Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-07-14
Oar Schools.

EDITOR REPUBLICAN I'VE are among
those who believe that the most intelligent
citizen, as rule, is the best one that the
more intelligent the masses of our people
are, the better for our nation. We be-
Heve also in a system of education, freed
from sectarian or party bias, where the
children Of the rich and the poor, of the
learned and the illiterate, of the profess
sional man and the artisan-oU classes
may mingle together in school house,
class, anG upon the playground, whilst
securing an education, fitting them to
become Intelligent, and therefore useful
citizens Of a common country, and this
system Of education, we think, is fully
met in our Common Schools. We did
not suppose that our Common Schools
were being run in favor of one system of
religion or morals, and against another.
If we had been told SO by a Norwegian
in Norway, a Chinaman in China. an
African in Africa, or Sitting Bull in Her
Majestyis domain, we would have resent
ed it as an insult to the grandest feature
of our government, and the grandest men
of our municipalities, who are al,cays
chosen as guardians of our Common
Schools. These guardians of our schools
are las we suppose under the statute) to
administer school affairs with utter i'm
imprtiality. If we were to find that the
Beard of Education was administering in
faTG of Protestants as against Roman
Catholics, in favor of Methodists as
against Episcopalians, in favor of Bap-
tistsas against Congregationalists, or in
favT Of Lutherans as against any and
all dher classes and sects, as soon as we
became aware Of the fact, we would ex-
pect all classes to unite with us in indig-
na1t protest against such conduct. In
viey of the foregoing plain, and to us,
just views of our Common School Sys-
ten, how is the action of our WATERFOWL
Cit School Board to be looked upon,
wh secured Concordia Island for the re-
cent school picnic free of cost, on the
conlition that it (the Board), would per-
mitthe sale of beer on the island during
the picnic! (Whether this condition
wasa part of the bargain for the use of the
island, we do not knoaO; have only heard
that it was so but that beer was per-
mittel to be sold on the island during the
picnis no one will dispute.) Notwith
standing that there is quite a respectable
minority OF the constituents Of our Hon
orable Board of School Commissioners,
respectable minority as to Numbers,
nothing set up in their behalf, or claimed
by them in other respects) who are con-
scientiouszy opposed to having their
children in the midst of a crowd infused
with the spirit Of beer, and which fact is
well-knOwn to the Honorable Board of
School Commissioners. Yet administer
ing school affairs in the interest of all
the people presumably this Honorable
Board has publicly endorsed beer-drink-
ing, and added to its ordinary offensive
ness by giving it the tender minds of
about eight hundred school children as
seed ground whereon to make it's impress
sions. We realize our inability to "Do
anything about it," when the query is
put to us "What are you going to do
about it p as it is by honorable and re-
sponsible citizens of our city. The votes
are against us, gentlemen! You need
not be afraid on election day of lack of
endorsement You have us tight. But
we submit to you as honorable men,
whether you are "Doing to others as you
would be done by ?"
Respectfully Yours,
MANY PARENTS.