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CoMrui.soiiY Education.
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one seeks to avoid. But, unhappily too
many seek in a wrong direction. They
must cast out rnshncss, and all her sister
qualities, and thus make room for discre
tion. Of course discretion nnd raJmcss
cannot exist together. They were not in
tended for any such purpose. If a man
have discretion he cannot have rashness;
and where discretion is not found, there
is always found rashness. Choose then
between them the one leading to misery,
the other, the only true road to happiness.
But there arc other directions in which
the advantage of discretion is worthy of
notice. Other directions! In fact in
whatever direction one tunics his eyes,
this advantage meets his gaze. But we
have just now, in mind one direction, in
which this advantage seems of more im
portance tli tin in some others. The dis
creel man enjoys the coutldence of his fel.
low-mcn. They trust him; look up to
him, and hence he is a man of inllucncc
To be able to truly say, that his fellow-mcn
have perfect confidence in him, is some
thing every one should strive for.
The moro wc compare discretion with
indiscretion, the greater is the grandeur
of the former revealed; and we are
forced to say of discretion, thnt it is infi
nitc in value, and yet easily acquired.
J. S. B.
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.
This is a subject which is being dis
cussed to considerable extent in some
parts of our country, and now demands
the earnest attention of the people in gen
oral, as well as of those moro particular'
interested in educational affairs. "While
there may be a great many serious objec
tions to tho adoption of this system in
Nebraska, yet it must be acknowledged
that it is the only means by which we can
insure the speedy diffusion of knowledge
throughout the State. Though we may
have magnificent school buildings, sup
plied with all the necessary furniture and
apparatus, and employ the best corps of
teachers the country all'ords; yet all these
means will be of no avail, unless these
schools are patronized by those, for whose
benefit they were intended.
The government has endowed us with
liberal grants of laud for the establish
ment and support of schools. And though
there are schools now organized in near))'
every inhabited portion of the State; yet,
comparatively few of the youth, outside of
tli 3 cities and villages, receive much ben
eflt from them, for the very reason, that
instead of being sent to school they are
detained at home by their parents, through
some selfish motive, and thereby deprived
of the privilege of acquit ing that educa
tion, which is the just right of every indi
vidual. The great necessity for education
in this country, at tho present time, can
not be over-estimated. For while so much
ignorance lingers within the very heart of
the nation, as at present, our liberty is in
constant jeopardy.
It is said that intelligence and virtue
are the foundation of the American He
public, and hence it follows, that Igno
rance and vice are its most formidable
foes.
Notwithstanding our boasted system of
public instruction, over one-sixth of our
population, not including children, are
illiterate!
And, further, under the present man
agement of affairs, instead of overcoming
this gigantic evil, we arc actually losing
ground. It is evident then, that some
thing must be done, and speedily, too, to
extend the menus if education to every
individual throughout the land. As the
uncultivated cannot be the .lenders of cul
tivation, it will not do to entrust this all
important matter entirely to the people.
It is, therefore, the duly of the govern
inent, to take the all'air immediately in
hand. The necessity for a compulsory
educational system is now felt and ac
knowledged by many of the prominent
leaders in the cause of education, nnd
until it becomes a law, the full benefit of
our unrivalled system of public schools
will not be renlized. B. II. C.
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