The Daily state register. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1870-1872, 1871-09-24
THE ENTERPRISE, FITZGERALD AND
Fisher.

the Superintendent of Public Schools
in California, but can discover moth
ing against him worse than that of
causing a change in the Readers used
in the schools. The objection to
McGuffey's Readers appears to be
that the author was born in Nir-
ginia, and his revised Readers have
been carefully relieved of every ref
to the great rebellion" We
should consider this a very good
recommendation for the Readers, if
it be true. If children are to be
taught to read by porting I've polit-
ical pamphlets, it would be better to
place Greeley's History of the Re-
bellion in their hands, Helpers I'M
pending Crisis, or Wendell Phillips
latest speech in favor of Ben Butler.
The Enterprise would probably
object to the introduction of Ste
phens' History of the War and its
Causes, and would make the objec-
ton on this very principle which
Fitzgerald advocates in rejecting all
references to this baneful brand of
discord. How can n pretend to
be a friend to the Public School
system. and in the same breath advo-
cate measures which every one
knows have a tendency to revive the
worst passions in the community,
absolutely demoralizing that good
feeling and associated action in the
districts necessary for the prosperity
of the schools? Are these political
school books a portion of that new
tangled compulsory educational
scheme indorsed by the Republican
Convention of California; Are par
ents to be compelled to send their
children to schools that Republican
doctrines may be poured ad Hbitum
down their Threats in their earliest
infancy? Republican Journals may
deny this intention, yet such is the
practical effect, if children are lead
cut of the alphabet through a course
of lying, political school books.
Children will hear misrepresenta-
tons enough without being COM
PEELED to lisp them in their childish
accents. There is but one way to
secure the integrity and success OF
the public schools, and hal is by
keeping politics out of them. The
Democracy have been content to do
this. They do not ask to teach
Democratic principles to children,
and in return they do not desire to
have the minds of their offspring
poisoned by misrepresentation,
scraped together in the form of
school books by mercenary authors
and publishers, whose only object is
to make markets for their labors by
pandering to the most excitable pas
sions and prejudices of the public.
Neither politics nor religion have
any business in the schools. Ii
one can be taught there, however
insidiously, so can the other. The
Democracy may be misrepresented
to-day and the Catholic Church to-
morrow, or one denomination of
Professionalism exalted at the expense
of another. These political school
books are at wal with the letter and
spirit of American institutions. and
whoever advocates them is no real
friend to the Public School system,
however long and loudly he may
bawl. The Radical press never
would have dared to assume the po-
sition they have done had they not
succeeded at the late election. Up
to that time Fitzgerald's administra-
ton was generally Endorsed by these
journals now SO vindictive, and even
by BOlander himself. That tempo
rary success has awaked the old
spirit, which stops at nothing to