The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1881-02-16
MOUNT Any. N. u. Feb. Is. 1881

tI0na were Unanimously ADOPTED earnestly
urging our members Of the Legislature to use
their utmost eudeavor towards the ABOLISH
ment Of tho Office OF County Superintendent
of Public Schools Also the repeal Of the
Tramp act Of 1876, which is decidedly tile
next biggest nuisance. The salary Of the
County Superintendent amounts Is about
fourteen hundred and sixty dollars per year,
and il any onewiiE be 80 kind and obliging as
to point out to us through The REcoRD any
advantage or benefit TO our schools derived
therefrom, we shah be under manyoblig
and thankful for the Information. Our
school system, if it may be SO called, is, we
think, without exception the most ridiculous
of all the systems of our civilization SO far as
right and justice are concerned. But for
fleeing the public out of millions of dollars
bug superintendent, boards of education,
school book concerns, collectors, etc, it is
perfect beyond all reasonable human expecta-
lions. Under the hue and cry of let us ditfuse
knowledge by educating the rising generation
and make us a mighty nation, heavy taxes
are imposed, millions collected, aud forty per
cent. of the money pocketed. Glorious in-
deed Our Collector (Mr. Swayze) recently
paid over to the State Treasurer the hand
some sum of forty-two thousand and fifty-six
dollars and sixty-iive cents, and received in
return a check for about thirty four thousand.
Please notice the way it is done ! The township
collector collects the money, and pays it over
to the County Collector the County Collector
pays it over to the State Treasurer the State
Treasurer pays part of it back to the County
Collector the County Collector pays frag
ment of it back to the Township Collector
and when the schoolmaster gets it, poor
thing, it is nearly half gone. Well, you see,
the State has made about eight thousand off
of us or some one else by this little game aud
yet we sometimes hear people dote over the
generosity Of the State and wonder how we
could get along without her fostering care,
and with vengeance in their eye, curse the
freeholders until the sky looks blue, for in
curing court tramp, asylum, bridge and
other miscellaneous expenses We have
actually known men TO growl and ind fault
for whole week at a time without inter-
mission, aud board themselves, and at the
end of the week think they had done six
mighty days work with Sunday thrown in, all
Tor the good of the public, poor things
Aud our experience has been that about
live out of nine would rather thousand
llmasl risk THEN necks upon rickety old
bridge or take the hazard OF foldirg a stream
aud get drowned rather than approve Of any
improvements under this head except when
such needed repairs or improvements happen
to enhance the value and appearance of the
same, aud the said parties, of course, TO have
The job.
But we are disressing and must return tt
our text. The school book builders, in con
nec,ion with our superintendents, just skin
monopolization aud extortion. and leave tn,
great railroad and telegraph monopolies only
sour milk in the pan, when compared in thii
light. A certain series Of books are ordered
to be used, and the price fixed astonishcs the
natives, in fact poor man must have very
Soou luck lhGeeus OF ne can't aHoiu 10 sehu
his children to school at all for want Of books.
The books in question are made of the very
flimsiest material procurabe, and the work
manship equally as bad. A very reliable
book dealer informed us recently, that owing
to the outrageous price charged for school
books, he really hated to have anything to do
with them and mostly sold them at about
cost. Now why is it thus? Are we such a
poor, miserable mess of underfoot fools that
we can't help ourselves? II so, how long, oh
Lord how long before the American Eagle
shall again fiarp his wings and soar over
Sourland Mountain