XLVII
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL
AN OUTGROWTH OF THE REFORMATION.—PORTO RICO.—MISSION SCHOOLS.—COLONIAL SCHOOLS.—MASSACHUSETTS AND CONNECTICUT.—NEW YORK AND PENNSYLVANIA.—THE BIBLE, THE STANDARD OF MORALITY.—RISE AND FALL OF INTOLERANCE.—DANIEL WEBSTER.—THE BIBLE, THE FREEDMAN'S BEST BOOK.—THE CHURCH, SUNDAY SCHOOL, PUBLIC SCHOOL.—ENCOURAGING MOVEMENTS.
"Education is the cheap defense of a Nation."—Garfield.
"Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."—Solomon.
The public school is the general and permanent agency for the education and uplift of the colored people. Religious and independent schools may do a splendid work in their several localities, but the public school is intended to be state-wide. It alone reaches the masses of colored children, and it should receive its due share of the public funds. The fact that they have not received any thing like a fair share of the public funds, for their equipment and support, has already been stated. This, to a great extent, is an act of injustice. Conditions however are gradually improving. They are made better as a good use is made of present educational facilities, and earnest appeal is made for more and better ones. A vast amount of self-sacrificing work, on the part of teachers and parents, is needed to bring the schools of the Freedmen up to their proper standard, and to secure them, where they are still needed both in city and rural district.
The Freedman alone cannot do all that is needed, to provide adequate educational facilities for all his people; but there is so much that may be done, in the way of awakening local interest, supplying local deficiencies, and appealing for more and better equipment, as to enlist the united and persistent co-operation of all intelligent, public spirited Freedmen.