OUR system of free public schools is now legally established in
all the States, and supported by a strong public–sentiment. The
public school has myriads of friends, and but few avowed enemies.
There is, however, a misconception on the part of some as to what
it is, and for what purpose it is maintained. Some regard the public
school as semi-religious, originated and maintained for the purpose
of teaching, among other things, the doctrines of the Christian
religion. Before attempting to show how impossible it would be, in
this land of every diversity of creed, from that of the Mussulman
to that of the Methodist, to teach a religion in these schools
without doing violence to some tax-payer's ideas of the only true
faith, let us examine the origin and intent of the public schools.
The civil government has created and maintained the public
