Presbyterian College - Pac Sac Yearbook (Clinton, SC)

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10 THE COLLEGIAN glance this may seem, to use Milton 's words, to require sin- ews almost equal to those which Homer gave Ulysses, but upon careful thought you will agree that a complete educa- tion is not really unattainable, and this is the kind of edu- cation which we should strive to make compulsory. Persia and Sparta, of the Oriental nations, required com- pulsory attendance and made their youths, whether or not it seemed good to them, train their bodies, so that they became remarkable for their strength, hardness, and endurance. Now both these countries aimed at a country full of soldiers, and in so aiming they made each and every individual subject to do whatever they deemed wise and necessary. The Jews, however improbable it may seem, did have a compulsory education. They did not let a favorable oppor- tunity slip by without impressing upon their youths moral and spiritual excellences, and this idea of obligatory educa- tion was current among all that people. Philip Melanchthon, Preceptor Gerinaniaef' as he has been very fittingly and appropriately cognomened, was a very ardent supporter, a very profound thinker, and a most re- markable euthusiast as regards obligatory education. This great and good man did his best, indeed his utmost, to have each and every child, Whom he loved with a fatherly affection, educated, trained and cultured. He thought-and he was right-that compulsory education would be the best means as well as the easiest means of giving spiritual, moral, and intellectual nourishment to men 's souls, and we cannot but agree with him in thinking that compulsory education will strengthen us, ennoble us, and make us more progressive. Surely, were we to have compulsory education, there would be less inclination to wicked and shameful deeds, there would be less vice 5 there would be, as it were, a newer, grander and higher plane of thought. If all our people were educated, our government would have more trained men to select from and therefore more men to guide her rudder. If we had all our people cultured, there would be more stimulus to learning, there would be more inventions, there would be more discov-

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THE COLLEGIAN 9 to leave the building, but by some persuasion he induced her to stay until the play was over. Soon it was over, and Gray conducted her to the rear of the stage. If this young man is Walter's son, he will not Want to see me. Come on, he replied, We shall soon see. Gray asked her what name he should call her by, and she told him it was Miss Kapher. He found Stone talking with some of his friends. Stone, said Gray, Here is a lady who thinks she knows your father. Miss Kapher, this is Mr. Stone. hliapher! Not Ruth Kapher! he exclaimed. Yes, my name is Ruth Kapher. I suppose your father spoke of me to you, she replied. Ruth! Don 't you know me? Walter Stone. Can it be possible, she exclaimed as Stone caught her in his arms. Possibly the actor's art has deceived you. Wait one min- ute and you will understand. Watch me. As they talked over old times the young Stone by the help of some soap and Water faded into the old Stone. Wrin- kles became visible in his face, and then he snatched 05 his wig, revealling the old Walter Stone. So this is how Ruth Kapher, after Waiting fifty-six years before she went into a theatre, married the leading actor With- in one month after she had entered it. J. S. G. '13. QQQ Compulsory mutation Qionsiozreb historically aah Gliljzorzticallp Compulsory education should be. From very early times it has existed, but the education was not complete and Whole. A complete education, and one of which We should feel proud, is that which develops mankind morally, spiritually, men- tally, aesthetically, practically, and physically. Now at first

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THE COLLEGIAN 11 eries and there would be more advancement. Indeed, compul- sory education would make us a more intellectual society, more capable to confront the battles of life. La Salle, one of our most noted educators, favored a gratuitous school for the poor, and if parents were unwilling to take advantage of this opportunity of instruction for their children, the rectors would give them no more assistance, hence parents were forced to make their children attend the schools. He did not think that this would be any encroachment at all on the right and liberty of parents and what a grand thing it would be for all humanity! If we are careful think- ers, we must agree with La Salle, as he is surely right and there is not much ground upon which to question him. Lepelletier, who wrote a great deal on education, re- garded obligatory education favorably. According to his system, each and every girl from five to eleven as well as each and every boy from five to twelve, was to be taken from the parents, placed in barracks, educated, and supported by the State. The boys and the girls were to receive the same education, and if parents objected to sending their offspring to school, they were to be wrested from them, if need be, by cruel force and placed in his curious boarding schools. He made perfect equality between the boys and the girls, and they were treated exactly alike. Martin Luther, the greatest of Protestant leaders, did not conceal his views on compulsory education. He express- ly stated that he who is in power has the undoubted right of providing schools and requiring parents to send their chil- dren thither. Just a little quotation, if you please, from his sermon on the Duty of Sending Children to School. I maintain that the civil authorities are under obligation to com- pel the people to send their children to school, especially such as are promising. For our rulers are certainly bound to maintain the spiritual and secular offices and callings, so that there may always be preachers, jurists, pastors, scribes, phy- sicians, schoolmasters, and the like, for these cannot be dis-