Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1899-10-13
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Calvert Journal in editorials reply ing 70 you
criticism on The action Of the School Board o
this County 10 refusing TO confirm The ap
p0intment Of = gentleman AS Principal Of ou
Public School At Solomons quoted Jon a
having uttered the following severe Language
These School Commissioners, therefore, hav'
tot only violated their oa'hs and iramDles
upon the organic law Of the State, hat show
themselves unit tor the public service, an
should be removed from Office The attention
Of the Govrrnor should becalled iC the ms
and their removal asked" am one Of th
Commissioners and trust you will allow M
space in your valuable paDer to set forth tn
considerations that setuaied my decision.
speak for myself only not for the Board A
petition was presented to the Board Of Couat)
School Commissioners subscribed TO by lar
&c majority of the patrons Of the Pubii
School at Solomons, requesting the Board no
to confirm 40 appointment made by the T-us
tees Of 4 gentleman to the position Of Princi
pal Of that School, No facts were stated il
the petition indicating upon what grounds i
was based. except that the petitioners hal
reason to believe that be is not suitable per
sou for the position and will not be acceptable
to, n large majority Of the patroUs OF D.
school, Probably from motives Of delicat J
or moderation, their reasons were not stated
either, bnt ! think Il was generally limited
about they were suggested BY consideration
Of the Rentleman's religion; at least under
stood IL 30 Since the foundation Of ths
Pablo School system Of kducationin ihs
United States there hss ragged all over ihs
Coantry and active controversy as TO the pro
priety Of teaching morality 10 the Publ,
Schools. and as to how il should be taught
The disputants are divided into three classes
First, those maintaining that morality is !
proper and necessary subject, but that il can
not be impaired unless BASED upon the doe
trines Of christianity
second, those believing morality to be :
proper subject, but capable Of being ineulaled
INDEPENDENTLY of the doctrines OF any reli
gion
Third, those holding that morality, apari
from respect for public law, is a matter will
which the State hes nothing TO do. and pure
y tie provinces OF the family and Susda,
School
The prevailing disposition OF the pupils
however. is OF The first class, and although
they are all agreed es TO what is moral and
immoral, many differ, or think they do, as tt
what Divine SanctiaDs should be put forward
as the basis Of the morality fought. This COG.
dition again divides the patrons Of the Publ,
Schools, or questions OF moral training. into
as many great groups as there are christian
seets professed by them 1t is manifestly im.
possible TO introduce system Of moral train,
Jog as flowing from the teachings of y number
christian sects whose tenets will not harmon.
re, and since it is generally accepted thai
morality cannot be iuculated apart from
christian doctrine. ! see no escape from tbs
difficulty but TO suffer the largerly prevailing
christian sect Of the School District to prevail
IN the school, and even though it turn til,
school lnta proselyiizng institution for thu
church whose members form conspiciont
majoritv Of the patrons The Public School
is our institution totally different from other
government concern There is no Methodist
Catholic, or Episeopalian system of book.
keeping. Ere department, police. or public
roads, but there is Methodist, Catholic, and
Espiscopalian system of education.
A wider federation has. think wisely where
noohiaetion is made, suffered The introduction
Of sQnle religious practices in the school room
as hi6le reading, hymn singing etc, and it is
evident that there is practices will be accom-
panied ny more edifyinR rssuts where teachers
md pupil are of denomination accustomed
to gather under one focf to worship. an
not criticlsinR the policy but simply passing
n.
there is nothing in the law to warrant il
Childhood Is the period wherein moral and
religious principles are most readily impaired
These principles are absorbed, not h. I'm text.
hooks but from precept, example, and asso-
citation To children the motives for accept.
ing and refining a code Of morals are purel,
ethical and sentimental, as ordinarily present
ed and. associafed with religious precept; 10
deed lhs,.highef m0tiyas to good ctiyenship
are aserlbed bF , me people 10 the religion
they enjoy, for is no uncoinmrn thing to
hear clergymen our creed, declare thai
members of another, cannot be good citizens,
by reason Of their religion. The personality
os ie"pter exsrts powerful influence over
the yqpag minds Of his pupils. He may be a
member Of = denomination distinct from thar
u his pupils. oEe theg have been accustomed
10 regard with alarms suspicion, indifference
or abhorfance. Such a teacher need never
opef his moupth upon sectarian question in
his school, Jet If his conduct he wins the con.
6dence and affection OF his scholars, he ma,
disarn their hostility 10 his creed, and dc
more poselytising for his church. than could
be done BY him in Years OF argument. Yor
tell me Mr. Editor, s'tha. have violated m,
oath and trampled upon the organic law o
the ataleP'
Now, there is,no use bAnking our eyes Il
the matter. The CoEsliiuiion does not Dc
way with religious intolerance, but. on III,
contrnrs, accept aud recognizes it as a rea
condition a d nifliction Of. society. This |,
evidenced from the very provisions direcied 4
the protection Of individuals in the persons
right and conscences Notwithstanding Ikeil
creeds. In the case before US IL became ]
question Of doing yioleaee to the sentiment O
a commaniiy, or TO the sentiment Of The can.
di'iate, tor you surely cannot maint.iu that BIZ
had right to the position before his appoint,
meng was congrmed by the School ,Besrd
assume the ConsliIufion Was as much desfuln
ed to secure the people 10 the eni1vmenl Of
their religious sentiments, as TO protect an in.
dividnal from m0lesiatiou.o or the linin.tipu Of
his liberties on account Of bis
There were no questions OF rights iHv1i yrd
in this case, simply those Of propriety and ex-
pediencF No law tesbel applied, b,itia dis
erection TO De excused TIE Institutions Of GU,
country are based upol he assn nption thai
the wisdom, apd justice Of the Nation rep. 81
in the People, i il not the business ri /
public ofiicer to question: the Ilbtives 81 ths
people he has undertaken TO serve II Their
demands for the exercise OF his Adiserenqn,
mot for the application ofa law, MUD, are
tepuEhhue ~ uisaatllsc Oi lustce ana DUTY. he
has his recourse IN refusing to serve them. A
Public School, under our tolerated system Of
administration. must be either -tinged with
sectaunism, or absolutely profane, prefer
the first condition as the Lesser evil
deplore the occurrence, and the necessit,
for our decision; BECAUSE il establishes a ne i
and dangerous precedent in our County. bul
it seems 10 me TO be the only procedure cal.
culaied TO SECURE that peace and repose 10 a
school district without which school canno,
be successfully conducted have good
reason for believing that ibe candidates rrli.
gion esp in no way impsir his fiirienc, in
bis profession, for he Is of nv own faith and
persuasion Here however, WIS not called
upon 70 deliver my private juisement OF
apply law, but to exercise an III itl liscre.
ton and did so, nnly after careful exalnlna.
titn OF presidents through our the Uniled
States, for fortunately our State offer few
Had the qnesiion-arisen in district composed
slmost entirely q patrons OF the religion:
belief Of the gentleman Who was rejected. and
. teacher proposed OF the persuasion Of he
petitioners. agaiRs. whom, and from the sam,
motives, simalinr demonstration made,
would have taken the action ss have ii thii
case and for the same reasons Would OF
have. QUESTIONED the .prorriety Of my action
under the circumstances had the gentleman
been Jew?