Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-16
THE NORMAL SCHOOLS.
Endorsement of the Proposition to Pa: Ed
uca:ors In Charge.

Endoi Sement of the Proposition to PHt fa-
uca:ors In Charge.
To the Editor of the Globe.
Your issue of Jan. 81 contained a sugges-
ton that is both pertinent and timely, and
as such deserves more further notice. Your
point was that in the selection of professors
of our State educational institutions it is
about time that clergymen be left to the
work which they profess to have been called
and that educators be selected to the man
agement of our higher schools, on the score
of their merit as such.
For several years past certain clergymen
have shown an aptitude for
partisan cunning and political intrigue
that does no credit to their high
professions Of Christian self sacrifice. These
men claim to have received call to preach
the gospel. Practically they have forsaken
their calling and pushed themselves by cum
ming and intrigue into positions of trust and
responsibility in our now sectariasf public
school system. This is notably the case with
the Methodists and Congregationalists. The
Catholics, Jews, ETC., who are equally with
other citizens taxed for the support of the
system, are not thus req resent
ed in these places. They have
no place in the public education
al synagogue. they seem to be too sincere
in their professions of loyalty to their faith
to undertake, as the good Roger Ascham
says, "to sup on the schools after having
dined upon the church"
This practice of ignoring teachers of life
long experience and devotiod to the cause of
education for priestly mountebanks, has
grown to the proportions of an actual
abuse that calls for remedy. If this is to
be the future policy of our State then it is
idle to talk of raising up a class
of men and women who are to
make education specially. There
is no abuse against which our system of
public education ought to be more carefully
guarded than that of this insidious sectarian
influence. If your public schools are to be
strictly secular, then We must keep the
apostles of sectarianism out of the system.
The extent to which this abuse has been
carried will best appear by presenting ros-
ter of the reverend gentry now filling fat
places in our public institutions. To begin
with we have:
Rev. David Burt, State superintendent,
secretary normal board, chairman high
school board and regent of the University.
Rev. Gabriel Campbell, vice president
State university.
Rev. Jabez Brooks, professor of Greek,
State University.
Rev. E. J. Thompson, professor of mathe-
mates, State university.
Rev. G. w. L. Wright, director Normal
board.
Rev. D. L. Keihle, principal st. Cloud
Normal school.
Rev. Mr.. John, principal Msnkato Normal
school.
But this is not all. The aggres-
siYe obstinacy of the State super
intendent, a fanatical Congregationalist
has provided warm place for another of
the bretheren in the person of Mr.. Shepherd
in the Winona school, who carries his preju-
dices SO far as to inquire into the proclivi-
ties of any who may desire to become sap
pointees'' under his partisan administration.
He, too, is fanatical Congregational Sun
day school superintendent, and is willing
tool of the Burt dynasty. Nor is
this all. Something more than
rumor has it that the mantle of
the defunct John, at Mankato, is to fall
upon Brother B. NJ. Reynolds, of Mortified.
Brother Reynolds was appointed one of the
visitors to the Mankato school, and, accord
ing to his own statement, was instructed by
Brother Burt to make no whitewashing re-
port of his observations. This accounts for
the boom against Mr.. John and
will account for the appointment of
Brother Reynolds if the head of
the educational department. with
his characteristic chicanery and his skill in
covering his own tracks can prevail
You can rest assured that the people are
sick of this priestly trickery, practiced under
the cover of third term fraud, and will
gladly welcome any effort the GLOBE may
make to expose the infamy. VER1rAs.