Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1905-01-20
OBSERVERS
COMMUNICATION.

Editor INTELLIGENCER: :-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 offices. That public money is
frequently spent injudiciously, we
oil know that the only way to remedy
the evil is to elect level headed. hon.
est men and that rests with the voters.
In penning this communication moth
ing personal is intended in alluding to
the various offioes-merely thoughts
suggested by an onlooker.
We have mott Jed several exortations
in your valuable paper urging voters to
exercise care in the selection Of School
Directors in the Borough. This is
right and proper The office Of School
Director, though perhaps to the ordin-
ary voter, an unimportant position, be-
cause unsalried), 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 it is a
step to something better, who cares
nothing for education and when it
comes to choose and elect teacher, he
will get out of it all it is worth. 1t
does not matter TO him whether the
applicant for a school holds a poor
certificate, if there is any money in 1t
for him.
This picture is not overdrawn. 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 us that he had
been in the employ of book firm and
it was his duty to call upon the Ii
rectors of certain townships to solicit
patronage. He states that he had new
or been brought In contact with more
dishonest set of men because if he
wanted to do any business with them,
1t was necessary to bribe 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 all Directors in
order to procure position. But that
the much talked about Graft" is not
confined to Philadelphia and Strouds-
burg all observers must be aware.
Il is not necessary to select man to
all 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, ohos-
en- from the citizens who live nearest
the school house. 1t 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 recolleot that the voters Of a cer-
tain township once elected man as
School Director who could neither read
nor write. Now this would seem hard
ly poss BILE that in this advanced age
such thing shonld happen. This man
made q good school director because
ho bo a common canca and ha uoc hon
est. too. bat how easily man like
that can be imposed upon by unsoru-
pulous dealers. Yes, and by tricky
School Directors, too. Suppose, for
instance new books are to be introduc-
ed, could such man decide as to the
merits OF such books? No, he must be
guided by the Judgment of the other
members of the Board.
Graft, Oh, ye voters look to 1t that
you nominate men who are free from
suspicion of this taint. Don't think
that because you live outside the City
of Philadelphia, that corruption can
not touch you. Again, township offio-
81 of Importance are often conferred d
upon men who are honest, but who
are entirely unfit to fill such positions.
A desire to help the unfortunate should
not enter with matters of this kind.
The aged and infirm should not be
chosen to fill offices for which they are
in competent. By electing such men
the township at large is put to great
Inconvenience and made to submit to
mistakes made BY these officials, who
in the discharge Of their duties, are,
perhaps, over jealous.
In closing let us impress upon the
voters who assemble in their respe eotive
townships, to take sober, serious
thought, before they nominate mar
for the Office of School Director, Sup
ervisor, Assessor or whatever else may
be on the ticket. He should be mar
that the citizens can place perfect
confidence in his honesty and car
trust to his good Judgment in admins
tering the small affairs Of the District
over which he shall preside.
OBSERVER