The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-10-05
PAYsON SMITH INsURGEs.
Stands Firm for Economy, Simplicity
and Democracy In our Public
Schools.

To the Principal
beg to call your attention to a
matter which l believe to be of great
concern to our secondary schools and,
indirectly, to the educational system
of the state.
There have been introduced within
a few years into several Of our public
high schools secret organizations of
the students. These organizations
have for some time been in existence
in the schools of other states where
their influence has been found to be
antagonistic to the welfare both of
the students and of the institutions.
Inc pubic high schools are sup
! ported by the taxation of all the peo-
/ pie. Such schools should under no
circumstances countenance any in
strumentality which makes for the
separation of the student body into
cl1ques or factions based upon as
sumed privileges granted to some of
the students but denied to others.
| The secret societies herein mention
ed are not open to all students of
the schools. Any exclusive privilege
of this kind is Numerically opposed
to the fundamental democracy of the
public school.
1t has been noted that these organi-
cations tend to increase the expense
OF education both to the members
and to others in the more expensive
customs introduced and the natural
desire of other students to keep up"
with their fellows.
1t would be most unfortunate if
the expenses of high school attend
ance in our cities and towns should
increase so that secondary school
education should come to be regarded
as an opportunity open only to the
children of well-to-do parents. The
tendency in this direction of greater
expense should be checked and dis
couraged wherever it is encountered.
1t is the duty of high school instruc-
tors especially to use their influence
against any customs that tend in this
direction of increased cost.
Among the evils that are attendant
upon secret organizations in high
schools is that which grows out of the
rivalry that exists among them for
the securing of school and class
honors. So intense is this rivalry at
times that the organization or society
becomes hardly less than a machine
for obtaining such rewards. School
spirit and class loyalty are not sell
dom made subservient to the interests
of the society. Such methods cannot
be productive of the best results in
proper training for citizenship.
So destructive of democratic pur
poses of the schools have these secret
organizations been shown to be that
several state legislatures have en-
several state legislatures have
ence in the public schools In Maine
| believe it will be sufficient to call
the attention of parents and stu
enacted laws forbidding their exist
the necessity of the cooperation OF
these forces in order that their fur
Their extension of growth may be
checked.
believe you will not misconstrue
a criticism of secret organizations
into one of student organizations
generally. Debating and social
societies open to all students who
may care to join, and conducted I'M
der the direction and guidance of the
school authorities, with full opportu-
nifty given to parents to know of the
inner workings and plans, will do
much to promote the interests both
of the students and of the schools,
and they may we'll be encouraged.
| hope you may be willing, If such
organizations already exist in your
school, to call upon the students and
parents to cooperate with you in
their elimination. In schools where
they do not already exist full infor-
nation of their attendant faults
should render easy their permanent
exclusion.
With wishes FOR most successful
year in the prosecution of your i'm
portant work | am,
Faithfully yours,
PAYSON SMITH.