San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1885-03-26
The other side.

EDIroh fRkk PRkss;-Among the requ
sites for an application for the organizatio
OF school communities, as the same now ez
lists. as seen by reference TO the Revise
Statutes of the State, Article 37is, sub-dI
vision 9th, page 1885, those desiring to form
themselves into school community mus
designate three or moro competent person
10 act us trustees Of the community pro
posed TO DO organized, and Art 1882 of tn
same chapter directs THAT three trustee
shall be appointed by the county judge 70
each community school. aud the three citi
gems named in the petition shall in all case
DO appointed. unless the county judge b
satisfied from personal knowledge that thu
parties 10 named are either unworthy or In
competent This, as will more fully appeal
by Art. 37i6, page 5S7, Revised Statutes
leaves theseleotionof trustees for the schoo
community entirely In the hands Of the pa
rents and guardians OF the children, and
this is the system the schools Of San Marcos
arc now under; aud this SYSTEM does not IN
any manner prevent the trustees from sew
ering their connection with any school now
taught. and organizing an independent
school. But what does the change propos.
ed by the election ofIeri II proposes "a
take the management of the free schools
from the hands of parents and guardians
and place it in the hands Of political cor
poration, a body elected by the popular
vote, whether the voter is a parent or not,
and this is so whether the trustees arc 60
lected by the town council or elected by the
vote of the inhabitants Of the town. Aud
l ask you parents, what they offer you in
exchange for your management and control
| Of your own children, their education and
their morals, and placing these in the hands
of body of men elected too often ut the
expense of money spent for whisky or at a
compromise of honor. I don't say that this
Is the case with our present honorable coun-
Gil, for each member Of which l have the
highest respect. But who can tell what the
future will bring forth. and does not tho
history of popular elections justify the con-
cluson that such may, and even more than
probably will be the saseP Is there any
thing then to gain by changing our present
system, unless it is that an extra tax may be
imposed in order to extend the school term?
I think not. Should this result follow, and
it certainly will be the next step in the pro-
gramme, what attitude do you then find
yourselves in? It is this, you will be heavi-
ly taxed to support your schools the schools
will be in the hands of men who can, and l
venture the assertion as prophetic, must Sc
sure their election by the free use of money
in the bar rooms, or at sacrifice of honor,
and who must cater to the rabble to secure
return to office, and while you are com.
PEELED by them to pay heavy taxes, they can
make the schools SO offensive, as has been
done in numerous instances in this State.
that you will not suffer your children to at
tend them, and you must not only pay the
taxes but send your children to private
schools, where their morals will not be con-
taminated, at your own cost. When this
provision of the school law Is SO amended
that the parents have the right to select the
school trustees, it will be time enough to
adopt the plan proposed, but until such
time, advise all parents who prize the
morals of their children to vote against the
measure. If the parents Of the children
within scholastic age, desire change, let
them come together before or at the next
of the free schools, declare
their wishes, and elect trustees in harmony
with them, and instruct their trustees as to
the course they shall pursue, but in behalf
of the children of San Marcos, and as O
father of seyen children myself, 1 implore
every parent, or person charged with the
training of children, to think we'll what you
are doing, before you entrust the education
al interest of the poor children of San Mar
cos to the hands Of political corporation.
STERLING FISHER.
REMARKS ON THE ABOVE.
We will notice few points in the above.
l. Several other of our best lawyers differ
with our correspondent, and hold that the
law provides for the election of trustees by
the people.
2. But even if our correspondent Is COR
rect on that point, we cannot anticipate the
direful consequences which he sets forth.
We are sorry to find our friend so distrust-
fui Of the ability of the people for local self
government We believe if the interests of
the schools were involved in our corporation
elections it would go far to insure a full turn
out of the better class of voters, and the
consequent election of good men.
3. Judge Fisher is in love with the old
community system" 1t is no doubt well
adapted to sparsely settled regions such as
exist in our mountain division, but is certain
ly singularly out of place in large and
furnishing town like San Marcos And tho
fact that the community system has again
Just been fastened upon us by the legisla-
ture is one of the strongest reasons for
the free schools here to the
town, so as to escape the disastrous effects
of that system upon our schools. To put
San Marcos again under that system would
be as absurd as to put youth just ap-
manhood again into the swad-
ding clothes of infancy. 1t has prevailed
here much too long already. Our town
wants no more of il.
Tho statement we hear frequently made.
that the movement in favor Of giving the
a l. l.. = - IL