The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-01-24
THE ENEMIES OF THE SCHOOLS

THE ENEMIES OF THE SCHOOLS.
Some. Republican papers profess
great solicitude lest the Democratic
Legislature should do something det-
rimental to our common schools. The
Democratic party is the parent of our
glorious common school system, and
We are very certain nothing will be
done by the present Legislature to
circumscribe the usefulness of the
system; but if such action is taken
as will lop off the thieving outgrowth
of Republican legislation in regard
to our scho 1ls, and make them what
they were and designed to be, great
good will be accomplished, and the
better education of the masses Sc
cured. Speaking of this solicitude
on the part of Republican papers,
the Columbus Herald, independent,
says:
The Akron Beacon processes to be
afraid that the Democratic Legisla-
ture will commit some assault upon
"our magnificent system of free
schools" The Beacon seems not to
be aware that such stuff as that is
played out. We venture to say that
there isn't a man in the new Legis-
lature that has the least idea of as
saulting the schools. But if they'll
go to work and lop off the abuses that
have grown up about the system,
knock in the head the sneaking AID
selfish rings that are running the
schools for their own benefit, cut of
the enormously expensive nonsense
that has been grated upon them, re-
store them to their original design
and make them practically useful to
the people, and throw around them
such safeguards as will prevent out
RACES like that which Stevenson, oil
Columbus, persists in perpetratine
upon Annie Wilkinson-ifthe Dem
ocratic Legislature will do that, il
will not only deserve and receive the
thanks of every true friend of public
educatioB but will add immense
strength to it's political position.
In The winter of 1874 there seem
ed to be an attack made upon the in
tegrity of the schools, in the interes
of a sectarian opposition. The PEG
Pile met the attack and promptly re
PEELED it. To-day there is a more
insidious and more dangerous at
tack upon the public school system
by thieves and plunderers, who hav'
found the immense school funds, of
ten thoughtlessly levied upon tn
people of Ohio and still %oftener reck
lessly squandered, a rich placer IL
which to work. To increase, the pro
fit of book-rings they have adde'
scores of useless branches to tn
: courses of study and forced all par
t ents to buy the books under penalt,
of having their children expelled
from school. They have corrupte'
dishonest School Boards and bullie'
J weak ones into sanctioning thes
, outrages, and into establishing a
sorts of ornamental officials, Super
intendents, Assistant Superintend
ents, Principals, Sub-Principals, Spe
l cialists, ETC., all with salaries utterl
. disproportioned to their services eve
if they were of any use at all, so tina
a large share of the money leviet
. from the people finds its way int
S the pockets of frauds and charlatan
who do no teaching at all, while tn
r absurd Systems" and courses.
, they have imposed on the school
stand in the way of the true teach
!, ers and prevent their doing the child
rem the practical good they nigh
otherwise do.
This is the "magnificent system
of sham and imposture upon whic
Il every true friend of public eddcatio
S should wage unceasing war. Thi
e is the inflated bubble of p%rotectio
which the General Assembly shout
hasten to prick. The interests {
the people, of the taxpayers, of tn
Il parents and the children, alike dc
!, mand that in the schools as els
where, there shall be inaugurated a
era of economy, good sense, retrencl
a ment and reform.
o There is not the slightest DANCE
# now that any n will mistake I'll
real enemies of the schools. I'll
chief cry of Sstop THEIR is, in tn
II matter, a little too transparent, an
it is everywhere understood.