The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-10-11
rhe sehool conte.t ln Sd. Ionl..

The peculiar interest in the controversy
iuthat aty grew out Of the fact thatit
htpgedIupoa be specific issue Of whether
or not German shpuld continue to be
taught ipthep pBlicschooI not fl a single
high SCHOOL, st. louis has n larger pro-
portion of inhabitants Of German birth
than any other city approaching the same
population, and German has been taught
for many Yenr5 as an optional course in
all thu, different grades OF schools. Never
thcIess, when the matter came to II vote,
there were as many anti.German us Ger
map candidates elected, and it sstated
that "those who wish to abolish the Ian
guagc fromlthe schools claim the victory"
1t is added that the wards in which cleo
tions were held were in most cascs over.
whcmingly German in population. New
ertheless the aggregate vote against the
study was greater by 373 than the aggrc-
gate voteforit Andin the two wards who g
the issue was distinctly made, and where
the contest was most bitter, the anti.Gcr-
nun candidates were successful The St.
Louis Globe Democrat says that "the cleo
ltion means the death knell Of costly, un-
necessary instruction in our common
schools It is not to be supposed that
the Germans OF 81. Louis, in voting against
the proposition TO continue the teaching OF
their own language in the public schools
did so from any decline in their affection
for the Fatherland and its great tongue.
But they probaly felt that their children
could not 20 to school forever, and that
while they did go they ought TO be instruC-
ted in what would BIO most advantageous
to them in after life. A full knowledge OF
one l~anguage-the language of the coun-
try OF their ldoptlon-tle language in
which the constitution and laws are en-.
acted and printed, and which Is used in all
the daily intercourse and business trans
atoms OF American life, they were praCti-
cal enough 10 recognize us more impor.
tant than anything else. The decision
which they. came TO was both wise and
commendable, and domagoguos may learn
q lesson from It. ,alsh,l. n
The subject Of school reform is cngrosS.
ing attention in many other places besides
st. Louis, and the desire seems TO DO almost
~uniyersalt 10 have such amendmentsmadein
thesystem rs willincreasei Its elficiencya and
make It more capable Of doing justice to
the great work which has been assigned
to It. In no quarter do we hear a word
breathed that is hostile TO the plan md in.
tent Of public instruction, but on the ron
trary everywhere q desire for reform that
derives Its TqisOn dldre from an uneasy pub.
lie consciousness that the real work Of edu-
cation is not SO uSefully done as it might
be. The school sytem iisrina no danger
whatever from IT'S enemies, for 1t really
has none. II 1t be really threatened ut all
is in the house Of its friends, real or pre-.
tended. As President Morris, Of the Bal.
timore school board, said In hlslast report,
tho system Is In danger from those OF its
friends who arc cotton so enthusiastic and
earnest asto be blind to its faults" These,
and the dcmagogues who practice upon
their ieelilgs, Dry out. againsteyery attempt
at school Reform as an assault upon the sys.
ten itself, They call the l.iudicious and
discriminating criticism" which the school
board Invites an att0mpt TO prevent the
spread OF intelligence, and mistake the
barnaclcs and imposthumes which fastcn
upon.the system for education itself.