The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-01-13
THAT SCHOOL EXHIBITION.

&c. eAo fo0C
were caused to recite and take part in
pieces of the most insulting, fanatical,
Abolition character. The last journal
engages in a sort Of vindication of the
Exhibition. We need only quote some
passages from the article and then add
facts to show rsaders the brazen falsity
and misrepresentation which it contains.
1t says:
The exercises were conducted in a man
ner which gave entire satisfaction to the
parents of the children"
Without going further to prove the
utter falsehood included in the quoted
words, we might simply remark that
quite if not fully one-half of the parents
are Democrats, and that the exercises had
been so arranged that to the little boys of
Democratic parents the most insulting
and yirulent Abolition pieces were given
Ito speak. Common sense will tell any
person that the outraged parents of these
children could not have been entirely sat
ished with the exercises. But we have
actual proof. The fathers of some of the
children have personally assured US that
they were disguised at the Exhibition
generally, because of its strongly marked
Abolition character, and we're particularly
ineensea at hearing their " children
~reeite the most Objectionable pieces. And
further, to show that the teacher knew
that the parents of the children we're not
entirely satisfied, we have the assurance
from two of the offended parents that the
teacher a~pologized for the wrong, and de.
clared that It was an oversight or accident
that such pieeeswere given their children;
that 8 some of the other scholars must
have taught such pieces to the children
&c. If, as the Journal asserts, the par
ents of the children were entirely salts
fed, why did the teacher make these ex-
plantations apologetically?
Some capital is sought to be made out
of this subject in the interest of the
teacher on the score that she is a woman
We ever show courteous Difference tc
women. We respect their station in life
and in society whether they themselves
do OF not. But when a woman writes .
book, or delivers a lecture, or teaches {
school, her book, her lecture and hel
school, after being made public property
by herself, are just as much subject t.
public comment and criticism as if pub.
lished, delivered or taught by a man.
Aud in a review or criticism, it is not the
woman, not the person. but the subject
which is brought under notice. So In
this matter, we have nothing to do with
the person who teaches-it is her School
Exhibition and School which We criticize.
as we have a perfect right to do.
A woman who assumes to teach {
school of young children ought to know
that it is enjoined upon them all tC
* honor thy father and thy mother )" and
that to teach yonng boys and girls tina
because their father is u Democrat he is
also a q traitor" and erebeI," and of in
famous character generally, is not very
faithfully TO impress the good command
ment upon her pupils minds, or to prop.
erly fulfill her highest duty towards them
At the Exhibition in question there
were a goodly number of scholars. About
half Of the parents Of these scholars are
Democrats and the remainder Abolition
f lists. It was remarkable that of all the
very many bitter partisan pieces which
made up the programme at the Exhibi
ton, not n was opposed to Radical Alb
~olitionism, while every one assailed De
mocracy, and the most insulting of all
we repeat. were put into the mouths o.
the children of Democrats. There could
not have been accident or inattehtion in
the arrangement of so singular a pro
gramme. It must have been studiously
arranged, and the intention of its peculiar
arrangement is obvious.
, Our public schools and all schools II
which children are promiscuously receiv.
ed, ought to be preserved entirely free
from political faint OF bias or teaching
We shall as readily and as severely con
denim a School Exhibition or School in
which Democracy is lauded and Adolf.
tienism is derided or assailed, as we viii
where the affair is turned to Abolition
uses. It is not, in this connection, the
character of the party bias which VIC de.
nounee, but the introduction Of politics in
any way whatsoever in schools. Relig-
ious faith and party belief are not for the
public schools to teach. but for parents
and others duly recognized by them to
deal with. IF Abolitionists or Puritans
choose to authorize some schooltcaeher to
impart religious and political instruction
to their children, agreeably to their own
lconvictiens, that is their privilege, and
we do not propose to take exceptions
thereto. But we do most emphatically
protest against the endeayor to produce
in the minds of scholars generally in the
common schools a belief that this or that
party doctrine is a heresy, or that this or
that religious denomination is hetrodox.
As We have said, that part Of their train
ing belongs to the parents or natural
guardians of the children.
And in conclusion, we do earnestly
hope that Democrats will, here in Albany,
and everywhere in Oregon, take some
steps to prevent their children from being
contaminated by the Abolition system Of
Of education, or teaching. rather, which
has been and is being still widely prac-
lticed throughout this State as well as in
other States, and by which the youths
are taught to despise and abhor the De-
mocracy of their fathers. We tell
parents plainly that it were a hundred
times better that their children grew up
LII NJ hottnr snstnncfinn than thar can