The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-02-08
F%srAnLIanEn 1870.
vepi0g Herald
POLITICS IN TIE SCHOOLS.

POLITICS IN THE SCHOOLS.
Senator Gibson, Of Erie county, has intro
duced a bill at Harrisburg that should be
given serious consideration by the members Of
the Legislature as we'll as by the people in
general. The measure provides that School
Boards be relieved Of the power Of appoint
ing school teachers, and such power be i'm
vested in the superintendent or Principal
The advocates of the measure argue shat
under the present system politics enters too
largely into the manner of appointing
teachers and that if the selection is trans
ferred to the heads of the schools this evil
will be avoided, TOT great extent.
Senator Gibson's bill, while it relieves
School Boards Of the power of saying who
shall fill the position of teacher, gives the
members of the Board the right to appoint
the Principals or superintendent. 1t is
natural to suppose that the latter official
will be Of the same political faith as the
majority members Of the Board, and hence
the measure under consideration simply
transfers political interference-if any exists
in the government of schools-from School
Boards to the Superintendent. In this
we fail to see what benefit to the schools the
passage Of the Gibson bill can possibly be.
With a superintendent who owes his ap-
pointment to a partisan Board, and who is cf
the same political faith as the majority mem-
bers, it is not unreasonable to suppose that
the head Of the schools will choose those
applicants, all things being equal, who are
friendly to the appointing power. Besides,
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the wishes Of those to whom they are in
debted for their appointment and will hardly
go counter to their desires for fear of defeat
for reappointment at the expiration Of their
terms.
The object of the bill, as stated by its
advocates, is TO relieve the schools of the
d~sbasiug influences Of partisan politics. Will
it secure the desired end? We think not. As
previously stated, it will merely transfer the
appointing power from a dozen men to that
of one individual, which in itself is a serious
objection. 1t is too much power to invest in
the hands Of one man. It would be far better
to allow eight men to pass upon the qualifca-
tions Of school teachers. But tho claim is
made that politics enters too much into the
government of our schools. Let us consider
this phase Of the question, taking the schools
Of Shenandoah as a criterion.
The Citizans party has been in control Of
the School Rbard for many years, with prob
ably an exceptional year or two, when the
Democrats obtained control of tho Board
Many parents remember tie time when the
local schools were below the average, bur
under the contrsl of the Citizens party they
now rank second to mono. 1t has been the
boast of that party, and the records Of th'
School Board will bear out the statement
that in the appointment of superintendent
Principals and teachers the representative
of the Citizons party on the Board have
always placed the qualifications Of the ap
plicant above that of party, and as a result
the schools Of Shenandoah are the pride o
our people, and justly so.
The Citizens party has had it in its power
20 fill the positions, from the lowest to the
highest. with those of their own political
faith, but they did not avail themselves OF
that opportunity. They always gave the
Democracy a fair representation, and hence,
50 far as Shenandoah is concerned, politics
has entered very little into the management
OF Ln6 SCHOOLS, al lcd5L WAllb Auutl tAC NDh'
troll Of the Citizens party. 1t is true Demo.
cratic appointees may have been removed foi
want Of proper qualifications; but all will
acknowledge that the efficiency Of the schools
cannot be maintained with incompetent
instructors, and their actions in this respec
is to be commended rather than condemned
The present Principal Of the High schoo
was appointed by a Democratic Board, yet h'
has been retained by the Citizens party
Notwithstanding the fact that in politics he j.
said to a~ffliates with the opposing party. Hi
qualifications for the position cannot b.
questioned, and hence, in line with the pas
policy of the Citizens party he has been re
tanned by them. Many Of the Director
elected by the Citizens have been instrumen
tai in securing positions for teachers who ar
Democrats, notably among the number beinI
Directors David Morgan and john Lee an,
Others Of their colleagues.
Notwithstanding the fact that tn
Citizens party has had control Of tn
School Boad for a number of years
AID had it in their power to place in ever!
school in the borough a teacher of the sam
political faith, they have always displayed
liberal spirit towards those Of the minority
This is shown conclusiyely at every annua
election Of teachers and as a result Of thi
policy, the Democrats have q greater numbe
Of teachers in the schools than tn
dominant party has.
In view Of these facts, we see no goo
reason for transferring the appointing powe
from the hands of the Board to that Of
single individual. The Gibson bill should b
deGaated