San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-07-02
NoN.PoLITIcAL SCHOOLS.


SBn Antonio is to be congratulated in
this-that the breaking up of the ward
boundaries in the division of the city
into school districts has done something
in the way OF taking the schools out of
the mire of ward politics. This begin
ming of a good work should be carried
on until every vestige of political manip-
ulation is eliminated from the manage
ment of our city schools, and these col
leges Of the people left as free from the
influence of politicians as it is from that
Of religious sectiOnalism. Our schools
should have nothing to do with either
politics or religion, as these terms are
generally understood. The educational
work there carried on should not be sub
ject to those disturbing causes that cen
ter in and arise from religious and pOliti-
cal disagreements and contentious AS
at present constituted our school board,
or board Of education, is really a COM
mittee Of the common council of this
city entrusted with the management of
the public schools. 1t is exceedingly
difficult to keep the work of the
schools separate from political con-
sideratiOns under any circum-
stances and particularly so when
the Board of Education is cOnsti-
tuted as in this city. The political
debts of the members OF the board are
too apt to be scored against the school
fpolicy they introduce, no matter how ac-
ceptable, wise or efficient. The curb
stone politicians do not discriminate be-
tween the political acts of the council
members and their acts as directors of
the educational affairs of the city. The
animosities engendered by their action
in the administration Ofmunicipal affairs
or In the heat of political strife are car
ried over to the account of the school
management and made to antagonize
that as well. As result, the work of
the school board, its superintendent and
sometimes even the principals of the
ward schools, are made to bear the bur-
den Of hostility that has not In any
sense been engendered by it but is SIM
ply the outcome Of some old political
strife over municipal matters. The
school work is not only thus interrupted
but the schools themselves are not
judged upon their merits. Unjust at
tacks upon the school superintendent
anG teachers, the result of hostility to
the political acts OF those who happen
TO form the school board, lead to resent
ment of these attacks and favoritism
comes In as a consequence. The whole
bases Of public opinion concerning
the work and efficiency of the
schools their management and the
teachers who instruct in them is changed
and made to depend upon false, I'M
wise and very pernicious judgment. A
judgment based not upon merit but up
on personal considerations. The break
ing up Of the old ward boundaries in the
districtlng Of the city for school pur-
poses was good move; one which re-
moves at one sweep great cause of po-
litical friction in school matters. Let
the people look calmly at the whole sub
ject; place the welfare Of our public
school system above every political or
denominational consideration and deal
with 1t purely as nonsectarian, nom
political system Of instruction and the
work will be accomplished. Visit not
the political sins or council shortcom-
ings Of those who compose the school
board upon the head Of the school sys-
TEN. Hold that school board, as a school
board, only responsible for its acts as
school board, and judge 1t purely with
reference to the wisdom or unwisdom Of
its management Of school affairs. This
done there will be little danger Of visit
ing the sins Of the school board upon the
head Of the superintendent of schools
rhe sense of just discrimination will
grow In the public mind until the school