The idea of public education was for coal miners, who would work in the coal mines all day, then they'd come home and they should have the dignity to be able to read a novel and understand it.
Le principe d'éducation publique est fondé sur l'idée que les mineurs, travaillant dans la mine la journée, pourraient rentrer à la maison et jouir de la dignité de pouvoir lire un roman et le comprendre.