consummated chiefly by the united and well-directed efforts of benevolent and philanthropic individuals

_Benevolent fe been pre-euished for their successful efforts in protecting the innocent, ad the wanderer from the paths of vice--have felt the clai portion of the coanized themselves into associations to meet those claims

Benevolent and Christian fe the poor and needy in their respective school districts, andand assisting thees, than by the same expenditure of tienerally been accustomed to clothe the children of the destitute, and accompany thes which pertain to their present and everlasting well-being, and have thus acco with the civil authorities in securing the attendance of every child in their respective districts at the _improved common school_, they can hardly fail to accomplish vastly more

Several associations have been formed for this noble purpose, andcare, would have remained at their cheerless hoht out, properly cared for, and led to the common school, that fountain of intellectual life, and of social and moral culture, which is alike open to all

Gentlee the formation of such associations, and, when formed, should offer every facility in their power to increase their usefulness Clergyht help forward such benevolent labors, where they are entered upon, by preaching occasionally froood text, _Help those women_

But there are two classes of our fellow-citizens--perhaps I should say fellow-beings--who, notwithstanding the abundant legal provisions to which I have referred, and the utmost that the benevolent and philanthropic can accoive their children such an education as we have been conte

These are, first, men in comfortable circumstances, who have so ard for the welfare of their offspring, as to deprive thees of even a common school education; and, secondly, those who have such an obduracy of heart as absolutely to refuse to allow their children to attend school, and who, although the abundant provisions of the law are uardian angel,” prove utterly incorrigible

Such persons are unworthy to sustain the parental relation, and the safety of the community requires that the forfeiture be claiht of control be transferred from such unnatural parents to the civil authorities; for, as Kent says, ”A parent who sends his son into the world uneducated, and without skill in any art or science, does a great injury to mankind as well as to his own family, for he defrauds the community of a useful citizen, and bequeaths to it a nuisance” How true is it that ”the s perpetrated by the _men_ of the present day, are perpetrated because of their vicious or defective education when _children_! We see and feel the havoc and the ravage of their tiger passions nohen they are full grown, but it was years ago that they helped and suckled”

In the very expressive language of Macaulay, the right to HANG includes the right to EDUCATE This is not a strange nor a new idea It long ago entered into civil codes in the Old World not only, but in the New In Prussia, when a parent refuses, without satisfactory excuse, to send his child to school the time required by law, he is cited before the court, tried, and, if he refuses compliance, the child is taken from him and sent to _school_, and the father to _prison_

Siland fathers o, which history informs us were attended with the h their descendants of the present generation should blush for their degeneracy, still we should be encouraged fro disposition of late to return to these salutary restraints and needful checks upon ignorance and crime Said the Honorable Josiah Quincy, Jr, late ural address, ”I hold that the state has a right to co their children If it can punish the the theuards” Siated by the heads of the school departovernors in their annualthat the tihtened public sentiment shall demand the re-enactment of theseparagraph is froood education of children is of singular behoof and benefit to any commonwealth, and whereas ent of their duty in that kind, it is ordered that the select-men of every town in the several precincts and quarters, where they dwell, shall have a vigilant eye over their brethren and neighbors, to see, first, that none of them shall suffer so much barbarism in any of their families as not to teach, by themselves or others, their children and apprentices so lish tongue, and knowledge of the capital laws, upon penalty of _twenty shi+llings_ for each neglect therein”

COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE UPON SCHOOL--Since the preceding paragraphs were prepared for the printer, the author has received the statutes and resolves of the Massachusetts Legislature of 1850, relating to education, which recognize the principle here contended for Each of the several cities and towns in that commonwealth is ”authorized and ee school, without any regular and lawful occupation, growing up in ignorance, between the ages of six and fifteen years; and, also, all such ordinances and by-laws respecting such children as shall be deeood order of such city or town; and there shall be annexed to such ordinances suitable penalties, not exceeding, for any one breach, a fine of twenty dollars”