The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-28

ject to political influences In nearly
every county of the State there are
high schools. Is it reasonable to put
examinations for their teachers into the
hands of men who have no experience in
teaching? Certainly not. If the political
fitness is to be the paramount influence
in the appointment of teachers, what
kind of schools must we have? The
County Clerk can fill his Office with
politicians and do no hurt to the COM
munity, but the schools cannot be so
filled without injury to the State. The
normal schools have boards OF Trustees
who fill places in them. True, the law
says the Principal shall appoint his
teachers but it is easily managed that
they shall be acceptable to the Trustees.
The law provides that the State Uni
versity shall be kept out of politics an"
it always has been so. With the county
boards SO appointed that the politicians
can at least hope to attain their oe-
sires, it may so happen in the
normal schools. If the State can keep
the State University out OF politics,
why not have it take full control OF
all the schools and the certificatlng or
teachers? There are strong arguments
against this, he knew, but he thought
the benefits were great.
EVILS OF POLITICS.
R. M. Shackleford of Paso ROBES
read an excellent paper on The Evils
of Politics in Our Schools"
He said he was apt to be little rad
ical. and he had put in his paper his
thoughts just as he felt. He was
first. for the children; second, for the
good teachers, for we have no use Tor
poor teachers. Every man OF lntelh-
gence in the State is aware OF the eA-
istence of politics in the schools. Inc
question is, how to remedy 1t!
He believed the teachers themselves
could remedy it, If they would. Inc
trouble is that educators will not agree
Several times proposed litigation mas
come up. but has been defeated py
the minority, aided, perhaps, by pom
ticians for their own ends. The time
has come when the teachers should
agree. A bill should be brought before
the Legislature at the coming session
and all should compromise their diner
ences and work for it. If this be DONE
POLITICS can soon be eliminated from
the schools. He did not contend that
everything could be Accomplished oy
making laws, but they were the means
for carrying out an object.
The State has fostered the normal
schools at great expense, and Is sup
posed to control them. But unfor-
tunately they are located in different
sections of the State, and the people
of the counties where they are seem
to have imbibed the idea that they are
located there for their benefit, and that
thav should have control of them and
the local politicians act on that pr1n-
ciple. He proposed a normal school
commission. to be composed of the
State Superintendent and the Presl-
dents of the State and Stanford Uni
versities. The normal school principals
should be nominated by the commits
sion and should appoint their own
teachers, for many teachers are being
turned out yearly by the County Boards
of Education, while the normal schools
and universities are turning out an
ample number of teachers for all needs.
He held that the competition produced
corruption and political positions and
that the schools suffered. He thought
the normal school graduates possessed
an advantage over those certificated by
the County Boards, and that the latter
were not needed. He advocated setting
apart one day at each County Institute
for the instruction of Trustees. What
they need is enlightenment, as they
generally err through ignorance. 1t
would, he thought work a reform in
the engagement Of teachers and would
we'll repay the county for the extra ex-
pense.
President C. C. Van Lew of the Chico
Normal School moved the appointment
of committee in accordance with the
recommendation of President Burke in
his annual address, and the motion was
carried.
Messrs. Van Lew, w. H. V. Ray
mond, E. P. Cubberly, H. M. Bland and
superintendent Barr were appointed as
such committee.
THE MORAL ASPECT.
Rev. c.. r. Brown of Oakland was
the next speaker and his subject "The
Moral Aspects of Political Interior
ence"
He said the church had in the past
stood as the conservator of morality
and the home, but it was SO no lon
ger. The school is now the field, for we
all come into the hands of the school
master. If the schools are used as
small change to pay debts with or to
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