Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-01-19
OBSERVERS
COMMUNICATION

Editor AMERICAN :-Children
are taught that tall oaks from little
acorns grow, but we, who have reach
ed years of discretion, and are visited
annually ty the tax collector, realize
perhaps more fully, that big expenses
are often incurred by persons holding
public otiices. That public money is
frequently spent injudiciously, we
all know that the only way to remedy
the evil is to elect level beaded, hon
est men and that rests with the voters
In pnning this communication moth
ing p.rsCnal is intended in alluding to
TH' va.i'us offices-merely thoughts
s4gcs-t'd by an uulooker
W aIya mott ed several exortations
i y.af yal b paper urging voters to
* De- -'cNTg IN Tie selection of School
d cas in the B rough. THIS is
rg ~ aIt proper TIE office of School
Dire tDI, though perhaps to the ordIn-
ary voter, an uuimportant position, be-
cause unSalriedl, is, in reality, the one
IN which everybody should take the
most interest. 1t involves the educa.
tiOn of the coming generation, men,
who are, in their turn. to assume the
reins of Government Too often the
man selected for this office of School
Director is an ignorant man, one who
takes the office only because 10 is q
step to something better, who cares
nothing for education and when 1t
comes TO choose and elect a teacher, he
will get ont Of it all 1t is worth. 1t
does not matter to him whether the
applicant for q school holds a poor
certificate. il there Ia any money in it
for him.
This picture Is not oyerdrawn.s The
writer has very distinct recollection
OF certain School Directors not many
miles from Danville who accepted
money from teachers In order to pro-
cure them their positions. A gentle.
man, once a teacher In the public
schools Of Danville, told as that he had
been in the employ of q book firm and
10 was his duty to cali upon the Iii
rectors Of certain townships to solicit
patronage. He states that he had new
er been brought In contact with more
dishonest set OF men because II he
wanted to do any business with them,
1t was necessary to bribs them first or
they would not even listen to him.
Now all country School Directors are
not like the above and teachers do not
have to pay money to oil Directors In
order 60 procure q position. But that
the much talked about Graft" is not
confined to Philadelphia and Strouds.
burg all observers must besware.
Il is not necessary to select man to
I'll the position Of School Director be-
cause he represents any particular
party; that should have nothing at all
to do with it. Too often the Director
of country school. is. We notice, chos-
en- from the citizens who live nearest
the school house. Ii does not make a
particle of difference whether this man
ever reads newspaper, or his Bible,
but he must live near the school house.
We recollect that the voters of GER
tain township once elected man as
School Director who could neither read
nor write. Now this would seem hard
" puss bic that in this advanced age
such .tiIg shonld happen. This man
n d3 4 2OOi school director because
ne Hai cUomnu sense. aud he was hon
rs. t.H, btJ 'Ov easily man like
tat- eau bu imu uoso3 upon by unscru-
pa 9as ae i r Yes, aud b7 Tricky
ScHon. Directors, to-. Suppose, for
il-ts new books are to be int-oduc.
Ell, could such man decide ~ to the
merit, OF such books? No, he mu be
gu dei by the Judgment Of tn Other
members of the Board
Graft, oh, We voters look to 1t that
you nominate men who are free from
suspicion of this faint Don't think
that becau-e you live outside the City
Of Philadelphia, that corruption can
not touch you. Again. township offio- |
es of importance are often conferred |
upon men who are honest, but who !
are entirely unfit 10 fll such positions.
A desire to help the unfortunate should |
not enter with matters Of this kind
The aged and inhrm should not be |
chosen TO fill Offices for which they are
incompetent. By electing such men
the township a. large is put to great
inconvenience and made to ubmit TO
mistakes made by these officials, who
In she discharge Of their duties, are,
perhaps, over Jealous.
In closing les rs impress upon the
voters who assemble in their respe otive
townships, to take sober. serious
thought, before they nominate a man
for the Office Of School Director, Sup
ervisor, Assessor or whatever else may
be on the ticket He should be q man
that the citizens can place perfect
confidence In his honesty and can
trust to his good Judgment in admins
tering the small affairs Of the District
over which he shall preside.
OBSERVER. |