STATE OR MUNICIPAL SUPERVISION OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS. 187 
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was found to supervise these national schools that made it possible to 
secure princely teachers and to produce the highest educational results 
yet attained in the scholastic world. And the hour is at band when the 
best interests of our collegiate education, as represented primarily in our 
private schools, can no longer be left to unaccredited, unsupervised masters 
and schools. The foreign nations that are copying our system of public 
school education must be saved the present palpable defects in our unsys- 
tematized private schools. Of course, with the open-minded members of 
the private school teaching force there would be every form of hospitality 
to a proper board of supervision. In each State a number of schools would 
nave nothing to fear and much to gain by this public accrediting of their 
work. A long stride forward would be made in the work of professionaliz- 
ing the teaching office, and, as one result, publishers, insurance companies, 
and general trade would find it more difficult fo lure teachers from their 
chosen career. And another result of such a recognition of our work 
would be the higher value and the greater permanency attaching to it. 
What anybody is able to do is not worth as much as that which only a 
limited number are able or permitted to do. There are now too many 
registered teachers at our agencies. There should be no employment 
bureaus except for servants. Imagine a ‘“ Lawyers’ Agency,” a Physi- 
sians’ Bureau,” or a ¢“ Ministers’ Employment Club.” 
I am well aware that laws cannot save us from any of the evils that may 
shreaten. But with us—let us remember, for our comfort—the very idea 
of legislation is reversed. Once, the law prescribed the action and shaped 
the wills of the multitude ; with us the multitude prescribe and shape the 
law. Legislators study the will of the people as philosophers study a 
rolcano—not with any idea of doing aught to the volcano, but to see what 
‘he volcano is about to do to them. Therefore it is that we have no 
longer the dread of the olden time of lawmakers, and we are the more 
willing to reduce to operative and efficient forms the people’s will. Let us 
not hesitate to do this in the matter before us. An able lawyer of national 
reputation thinks that ample authority to make laws regulating education 
of all kinds is given by the constitutional clause reading, ¢“ Congress has 
power to lay and collect taxes . . . and provide for the common 
defense and general welfare of the United States.” But this supreme 
work of education is left to the several States, and to them the appeal for 
proper regulation of the secondary schools must'be made. If I cannot sell 
sour bread or hawk decayed fish without the interference of the board of 
acalth, why should I fear the ¢ paternalism” in government, State or 
municipal, that bars me from giving an inferior quality of instruction ? 
I do not care here to consider at length the ways by which this regula- 
sion shonld be achieved. It would be amazing if our people, in view of the 
manifold forms by which we now safely lay tribute upon national, State, 
and municipal authority, could not devise some amicable and effective