The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-02
RESULT OF THE SCHOOL
ELECTION.

At yesterdays election the friends of
the schools triumphed and the candi-
dates nominated by the people in con-
vention were elected. But there were
two very vicious attacks made on the
school system. One was in the First
municipal ward. and the other in the
Fifth. These attacks were made under
cover of Independent candidates, one
protesting a personal grievance, the
other two masquerading as friends of
the grade schools, but as shamelessly
bold opponents of the high school. The
man who attacks the high school at
tacks all the schools, for how can an
attack be made on the head without
injury to the body? The school system
is whole, and that which Injuries any
part of it Injuries the whole.
The independent candidates in the
Fifth sought and thought to catch
votes by announcing as their platform
that the common schools furnish sub
stantial mental food; all should re-
ceive it free. High schools furnish lux
uries for all-who can afford them.''
That platform received some support,
d considerable support, in fact, but if
only one person had voted for it, it
would have received too much support
The high school a luxury? It is as much
of necessity as the grade schools.
What are the 'luxuries" that the high
schools furnish? Are they in any re-
spect different in kind from those fur
nished by the grade schools? The per
son who talks about the 'Fluxuries' fur
nished by the high school must be
either an ass or a knave; he certainly
isn't a citizen who has any pride in
his city. 1t is a matter of congratu-
lation by every friend of education in
the city that Symons, Kelson and Nc
Master were defeated.
And now a few words as to the cleo.
ton. The spirit that actuated the call
for the convention to nominate candi-
dates for the board of education was an
eminently proper and public one. Those
who engaged in the movement had no
other desire than the best interests of
the schools, politics cutting no figure.
But after the nominations were made
there should have been a proper organ
ization to see that the will of the con-
ventions was fully carried out; there
should have been a campaign commit
tee in each precinct, and that commit
tee should have bestirred itself to see
that no surreptitious tickets were
placed in the field, and the interests of
the schools thereby endangered. And it
would have been well to have such
committees composed of members Of
the precinct committees of the regular
political parties. This would, in a meas
ure, have caused members of political
parties to feel that their party, as such,
was Identified with the movement. Then
it would have been almost impossible to
get up Independent tickets, while if
they were gotten up it would have
been almost impossible for them to
have received any support.
Yesterdays election has demonstrated
that there is an anti-high school senti-
ment in the community, and it is Ger
tain that that sentiment would have
made itself felt to a considerable ex-
tent had it not been for the fight
waged on behalf of the high school and
the public school system by The Her
aid and the Tribune.
Never was a paper more non-parti-
san on any matter than the News on
the school question in the campaign
that closed yesterday.