work as soon as
possible. As says the philosopher of Archey Road: "You may lead a young
man to the university, but you cannot make him learn."

Outside these contingencies, we think every child has a right to a
common school education, such as is given in our system under the high
school, whether it be fourteen years of age or over. Reading and
writing, grammar and arithmetic, history and geography, these are the
fundamental and essential elements of a common school education; and in
our time and country, a modicum of information on these subjects is
necessary for the future well-being, success and happiness of our
children. And since parents are bound to care for the future of their
children, we consider them likewise bound to give them such an
education as will insure these blessings.

CHAPTER LXII.
EDUCATIONAL EXTRAVAGANCE.

OUR public educational system is made up of a grammar and a high school
course, the latter consisting of a four years term of studies, devoted
in part, to a more thorough grounding in the essentials of education;
the other part--by far the more considerable, according to the
consensus of opinion--is expended on educational frills and vanities.
These "trimmings" are given gratis, the public bearing the burden of
expense, which foots up to a very respectable total.

For a certain class of people--the people of means--this sort of a
thing has not many disadvantages; it is in a line with the future
occupation or profession of their offspring. But for the bulk of the
children who attend our free schools and on whose parents educational
taxes are levied, it has serious inconveniences, is not in line with
their future occupation or profession, is not only superfluous, but
detrimental. It is for them so much time lost--precious time, that were
better spent learning a trade or otherwise fitting themselves for their
life work. Herein therefore we discover a double extravagance: that of
parents who provide unwisely for their children's future and that of
the municipality which offers as popular an education that is anything
but popular, since only the few can enjoy it while all must bear the
burden alike.

There is much in getting a start in life, in beginning early; a delay
is often a handicap hard to overcome. With very few exceptions, our
children gain their livelihood with their hands and eyes and ears, and
not solely with their brains; they therefore require title most
practical education im