Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1896-03-05
Still Roasting the School Board.

EDITOR CHIEFTAIN:-I have no.
ticed several articles in the CHEF
TAIN in regard to our present board
of education. none of which are at
all f1attering. All the writers ap-
pear to entertain a very poor opin-
ion of the character and intelli-
gence of the members of said board
and some 60 so far as to say that
it consists of two fools and a
krave." Now | consider this
abuse all out of place. l have
paid special attention to this de-
partment of our government for
the past fifteen years, and if you
will "size up" all the boards APP
pointed during that time and make
an average of them, morally and
intellectually think you will find
that the present board will COM
pare favorably with the average.
1t appears to be the policy of the
administrators of our government,
in selecting a board of education,
to select one man capable of trans
acting the business of the board,
without taking his moral charac-
ter into consideration; the other
two members are appointed
through political influence, with
out regard to qualifications of any
kind. As a result of this policy
we frequently find incompetent
and dishonest men on the board.
But are these men to blame for
being there? Is any man to blame
for asking for, or accepting, a po-
sition which will enable him to
better his condition financially? /
think not. Well, then, if the
board is not to blame, who is?
Some will say the chief, for he ap |
pointed them. but if we go to the |
chief he will say he was compelled |
to appoint these men; otherwise |
council would not confirm his ap-
pOintments. This brings us to our
council. Now let US consider the
character and intelligence Of our
councilmen for a moment before
We decide whether they should be
held responsible for what they do.
If there is, or ever has been,
body of lawmakers in the known
world that contains, or did contain,
a greater percentage OF genuine,
thoroughbred ignoramouses than
The average Cherokee council, |
have never seen, heard of, nor
read OF it. | am personally ac-
quainted with members of the last
council that | would not credit
with intelligence enough to drive
a goose to water-unless the goose
had been there before and knew
the way. Now, would it be right
to hold such men responsible for
incompetent men to at
tend to our school business? Ger
tainly not. Neither should they
be held responsible for reducing
the Cherokee nation from affiuence
to poverty. 1t is the men who
nominate and vote for such block
heads that are responsible, and
whenever any one feels like throw
ing a rock at the school board he
should hit himself with tiff he is
a voter-then throw it at his near
est neighbor and let him throw it
at the next and so pass it along
until it strikes every voter in the
nation, regardless of party, for one
party is no better than the other.
Under our present laws there is
but one remedy for the wretched
of our schools, and that
is to send none but honest, intel
gent men to council. They would
appoint men like themselves to
look after the interests of our
schools, and they in turn would
give Us competent, energetic teach
ers instead of the miserable coun-
Ierfeiis which are so frequently
forced upon us, and who are caus-
ing our country schools to become
a curse instead of blessing to the
people. HONEST lNJUN.