National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-08-17
MIXED SCHOOLS AGALN-THE
sIONERS


ForHey'S Sunday Chronicle, In an ar.
ticle yesterday, attacking the order Of the
Commissioners consolidating the public
school boards Of the District, doubts the SIN.
certify ofthe Commission In their declaration
that they did not and do not intend there.
by to bring about mixed schools. II says:
1--WE hope they are sincere, but unless we
''are very much mistaken, they or the
people are going to be cheated, and that,
like the Poland gag law, 1t will turn out that
''the movement means Just what the people
Suspect. Disguise this matter
''as you will, themotive for this interference
with the public schools of the District was
ITO psndeT to the prejudices and ciap-trap
philosophy of mixed schools" Now, the
order Oft Commissioners does not Inter
fere" with the public schools In one way or
another. They are precisely the same now
as they were before, and even If the Com
missioners and the new school trustees had
the inclination to change them. they could
not do it. When our cotemporary
seeks to interpret the motives" Of the
Commissioners, 1t seems to us 1t should
have some regard for the Ian.
guage and the meaning of the language
used by them. In the audience which the
trustees had Of the Commissioners last Fri.
day. Gov. Dennison was plain and em.
phatic In his statement that nothing Of the
kind was intended. The printed reports upon
this point do not do full justice to the Com
mission. Speaking for the Commission he
declared that "they had no purpose TO en-.
courage anything in the nature OF mixed
schools, norany radical changoln the school
"system." lie told them that 1.-THE Com
Emission would dlscountenace any PROPOSE.
"tlon looking 10 that end any suggestion
"of such policy on the part Of the trustees
would DO q violation Of their purpose. I"
"You will, Of course" he said, under.
"stand that We are speaking TO you on.
"clAlly as Commissioners Of tho District,
"NIhatover may be our individual opinions
ION tho subject, or on any other subject
"thht has or may come before US, we
"havo no doSlro or purpose TO obtrude
Tour individual opinions upon the people
"of tho District, Our answers and action
ION oil such subjects have been and will
abe exclusively official"
This Is plain enough, Heaven knows, and
II u difficult 10 SEQ how people can mlSun.
deBtand Il. Tho Commissioners were up.
pointed for the express purpose ofreformIng
a. fAr o. possible, and simplifying the Dis
trlct government, They were given extra.
ordinary powers 10 that end, and are re-.
sponslble 10 Congress for their exercise.
Tho charge Of the time Of their appoint.
mont, and for months before II, was that we
had O eumbrouS and sxtraVagant admins,
triton Of affairs hero. Tho answer was
that tho law Of Congress creating II provided
70 expensive 0 machinery knd made Il
necessary. The Commission was directed
10 introduce every reform II might deem no.
oesSAry, and mike the government more
efficient In accordance herewith the
school boards wore consolidated and tho
number Of commissioners cut down from
over forty 10 little moro than dozen. The
Commissioner had the clear authority 10
do this, and, believing Il 70 be for the I'D.
vantage Of the public, they would DO delln.
quent In their duty II they did not do ex.
actly what they have done. As for oil the
CLAP trap" about mixed schools and the
dread some people profess 10 entertain that
tho Commissioners ore In some devious and
diplomatic way ondeaVorlng to bring II
about, the persons who utter II know better
and do not believe one word Of what they
say. The Commissioners have not done As
some gentlemen would have them dol
hence tho assaults so unfairly made upon
them. The whole thing Is "too4hln."