Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1911-08-18
PUBLIC EDUCATION.
GELM, Wash, August I. 1871


Ed. STANDARD:
l have spent good part Of 30
years in trying to " teach the young
idea how to shoot" and have been
reasonably successful in giving gen
eral satisfaction. | never intended
making school teaching business or
| should have tried to keep up with
the evolution. However, take a
great interest in schools, not simply
because | have children to educate,
for mine are all grown and married.
but there are others. and it is a con-
ceGed fact that on the perpetuity of
our government depends the educa-
tion of our youths. care not wheth-
er man has children or not, he has
no right to shirk the responsibility
OF an American citizen. Our gov
ernment has wisely made provision
for our common schools by setting
on for that purpose every 10Th and
Both section in the State SO that
every child, whether rich or poor,
shall have an equal chance for an
education. 1t so happens that some
districts have money to throw at
the BIRDS" figlratively speaking,
while others have to vote a heavy
tax on themselves to keep up their
schools. To obviate the difficulty
the weak districts labored under, or
to secure a more equitable distrbu-
ton OF the funds. our County Sup
erlntendent. about a year ago, at
tempted a consolidation of ten dis
trlctS in the vicinity of Yelm. One
would-be prominent citizen, whose
children are grown and have re-
ceived the benefit of an education,
took such profound part in opposi-
ton to the consolidation that he
went so far as to hire lawyer and
went around among the several dis
trlcts and succeeded in hoodwinking
quite number and making them be-
lieve the country would be ruined if
the Superintendent's scheme ever
carried out, and. although at a meet
ing called by the Superintendent to
vote on the question, majority OF
20 voted for consolidation, he and
few of his followers carried it up to
the courts. with the result, no doubt
through party favori.ism, that the
worthy project was defeated, entail
ing a loss of bonus from the State of
$1,000 and prevented the building of
three new school houses that were
very much needed for the accommo-
dation of the children.
Well, we tried it again on another
tack, and by the same mailed hand
and political trickery and technicali-
ties were foiled again. Why the
Legislators of our State should so
construct the law as to place the
school matters in the hands of the
Commissioners who often know as
little about school affairs as a hog
knows about Sunday is beyond my
ken. Those matters should be left
to the State and County Superin-
tenderts, whose duties compel them
to make study of the best means
for maintaining schools. Referring
such matters to the Commissioners
is like throwing dice for the drinks
kind of legerdemain. | believe in
calling spade a spade and | have
nothing to hide; am in the habit Of
speaking my honest opinion on all
questions regardless of fear or favor,
and it is my opinion publicly ex-
pressed, that any man or set of men
who would throw any obstruction in
the way of educating our youths
lacks id sight OF being a good
American citizen; so there you have
it, and here is my name to clinch it.
J. C.. Coo.