Show The Free Public Schools TRUTH sets us free error holds us in bondage If we reflect on these words and think of them in their true meaning meaning meaning mean mean- ing we will feel in our hearts to ask a blessing for that greatest promoter of truth the free public school We know in ancient times it was thought that only a few should receive any education education education edu edu- cation t that at it was very injudicious to educate the masses for if they were to tobe tobe tobe be controlled and kept in peace they m must st also be kept in ignorance Has this idea been uprooted How many explain the recent trouble in our own country as the result of common or free education In other words there did and even now does exist the idea that education promotes crime To be sure crime and error are found side by side with virtue and truth but any student will say that the world is growing better and that there are proportionately more really good people on the earth now than ever before The world has grown as people extended the golden rule and in no way Perhaps there is no one person that has done more for the establishment of free public schools in our country than Horace Mann who may well be called a pioneer in the work He was actuated and guided b by that spirit of universal brotherhood the greatest religious truth ever presented to man and through which originates all advancement Although Although Although Al Al- though every person has a different temperament from every other and no two people have exactly the same conception conception conception con con- of anything yet there are questions questions questions ques ques- upon which we all practically agree Had this not been so o the colonists would never have been sufficiently sufficiently sufficiently strong to gain the liberty they so needed This same spirit of love and charity which actuated our forefathers forefathers forefathers fore fore- fathers in their struggle for independence gave birth to the free public schools Now do teachers their great responsibility in defending and properly conducting these schools Do we study carefully the best ways of implanting in inthe inthe inthe the minds of the children those principles principles principles ples pertaining to the rights and privileges privilege's privileges privileges leges lege's which we as a free people o owe e to each other The pupils should be taught to love truth for truths truth's sake all feelings of rivalry and inequality should be guarded against the teacher should by example and precept train every child to regard all others as brothers and sisters whose rights are sacred as his own and should be respected respected respected re re- accordingly We must remember remember remember ber that even our own nation is not secure and that its fu future ture safety an and d happiness rests upon the children If the people control they must be edu edu- Teachers who do not inculcate self-government self and self control in the minds of their pupils are are- endangering the republic making room for anarchy Remember he who strikes a blow at atthe atthe atthe the free public schools strikes a blow at liberty Let us all do what we can to maintain and advance these pillars of strength Valeria Brill Brinton tOil |