The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-07-10
STATE SUPERINDENT.

dominant in this state, the nominations
made by the convention on the 23rd will
be closely scrutinized. There is some
thing more than probability that the
present incumbents will be nominated.
When there is disposition to renom-
mate majority of officials for the
positions which they hold, be it for
ability. party service, or personal popu.
farity, the remainder of the office holders,
whose claims to denomination can not
be urged on considerations of mis- nature
are placed on the ticket as a matter Of
expediency. The discrimination might
work injury to the entire ticket. 1t
might earn the opposition of the rejected,
and in party policy it is always better to
elect bad officer than to create party
discussions in an effort to choose good
one. Incompetency in Office is an evil
less to be dreaded, than 'split" caused
by the exercise of Judgment and discre-
ton in the selection of candidates. An
office OF no political significance is gen.
orally bestowed in consideration of local
ity rather than of fitness. This is al
most always true of the men placed as
the caudal appendage of state ticket,
candidates for the state superintendency.
The republican party twice selected a
man, not because he was a politician,
nor as sop thrown to the portion of the
state of which he was resident, but on
account of qualifications which would
adorn the position had he been fortunate
enough to secure it. We refer to Prof.
Graham of Oshkosh. The whisperings
of passing goodness "that made them do
it'' we fear is seldom heard.
The PILOT circulates among the best
republicans of Manitowoc county. In
matters pertaining to schools we exclude
politics and would rejoice if Manitowoc
county through the agency of either
party, would declare in favor of compe-
tency in the head of the educational
department of the state. The state SUI
perintendency has grown to be a thing
of ornament rather than of use. 1t is
simply head gear covering emptiness;
a work of art surrounding a system
which derives no aid from head
The selection of men from colleges,
which if trey are not hostile to the com.
mon schools are far from being in sym.
pathy with them, is the veriest madness.
What Indifference could be more GRIMM
al than that which takes professor from
a UNCONVENTIONAL college, q man who
has grown narrow in the work OF prosel-
ytizing, and places him at the head of q
system, which when fully developed
makes the denominational school q need
less institution, except it be to strengthen
faith in the tenets of the religion which
it teaches? How much more wise to
select man. closely identified with the
interests of the schools of the state A
man possessed of more sense than bril-
liancy whose attention would be given to
existing wants, and not to tracing refined
relations existing between the college
and the state university. 1t may be
said that the state superintendent is but
figure head anyway, and that it is as
well to have q snowy one. We know
something of the graded schools of the
state and of the character of the exercises
of state teachers associations. We know
how graded schools are being turned
into imitators of colleges, how graduates
receive diplomas in line of knowledge in
schools as well as in colleges, and we
believe that these evils come from the
predominance Ct college ideas at the
head.
1t would be an earnest of better things
if each party should offer candidate to
the people of the state for the office of
state superintendent, who knows some
thing more about our common schools
than he does about colleges. Manitowoc
county has an enviable reputation in ed
ucational circles. Let it be further
increased by display of good sense
among the delegates in voting only for a
good men regardless of locality or collie
giate qualifications. Indeed if he be
connected with a sectarian college do not
sever that connection in the interests of
the state.