The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-08-12

with the whole history Of Education in this
State. Our school system, in truth, may be
regarded as his handiwork. He is its fos-
ter father. He has done more to put it up
on q sound and efficient basis than any doz-
en-it would not be too much to say-than
any hundred men in the State. Education,
in fact, is his specialty-ap province in which
he so far excels all others in the field by
his enthusiasm and activity in advancing
and protecting the interests Of education
that he deserves to be regarded as the
founder of the School System Of Minnesota.
Two Of our finest public edifces, origi-
nally dedicated to the cause of learning
the offspring Of his exertions-bear witness
to his enterprise and zeal. BY the city
charter, the general management Of our pub
lie schools is entrusted to Board of Edu-
cation, and the public voice, in constantly
recalling Mr. NELL to q position in this
Board, have paid deserved tribute to his
eminent services, and have distinctly de-
volved upon him the responsibility Of per-
fecting the details of the system whose in
ception was due to his persevering exer-
tions.
1t is due to the majority Of the Board to
say that they have mainly seconded the ei.
forts Of Mr.. NELL with intelligence and
discretion, and have shown their wisdom
by deferring respectfully to the suggestions
ofhis enlarged experience while Mr.. NELL,
for his part, has cordially cooperated with
the majority in whatever could advance the
interests Of the schools.
But it happens with the Board Of Educa-
ton, as often happens with other public
bodies, that men will find their way there
from the fortuitous concourse of political
atoms-who seem to have been selected for
their total unftness for the positon-poor,
wrangliDg, blatant fools, who can't conceive
Of their having been elected on any
other ground than as a tribute to
their extraordinary merits, and who
are incapable Of comprehending the ma
ture of the duties they are called upon to
fulfil, except to atflct the Board with sorry
speeches, to be duly put in the Times print
which monopolizes the function of chron-
iclipg small beer-and sent marked TO their
Eastern friends as an evidence Of their rising
greatness. If these blatherskites occasion.
ally incur sharp rebuke from Mr.. MILL,
and the intelligent majority Of the Board
who 60 with him, it is generally because
they deserve it. Without having the most
remote conceptions the complex apparatus
of our school system, afiording no evidence
in their own persons OF profitable acquaint-
ance with schools Of any sort, they rush into
the Board with an arrogant air Of remodel.
ling oil the institutions of the country in a
single session, and particularly with fixed
purpose of making speech which, if no
one else will print, the Times will
~ Sct INV piint eohicHo", uPou soihc
pretext or other, to get into print no matter
how wickedly or Wiley, to get into print, no
matter what print, is the main object Of their
life, to which every other consideration is
subordinate, and to which Office, accepted in
the first place as public recognition of their
genius ard greatness, is regarded as step
ping-stone. This is the only way in which
it is possible TO account for the extraordina.
ry report of the proceedings Of the Board Of
Education on Tuesday, which was properly
consigned by its authors 10 the oblivion Of
the Tunes local column.
II will be sufficient TO say TO our readers
in reply to the structures OF the Tunes man,
that il Mr.. NELL may have been OCCASION
ally provoked from his uniform courtesy into
an expression Of impotence, on the other
hand there is enough in the stupid incompe
tency of some OF his associates at the Board,
and in the obtrusiye impertinence which is
always united with gross ignorance and self
conceit, to exaspera'e the patience of
saint