East Night High School - Rostrum Yearbook (Cincinnati, OH)

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In no government, equally with our own, has society, so deep an interest in the education of all. Our theory is, that the people ruleethat the men whom they elect to 017m: are public servants. The ogicers of state with us are men whom we put in position to devise and execute the best means for the internal and external ad- ministration of the common interests of the country, their term of office is limited, and their offices are continually reverting to the people; and moreover, they hold them during good behavior only. In all other governments, the rulers claim hereditary rights of government-the people are the public semants.-There the highest cultivation is bestowed upon the governing classes, while the masses are supposed not to need the most liberal knowledge. The perpetuity of our superior system of government, must depend upon the virtue and intelligence of the people. If this be not carefully looked to, power will gradually pass from the many to the feiugunprineipaled men will fill our ogicesibarty intrigue and corruption become rife, and in the lapse of time this glorious fabric of government will hnd the common grave of all the great republics of history. As a Board of Public Instruction, it is not only a duty we owe to the classes of youth referred to, to agord them, at suitable seasons of the year, the opportunity of acquiring liberal knowledge -to give them, as far as possible, advantages equal to more favored classestut also a patriotic duty, looking to the higher influence which an educated community will exert for the common good, compared with what must ultimately result from debasing igw nonmce. Excerpt from annual report of RUFUS KING, President of the Board of Education in 1857. : - F:'Y t