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

CONTINUED from Third Page)
been known to do several thlnes
Among these are (a) selling places out
right, (b) putting in their own relatives,
Co trading them with other persons
for personal favors. (d) paying DEBTS
of various sorts, sometimes those maze
most corruptly; (e) putting in their own
dependents or those of others, ~ using
them for purposes of charity.
The motive in each Of these cases may
be different. The effect on the schools
Is alike evil. The children, under the
influence of spoilsmen and spoilswomen,
each day receive q dose of poison, of
political corruption. Competent, ca
pable, self-respecting men and women
will not take schools under any of these
conditions Good schools cannot be
made on any other terms. OF all these
conditions, the one which makes the
teacher an object of charity is, perhaps,
the most mischievous good school
cannot be a hospital for it's teachers.
The various forms of school corrup-
ton have a variety of evil results.
These we may analyze as follows:
l. They injure the schools by making
good work impossible.
2. They exclude good teachers.
3. They exclude those who strive to
rise in the profession by honorable
means.
4. They render places in the schools
unstable This evil has been remedied
by statute prohibiting removals except
by formal trial. This is an evil great
cfoI f<xy
petuate the evils of corruption. There
are cities in which a statute against re-
moval has had corrupt boards to
enormously multiply the number of use
less teachers by adding it's own compile
ment to those of it's predecessors, thus
greatly increasing the cost of the
schools without good service. Where
the spoils system obtains rotation in
office does no additional harm. Where
good schools are desired the power of
free removal is scarcely less important
than the power of appointment. Com
petent superintendent will not abuse
this power. Good managers do not
make charges wantonly.
5. Corrupt conditions keep the best
men out of public school work. In gen.
eral, competent man will accept a col
lege position at far lower salary than
he would demand in public school work.
Graduate students in universities will
choose a laboratory position at $500 to
81 900 in preference to a high school
instructorship at 1,5OO to $1,000, or
a superintendency at $1,000 to $1,000.
The university offers high incentive,
freedom from intrigue and final reward
for superior service. The public schools
cannot guarantee anything. To be dis
missed from any position in some of our
cities involves no professional discredit;
not even the need of explanation. The
one thing to be explained is the induce
ment which led the teacher to accept
such position.
The conditions described prevent
cities from securing outside talent. In
some great cities where the spells sys-
tenn has been unchecked no competent
outside teacher would ever think of ar-
plying for position. The superintend-
ent never thinks Of looking outside for
a teacher. A great city should be ever
on the watch for the best talent in the
region tributary to it. The city of San
Francisco for example, should be alert
to bring in the best teachers Of the
Coast to handle the work in it's high
schools and grammar schools. have
heard Of but one case of its drawing a
teacher from any other city, or even Of
any attempt to do so. The principle Of
keeping our own schools for our own
girls, wherever this is accepted, works
badly for the schools. 1t is species of
educational corruption. In some cases
a local department called normal has
been established so that "the girls who
have to teach" will not need to go away
from home for their training. But to
go away from home is necessary part
of their training, if teaching is to be in
any degree a profession. The schools
need new blood. The teacher needs new
outlooks. In a well managed system no
teacher will be appointed who has not
had, as a teacher or as a student, some
experience somewhere else.
If teachers push themselves upward
through unprofessional means, teaching
cannot be made a. profession. If intrigue
and flattery, wire pulling or ''leg pull
ing" masculine arts or feminine arts
of swaying the appointing power fur
nish means of advancement, the nobler
arts of love of learning and devotion
to the needs of children will not be
entered into the competition.
Thus the ranks of our teachers be-
come filled with those who know moth
ing and have no care to know, with
those who use the work of teacher while
seeking marriage or an opening in q
law Office, with those who pay more
for the dead birds on their hats than for
all the books they read, reckless of the
fact that every bird killed wantonly
leaves this world a little less worth liv-
ing in, with those who know more of