The age-herald., 1898-03-13
..eeeee esees essseseseese

trustees. for I had by this time became thoroughly interested in the affair, ana the meeting was free-for-all sort Of thing, and before I had been there great Whlle' I soon very clearly saw that 1t was an attempt to oust the principal 1T they could get rid of him, they could still De sure of keeping the assistant in the schooi. They seemed to decide amongst themselves that if they couldn't get rid Of hlm Tn one way, they would in another, so they declared they could not-possibly raise the money with which to pay off the indebted- ness which was then due. The mortgagee had announced his intention to foreclose unless he was satisfied, and he knew well enough that it was impossible TOT the trustees to meet the obligation
 This of course accomplished the purpose of the populst faction, and the only re- course available to the principal was to turn upon them rent the building or ms own accord and run the school to sult himself. This plan was not commendapie, for the reason that the sympathiZers or the assistant principal wouldn't patronlze the school, and with the town patronage divided-t was not very large anyway he could not possibly run the school sue cessfully from a financial point Of view, at least.
 So the school was closed; dismissed in the middle of the session doing irretrevfa- ble injury to the cause of the scholars, to the cause of education, and to the up- building of the community.
 Of course this state of affairs dldn last always but it lasted long enough to nave a permanent evil effect, and to show Just what the contaminating influences or pon- tics are In this instance, and all or thls really happened in Alabama in the year oi 1897 the interest of the future c1tzehshi' of the community was seriously hazarueu' simply because the fathers or these poys end girls were too stubborn and selnsh to sacrifice a trifling political position III order to upbuid their town and to advance the general intellectual capacity or thelr offspring thereby solidifying the commit nity. and creating in 1t permanent re- finement which is absolutely essehtlal to the advancement of any town or district in order that it may cope successfully with other like towns and districts in other states.
 The conditions which prevail In ana around Brandytown prevail, also In many many other towns and communities III Ala bama; too many, indeed.
 The educational conditions which exist III these isolated communities are shochhs that word expresses it-and intelligent steps should be taken to insure some method py which this great state can get rid Of the iniouitous practice of manipulating the schools of the state to satisfy political ends The future development of our citizenship should be the supreme idea in framing laws which are to relate to our educational prop lem instead of allowing politics to per meate it so thoroughly that the character of our school system is completely lost
 If really beneficial measures are not adopted and decidedly aggressive steps are not taken, we may be sure the state of Alabama will always rank, educationally, as it does today.
 If not, years hence, down in Brandytown, in the old school house. which will still bear a mortgage, while the boys and girls are sending the assistant principal of the Brandytown academy to the land of Nod by their hum-drum, buzzing voices, being engaged in endeavoring to learn something, the irrepressible bad boy'' will be up to some of his devilment and arouse the as- sstant principal, who will arise in his splendid dignity, and, uplifting his massive hickory switch command this little dare devil to lease down there, youuns."