242 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off; Doc. 



everj adult, of good health and sound mind, to be self-supporting. 

 He shall do! only be self-supporting, but have sufficient reserve 

 earning power to enable him to provide, in addition to his own sup- 

 port, for the maintenance of at least two others, who are unable to 

 maintain themselves. 



We are accustomed to think of education for the public as being 

 solely for children and youth. Accordingly in most of our States 

 the school age is limited by law to the period between five and 

 eighteen years for the common schools. 



The great body of this work should be done in the public schools 

 while the pupils are young, but when this has been neglected, 

 as is the case all over the United States, to-day, then it should be 

 extended to the adult worker outside wherever it can possibly be 

 done. 



PUBLIC EDUCATION. 



By '-Public Education" is understood education at the public ex- 

 pense. A not inconsiderable portion of our citizens maintain that 

 the public is not justified in adding to its tax by supporting the 

 higher institutions of learning such as the high schools, academies 

 and colleges. They hold that expenditure by the public for edu- 

 cation should be limited to the cost of giving elemetary instruc- 

 tion, including only the necessary branches of reading, writing, 

 arithmetic, geography and English grammar, with perhaps a lit- 

 tle physiology and history. These concervative citizens also de- 

 clare that taxation, for education in the common schools, is only 

 justified on the ground that some educational training is neces- 

 sary in order to fit men for citizenship, and that the elementary 

 branches just enumerated are all that are necessary in order to 

 effect this. That when these are offered the public has done its 

 full duty to the individual and to the State. 



Progressive educators, on the other hand, hold that fitness foi 

 citizenship is not complete when men have simply learned how to 

 read and write, and interpret the Constitution of the United States, 

 qualifications enabling them to vote, but that it embraces also 

 the additional training necessary in order that they may be self- 

 supporting. In other words, that the object for which the school is 

 established is not accomplished, until it has taught the individual 

 how to make a living for himself, and to support at least two other 

 helpless persons dependent upon each wage earner for food, raiment, 

 shelter and education. 



If the latter interpretation is correct, then Public Education is 

 for not simply the few who are in the public schools, but extends to 

 the entire body of our people and it is not confined to a meager list of 

 elementary studies, but includes those that belong to a liberal course. 



