The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1870-07-07
From The Ohio Educational Monthly,
Fools and Schools.

puDnCatlOn dlecreulIt lot snould not
continue the subject but for your urgent
solicitation, just received.
am to write Of fools in Boards of
Education. among Examiners, Superin-
tendents, Teachers, and, possibly, Pu-
pills and their Mothers. "Who is sufi-
cient for these thingsi"
The theme is one of most mournful
character. Next to the maniac, the i'd
lot is the saddest sight upon which hu-
man eyes ever rested. do not write
Of idiots, exactly; but of "natural born
fools" There are thousands who, like
Kish, "play the fool exceedingly"
whose folly we cannot excuse on the
ground that God made them so, and,
against their own wills and wishes,
placed them on exhibition before the
world. There are many stupid, half
witted, ignorant men, whose mental de-
fciency would be little noticed, and
never unkindly mentioned, if they
would but remain in that obscurity which
nature and education have so we'll fitted
them to adorn. But when these semi
imbeciles push themselves into notorie-
ty, when they assume Offices and take
positions for which they have no quail
| fcations, when they purposely adver-
tise their destitution of brains, they
make themselves legitimate objects Of
remark and criticism.
l can never laugh at the poor man
who is born fool. With all my soul
pity his want OF reason, and to the ut
most would shield him from ridicule
and all unkindness. But when men
make themselves foolish and ridiculous
in positions where their folly can but
be observed, there is no reason why
they should be exempt from merited
remark and ridicule. Indeed, it some
times seems to be an imperative duty to
administer wholesome ridicule to such
characters; for it is the only mode by
which the fool-spirit within them can
be exercised. "'Simila Smili6us curan-
tur."
If, therefore, any Of your readers
shall see themselves in what / write,
let them not make greater fools of them
selves by becoming offended; for give
them the kindly assurance that / mean
it for their good. certainly hope that
no duel will grow out of this article;
for neither wish to kill a fool nor be
killed by one, especially the latter.
Boards of Education should be, what
many of them are not, composed only
of wise, intelligent, public-spirited and
faithful men; the very best that can be
found in the districts which they rep
resent. Their work relates to the build
ing up of the characters of those who
shortly hence are to be the men and
women of the world; the powers that
are to rule in society, in the state, and
in the church. This is no FOOLS work.
The very best men that can be found
are none too good for such business
as this No Congressman ever had de-
volved upon him duties of greater i'm
portance than those committed to a
member of Board of Education. But
in regard to this latter office, how
mournfully true it is, that "fools rush
in where angels fear to tread" Some
of the most hopeless blockheads that
ever afflicted society, have seen sit
ting in the meetings of these Boards
and no owl, perched upon church-roof,
ever assumed such an air of profound
"thinking" as these same simpletons
endeavored to put on and show off. In
! a mental point of view, "Solomon in
all his glory was not arrayed like one
of these mot any. "They were the
men, and wisdom would die with them!''
In city of Central Ohio, some ten
years ago, at a meeting of the Board
one of the members delivered himself
in this wise: "Mr. Cheerman, I rise
for to-that is to make motion,
which is as follers Resolved that there
are no need to build such costive school
housen as some of this ere board is pro-
posin to rect. No, Mr.. Cheerman, I'm
posed to spendin money fore more
housen. The old ones is pretty good
yit, and fer to go for to build grea
slick house which cost ten thousand
dollars, or more yet, its all wasted. lt'
no economy to throw away money thai
we don't need. Taxes cost money, and
money has to go to pay taxes, and lei
US expense with any more schoo
housen."
A member inquired if the gentlemen
who had just addressed the Board, did
not make mistake, and use the word
"expense" in place of dispense.
This inquiry brought forth mos
sarcastic aud singing reply. "Mr.
Cheerman, may be the member which
asks this insultin inquiry thinks don't
know nothin. I'll show him that do
| know as much as he, or any othel
fool. If he will look into his lexington
he Il find that expense and dispense arr
both anonymous phrases, and one
! means Just like tother. The voterI
over in my ward dident 'lect me to bC
sassed by that gentleman, nor nobody
else; and he better keep bis sirrilliou
remarks to himself. I'd have him know
that stand on level with him, or an!
other sneaking blackguard. II l hahn
been through College and studied alge
bra and neuralgy and the rest Of tn
dead languages, / know what is what
and blamed Il l don't do it,"
On motion, the Board adjourned 70
two weeks.