San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-07-11
THE SCHOOL HOUSE QUESTION.

THE SCHOOL HOUSE QUESTION.
X.
Coronal Institute and Our Public
Schools--The True Relation Which
Should SubSist Bet,ceen Them.
From what hos been stated in this
series of articles, we think it will BIO
generally conceded that the grand
mistake in San Marcos has been tho
idea of using the public school fund,
or any part Of it, for the support OF a
denominations school. This was
not only contrary to the law, but to
general educational success rs well.
It naturally made powerful denom-
national influence antagonistic to
the public schools, causing first n
resistance to the building of n public
school house. and after one had at
last been built, causing dispersion Of
the pupils and final vacation Of the
house in. the interest of said demon
national school; also bitter opposi-
ton to the taking separate charge OF
the public schools by the city. and
o settled purpose to make a fight
against the erection OF newschool
building adequate to present wants
OF our free school scholastic. popula
tion. Who does not see that but for
this state OF facts San Marcos, 30 well
and favorably advertised, would long
ere this have taken rank with Bolton,
Bryan. Brennan, Rockdale and the
rest with thoroughly equipped pub
lie school system, in good modern
style building adequate to its wantsf
And who can doubt, had such been
tho case, that it would have added
vastly to the population, prosperity
and prospects of the town-more,
probably, than any other single moas-
ure which has ever been proposed
for her benefit?
What is the remedy Obviously it
is the complete separation of the
public schools-not in name merely,
but in fact. Our public school trus-
tees should see to it that not another
dollar shall, under any pretext what
ever, 60 to UNCONVENTIONAL school.
The good old Saxon proverb should
be freshly expounded: "Let every
tub stand on its own bottom" Tho
public school has q right to demand
OF the UNCONVENTIONAL: Glands off,"
to demand, in school-boy parlance,
skinny on your own side" eff you
can not cooperate with us in tho
work of general education, at least
allow us to prosecute our own work
in our own way, without let or him
drance. In Gods name go forward
and do all the good you can in your
allotted sphere; only allow as the
same privilege In the language of
Abram to Lot when their supposed
interests clashed: Let there be no
strife, I pray thee, between thee and
me; for we be DECENTRALIZATION
on the broad plane of American citi-
Eenship and humanity
Does not the above outline the
true road to peace and the mutual
best progress and prosperity Of the
Institute and our public schools' The
former, backed up by a powerful and
wealthy denomination, as well as by
other strong social aud pecuniary in
fiuences, needs no assistance from
the free school fund. We say let the
Institute building be enlarged and
modernize as is proposed, SO MS to be
an ornament to the hight upon which
IL stands, but at the samo time let
$4,000 or 1000 free school building
go up on some similar hight within our
corporate limits. The former will
have all required UNCONVENTIONAL
and private backing, the latter will
be built through q tax on all property
holders 30 slight as scarcely to be
felt fair and equal, because every
property-holder is interested and will
find Il o profitable investment wheth-
or he or she have children 10 send 10
school or not With more financial
sense, no doubt, than was displayed
IN The ISSUE Of bonds for orr new
court house, = sinking fund viii be.
provided to meet the indebtedness
incurred for the new school bu.ldIng.
and the debt vii be paid within the