The record-union., 1896-06-01

The June Atlantic" contains an able
article by Mr.. Jones on THE Politician
and the Public School" Mr.. Jones
speaks in no uncertain way. He says:
The unscrupulous politician is the
greatest enemy that we now have to
contend with in public education" In
referring to Dr.. Halls article in the
March Atlantic" (Which introduced
the Atlantic Monthly" series on the
public schools) he says:
'Such confessions could not have
been made by the members of any other
profession. 1t is difficult to say which
is the more startling, the innocent ac-
ceptance Of the situation by teachers
and Superintendents, or the depth of
cupidity and cold-blooded selfishness
manifested by the partisan politicians,
and even by members of school boards.
That these persons are not clarly con-
scious of the enormity of their crime
is shown by the naive way in which
they sometimes offer, as reasons for
employment, incidents and qualifca-
tiCns in no way related to the work of
teaching. These confessions concentrate
upon two reasons. refer to the influ-
ence Of church membership and that
of partisan politics. Church influence
seeks the appointment Of a fellow
member of a church, irrespective of
competency from an educational point
of view, and the employment of COM
petent teachers who happen to belong
to some other church is discouraged.
Such sentences as these are taken
somewhat at random from among many
evidences-from many cities-of the
prevalence of improper influences in the
appointment and retention Of teach
ers:
IF a man is not an attendant at the
prevailing church. he cannot succeed
in holding his position here. "a church
brou unseated my predecessor" g"
Teachers here must be of a certain
church denomination" Occasional
islands lift their fronded palms" above
the almost universal deluge. One Su-
perintendent writes: Although our
board is A. P. A, one Catholic teacher
is so competent and popular that they
have not dared to remove her. I have
had close relations with many school
boards, and I must say that I have
never known any other case of like for
bearance."
But the highest measure Of just exc
Grafton Mr.. Jones points out must be re-
served for partisan political interference
with the interests Of the public schools.
It is upon this point that our confess
eions converge most sharply. A Super
intendent in one Of the Eastern States
writes: Nearly all the teachers in our
schools get their positions by what is
called political pull If they secure a
place and are not backed by political in
fiuence, they are likely to be turned
out" One writes from the South: Most
places depend on politics. The lowest
motives are often used to influence
ends" A faint wall comes from the far
West: Positions are secured and held
by the lowest principles of corrupt poll
ticians" Another writer says: 1.-THE
teachers of this place have practically
no protection from political demagogues.
Not only is political influence used di-
rectly. but it is made to reach out
through all other avenues. They must
trade with the merchants, bank with
the bankers, take treatment of the doc
tors, consult with the lawyers and con-
nive with the politicians Of the dom
iDant party" mo teacher with us feels
secure except those who are of the same
political faith as the powers that be-,
is written by a resident of the Atlantic
slope. "The public schools Of this city
are partisan political Schools" writes
another. Politicians wage a war OF
determination against all teachers who
are not their vassals," comes from the
Rocky Mountains. "Our board is po-
htically corrupt. The members voted to
put out the Principal of the High School
because he was of the opposite political
party" is the complaint from the Pa
cific Slope.
There seems really to be no geographi-
cal limit. A pestIence will sometimes
confne itself to certain doomed regions
and when the poison has run its course
it will subside; politics never so confines
itself and never subsidies. How many
votes can you control for me when / be
come candfate for Mayor?' seems to be
the test question in mathematics re-
quired in many places. The situation
staggers belief. No one seems to grasp
its real significance 1t would be a seri-
Gus problem If It were simply plunder-