The times., 1889-03-01
Township Unit System.

but wish To call your attention TO ono fact
1t is claimed that 1.-THE men who have de
voted their lives to the study of schools an,
school management are unit in favor o
the system" Just so. Now / also hav
before re the report of the committee ol
education as presented before the stat
Grange at its last annual meeting recent,
held I'm Lansing. Chairman II. l.. Hewitt
after calling attention to the many advanta
ges claimed for the system, said:
'You will notice that the evidence thu
far presented Is furnished by persons ell
gagged in school work" Thank you Brothe
Hewitt Now 1t IS this same fact which
the advocates of the township system per
sued in urging upon public attention thai
has excited our suspicious In regard TO theil
motives.
Not often through life thus far have felt
impelled either from sense of duty to my
Seif, or of obligations TO others, to interfere
in matters, which, through all the years OF
the past have by common consent and
practice, been conducted by duly author
lied agents, and in high places. The rea-
son, perhaps has been that have ever felt
my sphere Of existence lay in the lower
walk of life, or the under current of our
highly enlightened and patriotic society, if
| may so state 1t. What / wish to say fur
ther is this:
There is terrible commoton down here,
and the ears of the average mossback stand
At an angle of about 45 degrees backward,
and there seems to DO fire In his eye. the
reason for this unpleasant state of affairs is
the oft repeated rumor among us that they
propose to have another sheariRg match at
Lansing this winter. Now Bro. Dewey,
you will recOllect that il the record is cor
rect, there was fellow passed through that
ordeal in the olden time, and that when he
came fully to comprehend its import, he
had no good reason to desire its repetition.
SO we are beginning to think that il we con-
tinue to root around on our farms, or to
ruminate in the sunlight on the hillside re-
gardlcss Of what is going on, this airing
process may be brought about too soon for
our comfort and convenience. Now am
willing to admit that may not fully under
stand the proposition before us, but must
assert that 1t Is proposition brought for
ward by a combination more complete in its
workings, Qf Imay use the expression) more
dominant in its demands than those Of any
other organization to be found among us
today.
A ring which reaches from the most OBJ
Scure district teacher up to the state super
intendent, and his wishes practically become
law, and why so? Your readers will please
recolect the grand work of our last legisla-
ture, which, under tho dictatiOn of this same
ring, imposed upon every county in this
state salary of not less than $1,000, to be
paid to whom! To som, one of those same
sOft-finyered, kid-glOyel, self-cOn stitued
gentry of our various communities, the nat
ural and legitimate OutgrOwth of our educa-
tiOna ideas for the plst fifty years. And
now for wait purpose? Simply that there
might be just so m my more fat places pro-
vided for a lot of taose same guided theO-
retic air castles.
Not only this, 1t is proposition to every
community in this great commonwealth to
lelver over into the hands of this same
ring, the prerogatives which so naturally
and justly belong to themselves. 1t is a
bare faced assumption, that the great mass
es, who have so long boasted of their intel
ligence and patriotism, are not qualified to
adjust matters in which they have such
direct personal interest. 1t is proposition
to us to deliver into their management, the
by which the thousands and hun
Ilreds of thousands of dollars, necessary to
meet their INSCRIPTIONS demand, are to be
extracted from the hard earnings of the
humble toilers of our state. What Is desired,
standard of moral and intellectual develop
nent to be lowered? We answer, not any;
)ut lot it be applied to such things as are |
practical, such things rs will bring to their
returns worthy the effort it cost
o secure them, such things as will place
,ur youth on that grand and elevated plane
where independence and success are the
ightful heritage of all.
Now Bro. Dewey, one word more In re-
,ard to the why so and / will relieve your
patience. Should the men whom we have
ent TO Lansing to represent us in the legis-
atlve halls of our state see fit, as. has been
he custom for years, to indorse any meas
Ire which may be presented, simply because
is presented, let me say there is yet left
o us one hope, one ray of light tlickers
cross the horizon of the dim future. 1t
inmates from the noble heart of our grand
GOVERNOR, Cyrus G.. Luce. who stands before
he people of this state, and tho nation
oday. the sure champion of justice. econ
my and true progress. Let another broth
r speak. FRANKIE.
A good deal Of variety characterizes the
ontents of the March Atlantic, and any one
rho carefully examines its contents will
hat h.. L. /