UNIVERSITY COURIER.
11
million of illiterates in the past ten years proves that the public schools do not meet the demands of a nation where the most ignorant weld as much power as the learned jurist.
We are told, and truly, that a greater part of this ignorance is in the South. There are in that district 1,670,000 whites and nearly twice that number freedmen who are unable to write their names.
The government, since the constitution does not expressly authorize it to make appropriations for educational purposes, sits with folded arms and expects the commonwealths of the South and the benevolence of the church to educate this mass of ignorance. This it expects of a land where a few years ago public schools were unknown, into the midst of which 5,000,000 slaves were recently emancipated,and the value of whose property is but one fourth of that of the North.
This it expects of the South which a short time ago was scourged with fire and sword, from the swamps of Florida to the plains of Texas—whose states are to-day struggling with repudiation, and to whose skirts still cling the cursed credit system, by which the renter is mortgaged to the planter, the planter to the merchant of the neighboring village, he to the merchant of Mobile or Memphis, and he to the merchant of New Orleans, and the merchant of New Orleans to the banker of New York.
There has been a mighty revolution of thought in Southern minds regarding popular education,and public schools are now cheerfully supported by men who have often sneered at the idea of educating the poor.
But in spite of the millions expended by churches, philanthropists,and state governments,the number of illiterate voters has increased 187,000 in the past ten years.
Yet ignorance is not confined to the South. In thirty-four of our largest cities fifty per cent. of the children are growing up in absolute ignorance of the English alphabet. Senator Blaine says, "That at the present rate of increase of the number of children not attending school, there will be in ten years more children in the United States out of schools than in them." It has been estimated by the National Commissioner of Education, that it would require $120,000,000 the first year to provide schools for those not attending.
We are told that as the right of providing means of education is not delegated to the nation it is given to the states, and the government has no authority to interfere regarding this matter. Must that power which guarantees to each state a Republican form of government, be powerless when the people who constitute the state, are through ignorance, unable to perform the functions or enjoy the privileges of a Republican form of government. Must the nation be silent regarding the question upon which its existence depends? The right of self protection and perpetuation is given to the union whether written or unwritten.
Does congress step out of its power when, "in providing for the general welfare" it annually spends vast sums of money improving the channels of our rivers? It
has given 79,000,000 acres of land to agricultural colleges and to universities. It aids in founding libraries for the benefit of the people, it carries on one of the largest printing establishments in the world, and it extravagantly appropriates for roads and internal improvements.
When, during the yellow fever epidemic state power was impotent, the government, "providing for the common defense, by its system of quarantine did more to check the dissemination of the disease than any other power could have done. But the epidemic of ignorance, more fatal than contageous disease, saps the foundations of our free institutions, and congressmen shake their heads and tell you that no authority is given them by the constitution to provide for this evil. The traditions and practices of the government from its earliest existence will uphold congress in pursuing a policy, which, acting in harmony and co-operating with the educational systems of the states will effectually dispel the cloud of illiteracy which darkens the horizon of this great Republic. If necessary, let the constitution be ameded to meet the demands of the multiplying population which is either increasing in intelligence or ignorance. Let the statesmen of our age add to universal suffrage, universal education.
CHASE.
EXCHANGE.
The Harvard Advocate contains eight articles, on athletics and three stories. The local man has nothing to do except to grind out from issue to issue such poetry as the following:
O hark! O hear! how loud and clear
That strain salutes the listening ear!
Is it the shovel's rasping screech Upon the stones I hear?
Ah! no. It is the organ-man,
Ah! no. It is the organ-man,
Most musical, most melancholy;
Long hath he pined 'neath Winter's ban
In city slums, but now doth sally,
With hope undamped,
And pipes revamped,
Discordantly through street and alley.
Sweet organ-grinder, otherwhere,
I prithee, grind thy gruesome strain;
To other ears hymn forth thy care;
Lest, when the brick-bats smite thy brain,
Too late thou rue thy folly.
Many of our exchanges are discussing"The proper way of kissing a girl." A short time since the Vanderbilt Observer commenced the publication of a series of lectures on the subject. The Phi Rhonian not to be out done comes out with a half column article on the same subject, Rather precocious for high school boys and girls isn't it? Now Vanderbilt,restore thy wilted glory.
The Haverfordian airs in a very straightforward way the discipline of the institution and suggests a speedy reform. "It will be admitted by all" says the editor, "that the influence of a set of laws which are honored