The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-02-27
POLITICS IN SCHOOLS.
Declared Rev. w, H. Spence About Rut-
land Situation.

Rutland, Feb q. With "School Board
Politics" as his topic, Rev w. II. Spence,
at the Congregational church Sunday
afternoon, gave his hearers, as a prelude
TO his sermon. a very plain talk regarding
some situations involved in the coming
election OF school commissioners. Some
years ago. Rev. Mr.. Spence said. the
school board of the city of Rutland
was dominated by partisan politics, "a
condition which was supposed to have
been eliminated when the new city char
ter was adopted. But, he said, citizens
who have been under the impression that
the evil inherent in the old system has
disappeared have been living in a fools
paradise" Incidentally he called in ques-
tion the wisdom of so large a school
board as now exists.
1t was made emphatically evident in
the course of Rev. Mr.. Spence's remarks
that he regards some of the men in nomi-
nation for the position OF school COM
missioner as being untitled, either by ed
ucation or by character, for that Office.
He referred pointedlv to one of these
men as having, ON one occasion, attend
ed meeting of the school board and
n
tion of this man at the present time
Mr. Spence placed the responsibility upon
member of the board, mot up for re-
election this year. whom he described
as a candidate for the position of city
representative in the legislature.
In dealing with this matter the speak
er fairly forced the audience to infer
that behind the interest of this school
commissioner in the selections to be
made at the coming city. election for
membership in the board there lies the
expectation of gaining favor with GER
tain class of voters whose aid viii be |
useful to him in the state campaign.
Among the things asserted by Rev. |
Mr.. Spence was that nomination papers
for several of the candidates for election
to the school board had been prepared in
the office of the commissioner referred I
to and had been by him sent around in /
the hands of messengers connected with !
the board in order to obtain the neces-
sary signatures.
While declaring pointedly that unfit
men were in nomination. the speaker
referred also to one nomination which
he regarded as evidently fit to be made,
anu lot SHpppib Ni NhiNh nv biu 90 q
strongly as it was possible for him to do
without naming either any candidate to
whom he was opposed, or whose candi-
iacv he favored. He reminded the wom
en- in the congregation that many of
them have the right to vote on school
matters in the coming city election, and
he urged upon them to exercise their suf
rage. and to do so with discrimination
IF any of you want to know who was
-he man who was drunk when he at
ended meeting OF the school board,
Rev. Mr.. Spence said toward the close of
MS remarks. come to me after the
services and l will tell YOU And if You
want to know whom | regard as good
men to vote for. / will see what help
an give YOU
He disclaimed either religious or pc.
itical bias in regard to the selection Of
members of the school board. declaring
hat he has more than once voted for a
Roman Catholic whom he believed to be
fit man for the position. In bis opinion
mans religious belief might lead him
ometimes to make mistakes in such
osition; but he still would be actuated
nore by a sense of honor than is the case
With any man, aspiring to political pres
renee, who plays politics, making the
interest of the people a commodity in
ihich TO traffic for personal advantage.