Montgomery County sentinel., 1882-01-13
Our Public Schools.

L delayed writing IL till now, hoping that
some one ADLER to do Justice to the subject
would save me the trouble and perform the
task better.
Some one, over the signature of 90"
wrote short article, published in the SEN
TINEL a few weeks ago recommending for
publlcatlon in your columns an article Ia
ken from the Montgonorian, upon the mode
of electing County School Commissioners
and Trustees OF public schools.
After long and close observation the
mission Of the M0ntgomerSan seems to me to
be 10 create discord and make a split in the
Democratic party in this county: therefore,
in my opinion, any measure which it advo-
Gates, having political bearing, should be
viewed with great caution and circumspec-
ton by Democrats.
One circumstance fatal to the argument
in the article Of the MontgonaerSdn is the fact
that not one instance was produced by il to
show that the effects Of the law had ever
been injurious TO the public interest or to
the cause Of education in this county.
% asserted in his article that the bane-
iul effects OF the present system are appar-
ent; also, that the system is an incubus upon
the people. Now let us examine those as
sertions, SO recklessly made, and compare
them with facts known to all.
Sometime last year the Changers appoint
ed a committee to examine the law and the
operations of the schools under it, and TO
make report recommending any changes
which they might deem necessary to clear
the law OF any imperlections, or to promote
greater efficiency in its operation. After
due examination and deliberation they stated
in their report that they did not perceive
that any improvement could be made by
10 nf 4ho Cal-
Board, or that change in the mode did not
promise any greater efficiency, or words to
that effect. This is the opinion of q large
body OF the most intelligent, enterprising
and progressive farmers of the county. Ii
is the opinion of body of men possessing
a large stock Of common sense, combined
with honesty and integrity.
Thus we find that if 20" supposed that
"the baneiul effects" Of the system were ap-
parent to all the people Of the county, or
was considered an incubus by them, he COM
mitted gross error, for which he is mex
cusable, because that report had been given
to the public. | am willing to grant that
they do appear so to 90" Our will often
has an insensible but powerful influence in
shaping and moulding our opinions. Is
20" certain that no extrnsic matter dis
torted his vision? Is he sure that no per-
sonal feeling, no hope OF future gain exer-
cised any influence upon his mind? Is he
positive that neither animosity nor political
ambition exerted "banefu" influence and
warped his judgments
Let me state another fact. The Demo-
cratic candidate for the State Senate last year
advocated the changes proposed by 90" but
neither he nor"Q." can claim the result of the
last election as popular expression in favor
nf ho npn 1ph A
officers were elected by the people, but it was
thought best to put the conduct of our schools
as far as possible above and beyond the in
tuence of the mass of dense Ignorance which
was engrafted upon the body polite by the
late great political oonvulsion. That great
aggregate Of ignorance and immomlity has
been thrown into the political arena we
cannot help ourselves; but we can, in many
instances, land we ought whenever we ca NJ
prevent 1t from giving shape, tone or color
to our laws framed and enacted in the in
terest of education.
The advocates for the change ask in con-
fident manner whether the same persons
who vote for the judges are not also as well
qualified to vote for or elect the school off,
GERS. | answer yes, equally SO. But, un-
fortunately, in too many instances, very
large portion of those who now approach
the polls, ballot in hand, are not properly
qualified to vote for either, or to vote at ali.
(All who think it right for the dark element
to vote are respectfully referred to General
Grants last annual message to Congress- }
Then the question arises, what good can be
effected by giving the appointing power to
the judges when those same judges are elect
ed by the preponderence of the ignorant ell
ement? Much good in more ways than one !;
but an Obvious one is, though the judges are
elected by ignorant voters, yet they them
selves are educated men and more under the
influence OF reason therefore freer from the
blight of bigotry and prejudice, and by their
education they are capable of selecting pro.
per men for the highly important and re.
sponsible position of conducting the educa-
tional system Of our county and State.
With regard to the election of District
Trustees, they also were elected by the pa
irons themselves; but on account of the in
difference to the subject manifested by the
people It was thought better to change the
law to its present form. distinctly remem-
Der some incidents connected with the cleo
ton OF Trustees in certain district in which
| at that time resided. The time for holding
the election arrived, but the voters did not
Messengers were sent out on horses to bring
in the laggards. Finally, after extraord:,
nary exertions, al arrived but one. He had
promised the messenger to abe along' as
soon as his horse came from the mill. After
waiting for more than reasonable time A
posse of three was sent TO try 10 get him to
come, but tho willy old bird saw the men
approaching in the distance, broke for the
woods and eluded capture. He had prom
lsed to vote for each Of two rival factions,
and compromised the matter by voting for
neither, The apathy generally shown in
those elections caused writer in the SEN
TlNEL to assert at the time that no one took
any interest in the election of Trustees ex-
cept the teachers, and that the system ought
70 le changed. twas changed accordingly
But now comes, from some, the cry for
another change This frequent changing
in order To please every one, reminds me 81
the Eastern apologize IN which the old man
and his son are represented to have killed
their beast in their foolish attempt TO please
every traveller whom they met, In the end
they pleased none and lost their beast. Thus
am afraid II will end with the schools
Like the beast in the fable, they will be rid
den TO deatllin the insane attempt to please
all. 1t looks very suspicious, at least, in
Ihose who now speak so harshly against the
system that for eight long years not a word
was spoken against it that | remember; but
as soon as board was formed of entirely
new members, and new secretary was ap.
pointed, remarkable phenomenon occurred
right here in Montgomery county. Men who
had formerly hoen blind 10 the defects of the
law suddenly acquired power aud inten-
sity of vision that enabled them TO see de-
lecls in the law that 10 this day escapes the
view OF some men of the greatest legal aou-
men In the State. But suppose some do be.
lieve the law Is unconstitutional, it will be
time enough to change it when Ii has been
pronounced unconstitutional by the proper
tribunal. II every law be changed when
ever some one or two or more lawyers i'm.
agino il ~ bo unconstitutional, without sub
mitting it to the proper tribunal, we shall
have a very unstable code of laws, and our
condition will be on the verge of chaos.
II those who so earnestly desire the pro.
posed change will only cite us to one instance
in which the present system has operated
injuriously to the cause of public education
they will entitle themselves TO some claim
for sincerity. They certainly cannot point
to the new board and its secretary (the ap.
pointment of which was the occasion of this