The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-01-09
The Township District school system.


In the last issue but one of the NORTH
ERNER read an article taken from the
School Moderator, in regard to the ac-
ton of the state grange on the town
ship district school system" L wish TO
present the following in regard to that
action of the state grange:
The Moderator says of the debate on
the question The friends of the
measure had all the argument: they were
opposed merely by theory and preju-
dice" Also: Gov. Luce spoke against
the measure, but presented no forcible
arguments"
These assertions are not true. The
chairman of the educational committee,
and champion of the measure in the
state grange, was K. l.. Hewitt, asst
sec'y of state, and a resident of the city
of Lansing. He is an able debater and
was provided with all the arguments
that the supt. of public instruction could
furnish; yet in the discussion he was
thoroughly worsted. So far as the
measure being opposed merely by the
DRY and prejudice" is concerned, the
strongest opposition come from mem
bers who had had personal knowledge
of the system in other states. There
was no theory or prejudice" in the facts
they presented.
Now, in regard to the position taken
by Gov. Luce: 1t will be remembered
that he lives on the state line between
Michigan and Indiana. The latter state
has had for years the Township Unit"
system. The governor is in position
to Judge accurately of the effects of this
system. He unhesitatingly condemns
it as being in many respects bad for the
rural districts, and tells why. His rea-
sons will be presented if necessary.
They certainly are 'forcible."
The Moderator says that at previous
sessions 1.-The state grange has con-
demned the system without hearing"
AT this session, after the system had
been placed in its most favorable light
by such men as Hewitt and Estabrook,
and been ventilated by a thorough dis
cuSsion, the condemnation was only the
more emph attic.
Here are some of the reasons why the
farmers of Michigan are opposed to this
measure: Our rural schools are already
as efficient as those of any state under
the township system, and we have no
reason to believe that ours will be supe-
rior to theirs under the same system.
OuNiBlhS llOul IllC Optl dtlOh VI OhlS pan
in other states, we believe that small
outlying schools will often be neglected;
it will breed discomfort and trouble,
and is liable to produce strife between
villages and the rural districts of town
ships containing villages. 1t is putting
too much power in the hands of the
people of towns where such towns cast
a larger vote than the rest of the town
ship. 1t will, in many cases, increase
our school taxes. The village school
taxes are uniformly higher than the
tax in country districts.
This system will bring uniform
tax"-that is to say, it will lessen the
village tax and increase ours. 1t takes
the management of our school affairs
out of our hands and puts it in the hands
of less interested persons, and why?
Are not the farmers of Michigan, famed
for intelligence and common sense,
qualified TO manage their own businessg
The proposed change is represented
TO be solely in the interests of the ru-
raj districts-to benefit farmers. / ask
them: Should not the farmers be al
lowed TO decide for themselves as to
what they want and what they do not
want? So far as / know there is not a
farmer in Michigan, living outside of
the village school districts, who has
given this matter impartial considera-
ton, who is not strongly opposed TO this
proposed innovations; and we intend
TO use every means in our power to pre-
vent the passage of such law.
JASON WoODMAN.