Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1874-04-20
THE REASONS

vyman. We can not sec why there
should be any objection to n minister
having charge Of the education OF the
young, and think II were more ht tina
a clergyman should occNpy that posi-
ton than n mere politician. The oil.
fee il now and has been h~erstofore
held by n minlster and has been WORTH
INV and satisfactorily filled, and we do
not see why the same should not DC
the case In the future.-Rsese Rirer
Rereile.
These remarks Of the RereiHe were
undoubtedly called forth by a hint
thrown out In the News SEINE few
days since In commenting upon tho
proposed candidates for the oillcs OF
State Superintendent Of Public In
struc,ion. We remarked therein that
the office was essentially non-partisan,
had been monopolized since tho organ
izatlon Of our State Government by
orthodox ministers, aud In conclusion
said: "Thers Is, moreover, dangerof
awakening s~ectarian feeling II clergy
men Of any particular denomination
arc elected to office, dnd chile holding
Il continue IN charge Of a pdsiordte.' IL
seems to us that the reasons We have
for objecting to tho selection OF n cler-
gyman for an educational office. would
suggest themselves to any thoughtful
mind. AZ, however, our contempora-
~ falls to perceive their existence, We
will speak plainly.
Every Clergyman, especially OF an
orthodox church Is, to a certain extent.
sectarian. There are grave diileren-
ces bet ween the Protestant and Cath.
ollie clements. This reciprocal pref.
udice is deep rooted and extends not
| only to creed. but more or less through
out all the affairs Of life. Particularly
does IL manifest itself In the education
OF the youth. The great basis OF OPP
position to our common school system
by the Catholic element Is that not
only are they not allowed to have their
creed made part Of school instruction,
but that doctrines opposed to them are
taught. The Protestant element have
been indefatigable In their attempts to
have the Bible read In tho sclsol-room
To this Catholics strenuously object
not only this, but the large masses o
Jews, Free Thinkers, lniidels, etc.,
share In this objection. The selection
OF a clergyman OF an orthodox church
as chief Of our educational institutions,
arrays i~nstinctively the opposition o.
all these classes against our school
system. Our population Is cosmopol'
itan; our Government recognizes alb
solute freedom OF thought; Il edu'
c~aiional system Is based upon and sup.
ported by all classes Of society, and
the election Of the exponent oil. any
particular creed to supervise and reg
ulato Its course Of instruction and con-
troll, In any manncr Its internal econ
omy, Is against the spirit Of our Gov
ernmsnt and the judgment Of a large
portion Of u citizens. While we dc
not charge against the present OIL
former incumbents Of this Office any
effort, direct or indirect to give to ovr
public schools the effect Of their par
tieular or peculiar views, we are fully
aware Of the existence Of the feeling
OF which we have made mention
This prejudice, II $ o we may term 1t
Is deepened and perpetuated ut find
Ing the Incumbent Of the Office en-
gagged In his duties as a clergyman
aud per consequence as a public ad
vocate Of his peculiar creed. IL gains
force also by tho fact that for severa
years the representative Of one sec
has held this eillce. Catholics com
plain that no representative Of theiI
religion can be elected to the Office
Other orthodox ministers have to
greater or less extent the same feeling
which though ~uncalled for, Is but
natural.
We DO not believe that ministers o.
the gospel, be they Of any sect, make
the best educators Of the youth who,
In n few years are to rule this nation,
We 10 not believe that their habits oI
thought SAVIOR enough OF tho practical
to give the thorough training Il
our youth contemplated by eul
common school system. In our judy
msnt a practical teacher Of experience
and ability should hold the office. Hs
should have no other occupation, and
IL tho salary attached to tho office b
not sufficient to command the entire
services Of a competent, practical In
s,ructor and examiner (for such Is con
tompla,ed by tho Office 1t should bs
sufficiently increased. There Is work
enough and the o(lcc demands all the
time aud labor OF Its Incumbent
These are views which We have long
held, and their correctness Is estab'
lished by both the practice and obser-
walton Of a series OF years. We are In
favor OF slecting to this ooice some
practical Instructor, who Il both CON-
petent and non.scctarian, or at least
not the weekly public exponent Of
any religious creed. And We believe
the sentiments We have uttered accord
with those Of q large majority Of OUT
fellow citizens.