Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-07-03
Civil Service in Our Public Schools.

l
Mr.. Editor .-One of the most decided oh
jections that has ever been made to The
truest exponent OF Democratic principles
Mr.. Cleveland, by his political supporters
Is that he has always been a firm advocate
| of the civil service rule in making appoint
ments. A great many of those who sup
| ported him in his first contest for the chiei
| magistracy contended, and with fair show
of reason, too, that he should have made a
clean sweep of the departments upon his in
ception to the presidency, and if he had con-
sidered his own interests in preference to
those of his party and his country, such
would no doubt have been his course. But
honor and principle actuated his political
course then, as it always has done, and no
selfish considerations could lead him from it..
He knew that such policy would strength
en- him with his party, but, at the same
time, would give the departments weak
and inefficient service, and thus endanger
the success of the administration and bring
reproach upon his party.
The working of civil service shows how
hard 1t is to make laws that meet all exigen-
cies and insure Justice 10 all cases. Doubtless
il was the cause of many worthy persons be-
ing discharged frem the government service
men who had served their country long and
faithfully and who had become thoroughly
educated in the work of their o ffices. They
were often discharged, too, at time when
it was almost impossible for them to main
tain themselves and families by engaging in
other avocations.
But the intent of the law was good. Its
object was to prevent the very evils which
in many cases, perhaps, 1t has prod uced-
the appointment to office of men and women
utterly incapable and inc fficient, and the
removal therefrom of the tried and faithful.
Another object of the law was to remove
appointments from the management of ma
chine politicians, and also to relieve the
heads OF the departments of the overpower-
ing onsets of office.seekers. But, although
under proper supervision, the law might
have proved blessing, through the in
trigues of powerful emssaries OF the gov
ernment It's effect at times has been almost
entirely destroyed.
The appointments OF teachers in our pub
lie schools are similar to those mad under
the civil service rule, with the exception,
perhaps, that political influence is supposed
never TO be a factor in the appoint ment of
teachers. They are certainly alike in that old
and experienced appointees are sometimes
removed to give place to young and incom-
petent applicants.
There could be many salutary changes
made in the management of our public
schools. No person should be placed at the
head Of school who has not reached the
age of maturity, who has had no experience
in teaching in our schools, or who has not
taken a thorough course in normal school,
and these conditions should not be lost sight
of through considerations of sympathy, or
the worthiness of the applicant or that of
his family. When we consider the intlu-
ence the character of the teacher must have
upon the rising generation, and, indeed,
upon the prosperity OF our country, we
must 81 how misplaced is the sympathy
that places an incompetent teacher at the
head OF school, merely because charity or
an honorable name demands it. Appoint
ments made through considerations of sym
pathy are dangerous enough, surely, but
when they are made with an eye to the po-
litical advancement of those in authority
they become criminally SO.
But, although thorough education and
wide experience are essential to success in
teaching, no one can become popular as an
educator who allows free play to his pas.
sions in the school room-who has no
knowledge OF the propensities of children
and the manner in which they should be
met and controlled, or who cannot command
the attention and win the affections OF his
pupils. Thus it may be seen that it is utter
ly impossible to form a correct opinion OF
the availability of the teacher from the far.
cical examinations which are, in some 10.
calities ut least, annually held under the
"civl service" of our public schools, and,
after all, we must learn the abilities OF the
teacher by trial, backed by the report of
some we'll established educational institu
tion. There are, no doubt, to be found in
our public schools many boys and girls of
fifteen who could pass a successful exami-
nation in the annual contest, while there
are some experienced and popular teachers
who could not, but would it be right, On
that account, to discharge the man of fifty
and give his place to the boy of fifteen?
Comus, Md. Y.