The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-04-11
The State Paintings.

THE State Legislature is at present consider
ing the propriety of retaining upon canvas
the brave deeds OF our yeomen soldiers upon
the field OF Gettysburg. The revolutionary
pictures OF TRUMBULL are invaluable, and
an appropriate "Reminiscences of our greatest
battlefield will, in future years, become
shrine for the admiration of devotees. 1t is
to be hoped that the committee having the
matter in charge will select artists competent
to the discharge of their duty. 1t would not
be much to the ornamentation of the Capitol
to insert on its panels every daub that might
be foisted upon inexpert judges of fine arts
We have in Pennsylvania such artists as
RoTHERMEL, LEWIS, BoUTELLE, the LAMB
DINs, WAUGH, and NEAGLE, besides a host
of others who would be inspired by such a
theme, and perhaps it would be no bad idea
TO open this subject to general competition.
At any rate. we are to have pictures, let
much better to pay literally Tor such things
than to have a5ortive efforts, of which we
cannot conscientiously be proud
OFFICIAL DIGNITY RUFFLED THAT col
lege of saUans, the Board of school Control
lers, had their dignity insulted and their
sense of decorum violated, yesterday, by the
presentation of petition from some three
hundred pupils of the Central High School in
favor of Professor MAGUlRE. If there is
one thing intensely amusing in our republic,
it is to see a collection of ward officers act
ing like set of "Turveydrops;" in fact, as
DICKENS puts it, putting on airs" Men
who individually could exhibit as much dig
nifty, almost, as a weasel, when they sit
tegether in q small room expect to be ap-
preached with salaam, and treated with the
respect due to the Germanic Diet in the
feudal ages. A little knowledge is danger
Gus thing, and slight elevation, or, as in
the present instance, a depression, seems to
turn the head of those unaccustomed to it
even to the ordinary amenities of life.
Yesterday, their sense of complacent excel
lence was shaken by the reading of the fol-
lowing petition, the tone of which is emf
nently calculated to arouse those feelings of
indignation at insult which lurk in every
breast. The incendiary document says
''To the President and Members of the Board
of Control:-We, the undersigned, at present
pupils of the Central High School OF Philadel-
phia, having confidence in the efficiency OF Pro-
| lessor N. II. MAGUIRE, and in his ability to dis
| charge the full duties of his position, as he
| hitherto has done, convinced from, the testl-
| mony of others and by our own experience,
| that at no period of its existence did the school
! enjoy hlgner degree of prosperity than at the
| present tune, and feeling that much of this is
| owing to the well-directed efforts OF Professor
| MAGUIRE, and confident that an impartial inves-
! hgation will fully convince the Board and the
public OF these iacts respectfully offer this as
! remonstrance against his removal, and petition
Tor his continuance IN the position he so worthily
| occupies"
At once Mr.. NATHAN HILLEs, the spokes-
man for the insulted, offered the following
resolutions, which eleven offended "Turvey-
drops" supported.
"hesolued, That the remonstrance of the boys
of the High School be lald on the table, as i'm
proper and disrespectiul, and that the Commit
tee on that School be directed to communicate
this resolution to the boys, with note of repri
mand for their undue Interference with the
duties of this Board.n
We can imagine the feelings of the boys
upon receiving the reprimand from the re
spected five who are supposed TO rule, bu
whose duty has been to hamper the advance
ment of the school. This respectful, gentle
manly petition was improper and dsrespect
full" We have never read document NOR
properly worded, and so far as interfering
with the duties Of the Board are concerned
we would almost as leave trust Division
with the control of our school system as W,
would the yirtuously, indignant college Whicl