The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1899-05-17
MR.. CARPENTER AND SCHOOLS
THE MISTER CORRECTS AN Err
RONEOOS REPORT.
Opposes Sectarianism in Teachers
and Tenets and Pleads for
Non. Partisan Action

EDITOR News: | have been inform
ed that a speech made by me on educa-
ton at the last session of the Summer
Hill Association, which met at Omaha,
is being used for partisan purposes in
the agitation of ''Who shall be our
school superintendent in Dawson an
other year?' AS an answer to all ins
quiries concerning my position on the
religious aspect of the question, please
publish the following article, written
by myself for the Index and published
May 4th, inst You Will see by that
that | ignore sectariaulsm In our
schools and plead for broad American
ism
In my Omaha speech | deplored the
fact that in many towns a man could
not be elected to positions of trust un>
less lie was member Of the church of
the dominant sect | still adhere 70
that position, and believe the Dawson
school board will endorse the position,
and act for the good of the people at
large by eleCting superintendent for
our school who is competent to fiji
that position regardless of his denomi-
national utilization. l have had in
school for three and half years in
Dawson from three to five children.
and have no complaint against either
the present incumbent or predecessor.
know of no Partially being shown
by either one in any particular.
}. HOWARD CARPENTER
| have read with much interest the
discussion of the "holy day question:"
which is agItating certain church men
OF your city and which oughC to enlist
the interest Of the whole nation in
some way. 1t is a matter Of no small
concern, but fundamental to the peace
and progress of this, the ideal republic
in the world
Allow me to coin maxim: Religion
and politics, separate and distinct, CO.
lossal pillars supporting the archway
OF American greatness, guarantee un-
ION, one and inseparabIe, now and for.
ever to this nation religion and pol
ltlcs, In unholy union wed. greedy
vulture, sinks deep its beak in the
viUas of Liberty and glOats over the
PROSTATE form of democracy.
The schools are civic, not relio' Gus
institutions, They are supported by
tax money collected from the citizeus
OF our state without regard to religious
predictions, and should be as free
from the touch and smell of sectarian-
ism as the national constitution itself.
1t IS not the province If the state to
teach religion if so she has therigbt
to select the text books on theology
even as she now selects the text books
on the sciences. THIS proposition will
not De c0ntroyerted in the open press
even by the advocates Of the holy DAYS:
but, u The schools take knowledge of
holy days they do thereby teach re-
llgion; even as i'm the observance of
legal holidays commemorative of the
virtues of our great heroes. the prin,
ciples for which they lived, fought and
dice, are taught TO and impressed upon
the children
AS nation we are ignorant of "co0d
Friday" and holy Thursday" lash
Wednesday, and ''easter Sunday =
Even as individual religionists. an
overwhelming majority OF Gporeians
nv " 'Heoe 80 tdlleu Hoiy
uays' anu ~ Is UNJUST 20 them 10 have
uisV'hctlohS mace In their favor by
Uhe scho0ls'
Nota' behe. The ecclesiastics who
Weh1 before the Atlanta school board
anu pleaded Tor a reconsideration Of
Slu ooards action IN Ignoring holy
DAYS, loudly proclaimed their antagon-
Ism 10 the union OF church and state.
Dtf = r.. Al
But IL IS TACT that the CHURCHES rep
resented by these gentlemen have al
ways stool for union of church and
state, provided the partlcalat church
SO 90Vn0atlnp ShnUlH ha 2 "a