Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-01-31
Nashinaton Standard.
Our AgcwtA
OLYMPIA. MUEDiY MORNING. jiN. 81. iNi.
OUR SCHOOL

We had INDUCED the hope that III
position on school matters had been
stated so plainly that none could mis-
take it. But it appears that an an"nv-
nous writer in the TuHScITpt construcs
the suggestion Of an exchange of the
site of the present building for the old
Court house. rs an intimation Of hostil-
ity to the Seminary and its managers,
and deems it necessary to h,tru3 that
institution in q half-column article.
every inference of which, in favor of
the school. We heartily echo. We fear
that " Justice" entertains very peculiar
notions of the means to be employed to
foster or strengthen the Seminary
if he objects to those suggested by us:
an increase of teachers and schol-
arship, and the addition of the school
fund Ito its present revenue if necessa-
ry)to supply it with all needed facilities.
We object to being placed in a false
position by implication quite MS much
as if the charge was made direct, and it
is useless for correspondents, whatever
may be the motive, to make the attempt.
1t will not divert the attention of the
public from the main object, and the
means of attaining it.
Justice r~eiterates the assertion of
the Echo, that the two schools cannot
be consolidated. Will he or it tell us
why? Are there indivisible bounds
which must separate the children into
castles, even as society is disturbed by
the vanity and foibles of frail humanity?
Are we to sanction the appropriation of
county funds to maintain Il private Sem
mary while the district schools languish
for the very aid that has been so gener-
ously bestowed on others? If so, we
hope that II opponents will have the
righteousness to admit the motive, as
the basis of their argument, and we can
then trace the discussion to it's logical
sequence.
AS the subject has assumed wider
range than at first intended, we will
probably be excused for stating that the
appropriation of the county funds for
the maintenance Of a prir0te school in
a single district, has not given hat sat
isfaction to the people generally which
alone excuses the exercise of question
able authority. An able communication
on the subject was refused a place in
our columns several months ago, simply
because we desired that the community
should reap all the advantages that
might be derived from an act, which
although ill-advised, was doubtless in.
tended for the best. The appropriation
was opposed not only as an unjust dis.
elimination in favor of a specific locality
but also in favor of one sex to the ex.
clusion of the other, the rules of the
school practically debarring from its
privileges, the children of all people
living in the country, and absolutel,
those who were So unfortunate as to hav.
been born Of the male persuasion. W.
believed the grounds of opposition
were well taken, but did not deem il
sound policy to attempt to overthrow
the structure because some portions O
it were not framed so as to secure abso
lutte symmetry to the whole.
Now while all admit that our great
est need is q suitable building for
graded school, and that Just such ,
structure, capable of accommodating
every scholar in the district, owned b,
public, is appropriated to the use of
private school, what more equitabl,
course can be suggested than that til,
interests of the whole people SHOULD
be consulted, in preference to the wish.
es OF teachers or patrons who may en-.
terrain peculiar ideas of social distinc.
tions not recognized by justice or com
mon sense? We want, in brief, to make
the Seminary and the District Schoo
better than they now are. We want tx
throw open the doors alike to the rich
and the poor, the high and the low. W,
want to found a school which will be
credit to u people and an ornamen
to the capital OF the Territory.
Cy Mr.. Murphy's plan seems to I've tn on