The herald., 1894-09-02
IMPORTATION OF PRDAGoGUES.

Atelegram was printed in Wednesday 4
HERALD to the effect that DR.. Pepper,
president OF the board of education in
and for this city. had received tele-
gram from Professor Mailman stating
that he would accept the superintend-
ency OF the Los Angeles public schools
provided ne could get the consent OF
Hon. Hoke Smith to his leaving Wash
ngton. Whether Maj. Dink Bolts or Col.
Flood Rix were consulted in ths matter
has not yet transpired.
To our untutored vision there appears
to be good deal of rubbish and fustian
about this sending abroad for men to
conduct our local matters OF education.
They come here with all their eastern
ideas, begotten OF centuries OF narrow
prejudice. They come here to meet
people not so we'll educated as them
selves, but good deal better informed
and OF infinitely broader ideas on all
leading questions OF the day. There is
degree OF personal liberty and itdi-
vidusl freedom aere to which they are
wholly unaccustomsd; and they soon
find themselves decidedly out OF place
in trying to bring Pacific coast people to
their ways OF thinking. 1t is too much
like making the mountain come to Ma
homet.
The school laws of California, with the
exception of few trif1ing amendments
which have been necessitstsd by the
states having doubled her population in
the twenty-eight years that have elapsed
since it's passage. are essentially the
same as the bill which passed the legis-
lature of 1866, which was Republican in
both houses. 1t was drawn by John
SWEET of San Francisco, as practical q
teacher as was ever employed in sny
system of common schools; and so ex-
cellently did it work from the very day
it received Governor Lows signature,
that subsequent legislatures. several OF
which were Democratic in both houses,
declined to amend it in any of its lead
ing features. In less than five years
from it's passage, the territories OF Idaho
and Washington, as we'll as the state OF
Oregon, amended their school laws in
such way as to adopt all the leading
features of the SWEET bill.
1t does seem to US (slthorgh it may
not appear 60 to the mem bers OF orr eity
board of education} that we ought to be
able to secure some competent person to
take charge of our city system OF schools
who is already q citizen of California. ii
not of Los Angeles. II there ia no prop
erly qualified citizen OF our own burg,
John SWEET can pick US out one that
will answer all the requirements OF the
system. The question OF mans politi-
cal opinions should not be allowed to
enter into the matter for single mo-
ment. To make the tuition of our chill
dren the subject OF political dickering
and bargains in conventions, would be
a stigma upon our boosted intelligence
az people and rebuke TO the Wanted
freedom of our Institutions. The educs-
ton of the future sires and mstrons OF
our deservedly great and growing state
should be lifted above the aordid plane
OF party politics and kept there forever.
The Californian is a man OF broad
opinions and liberal ideas. He desires
to see his sons and daughters grow up
like himself, and for that reason would
prefer to see the school systems OF our
towns and cities handled by men who
have grown up under the workings OF
our own benefcent educational laws.
Such men are to be found within the
state, and there is no good reason for
sending abroad for them.