Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-17
WISE MAKES A HIT.
WHAT OUR REPRESENTATIV
THINKS ON THEEDUCATION-
QUESTION:.
A Synopsis Of His Recent Address in the
Lower House-Does Not Think the
Question Should be Dragged into Poll
tics--FavOrs the Minority Report.

Below is synopsis of the recent ad-
dress given by Representative Wise on
the educational question.
Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of this
House:-In the beginning, L desire to
say that | am not graduate of any In
stirution of learning and sm therefore
free from prejudice and bins tor or
against any instllu lution. / want TO say
further that | am not opposed to the
State institutions, non State instltu-
tions, sectarian, parochlal nor to the
common district school system as it ex
lists in Indiana today. l love and ad
mlre all lDstrumentalities of learning,
however powerful, however insignifi-
cant that institution may be. That man
or body of men who think that they
possess all the facilities of education
and who think they have q mon, poly
on education are menace to public
society and enemies to free education.
/ want to remind them that 1t takes
every agency of human society, work
ing in the atmosphere of freedom, to
generate and preserve that popular
wisdom, virtue, and common sense
which is the soul of all progressive civ
llization. Yes, my fellow representa-
tives, it takes all agencies of education
from the highest university down to
the home family reading circle to &C.
complish the objects and purposes of
this Republic.
Neither the original nor the substitute
bill meets with my approval, but in
this case, must choose between them.
The original bill provides for re-
organization of the State Board of edu-
cation as follows: State superintendent
of public instruction, three superinten-
dents of city schools of three largest
cities in the state and three men of
prominence, possessing certain educa-
tional qualifications, at least one of
whom shall be county superintendent
of schools to be appointed by the Gov
ernOr. The substitute proposes the
same thing and adds more by placing
the governor and the three superinten-
dents of the State institutions. Both
admit that the State Board Of educa-
| tion should be reorganiZed. The sup
porters of the majority report have
charged the supporters of the minority
with trying to drag politics into the
State Board of education. am also
opposed to dragging politics into the
educational institutions of the state,
and want to remind the gentlemen
that they have gone one step further in
this direction than have the minority by
leaving the governor on this board as he
always secures his election by reason of
his affiliatiOn with some political party.
They also say they don't want to drag
religion into this board. wart to re-
mind them that that is already prohibit
ed by the Constitution of Indiana. So
there is no danger of having any psrtic-
ulsr religion taught in the schools of
the state. However, position on the
State Board is an official position, recOg-
nized by the laws of the state, and as
there is no religious test for office, a
man who possesses religious convictions
is as much entitled to be appointed on
this board as any person who has no re.
ligious convictions.
believe the common district schools
have been sadly neglected in the past
few years under pretense of higher
education, and now appeal to you, that
We reorganze this board in such way
as to give as great representation to
the common schools as is possibly con-
sistant with justice to all concerned. |
do not favor this reorganization because
l have some grievance with the indi-
yiduals now composing the board as has
been intimated on the floor of this
House, but L am in favor of it because
| believe 1t is q step in the right direc-
tion, and because justice demands it.
The children in the common district
schools of the state need the states
protection more than any one else, and
and it Is for these l speak. 1t is in these
schools where the first prin ciples of cit
Izenship is taught and is the only pos
sible way for training every person for
sovereign citizenship in Republic like
ours, and any one who would injure
them under a pretense of higher educa-
tion is striking blow at the very fOun-
dations of this government. On the
other hand, every attempt to strength
en- it, should be hailed with delight.
Let US settle this question now and
for all time to come by recognizing all