St. Paul daily globe., 1894-08-17
THE MILK In THE COcOANUT.

II IN 4 MALsA hN IN III SOSoANSA.
Tim Reardon revealed the animus Of
his crusade ae ainst immortality In the
public schools whenhe declared 10 the
the special committee of the
school board at tyesterday's sitting that
1.-The schools of the city are sinkhoies OF
iniquiiy and will be as long as Mr.. Gil
bert Is superintendent of schools"
The whole affair IN all Of its ramitica-
tions is solely an attack Oh that officer.
having for its motive a mixture of poll
ties and chagrin aud for its object his
discharge. This is apparent as the
Investigation proceeds, both from Rear
dOn'S declarations and the statements OF
the persons he produced as witnesses.
We use politics not in the partisan
sense Of the word, but to designate
motives and methods for the removal OF
an officer to make place for some other
person or to crafty the aninosity that
springs from real or imaginary injustice.
The chagrin comes from the action OF
the superinte ndent in dropping ttom
the roll some of the teachers, who very
humanity think that they have been
unjustly or unfairly dealt with. and, also
very naturally, want to hit back. NO
one is ever relieved from any service
who will admit that the removal Is JUS
tilted, and no such a one but entertalns
poor opinion of the person causing the
removal. This is only saying that
teachers are but common murtals.
1t is certainly among the possibilities
e,,nnrintnrIant has IL
justice; that he has been Influenced by
his own dislikes, or permitted his Judg-
ment 10 be swayed 10y misrepreSenta-
tions. Possibly worthy and competent
teachers have been dropped from the
roll by him. 1t may be that he has not
| always been guided by what he thought
! was tor the best of the schools, but this,
again. is only saying that even Mr.. Gill
bert is not infaliible, and it is one OF the
inevitable and unavoidable Incidents OF
life, not confined to schools, by any
means. But if he has done all this. 1t
furnishes no ground for asSaIllng the
morality of the schools. nor does 1t re-
feet on the morals of the superintend.
ent. Even if the grayer charges of in.
lOAlCdIlOu NC II uc, lHCy oiiOult iiOG Ho
been cloaked under a drag.net charge
| of iniquity III the schools. Lascivious
conduct of pupils and inebrIety in the
! superintendent are not necessarily re.
lated to each other, and we do not I'M
derstand that the superintendent Is
charged with having inspired the
naugh.ness of the pupils.
That charge should be explicitly made
and supported with specifications, as
should any other charge affecting the
character or competency af that officer.
Perhaps it has not occurred to Mr.
Reardon that that is the manly way OF
attack, and perhaps it is too much to
expect that such way would occur to
him. II. however, he has any facts tc
substantiate his statements, and will
put them in proper shape, we believe
| we can guarantee him full hearing by
the board. full report of the testimony
by the GLOBE, and, in our opinion, il
! there is a proof made OF them, the board
will not hesitate to do its duty If il
does not. the GLOBE will be as ready tC
censure it as it has been to censUre
Mr.. Reardon for having made grave
charge against the schools, which he
has utterly failed TO substantiate.