Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-08-30

them in" and recognizing the board. We say
mock" performance advisedly. For he took this
action in the absence of State School Superintendent
Enthusiastically so, no doubt-and without noti
flying DR.. Woofter another member of the board
that meeting to be held.
As The Journal has said before we make crit
icism Of the two gentlemen whom Governor Brown
illegally substituted for the qualified members of
the Education Board Indeed their personality does
not enter into the The vital fact is that the
Governor has violated law and precedent and has
thrown the education department of the State into
grievous confusion. He has played selfish politics
with of the peoples greatest interests, and It
behooves the people to ascertain just what his
underlying motive for so doing.
Certain it is that act fragrant and. we may
add, suspicious should not be suffered to go I'M
rebuked. If Prof Pound and Prof. Langston con-
suited only their personal Wishes they would doubt
less ignore this incident But, as leaders in the
of education and representatives of the
teachers of Georgia, they cannot afford to let this
assault upon the interests of the schools go uncha
lenged. 1t is their duty, not merely to themselves
but to a principle and to a cause, to maintain the
integrity Of the State Board of Education and, as
means thereto to appeal to the attorney general
if be. to the courts to vndicate the legality of
their membership
They are duly appointed members of this board
Upon them rests the duty and the grave response
bIity of preserving, as far as it is within their
power the integrity of this board and the underly
ing principle of independence of political factions
that brought about its enactment. They cannot
escape the duty and responsibility they the
schools of the state even if they desired to do
They should at once. as duly appointed members of
the board, appeal ohcialy to the Attorney General
and, if need be. to the courts to vndcate the legal
ity of their membership and to condemn the illegaty
of Governor Browns political play.
Furthermore, it is the obvious duty of Superin-
tendent Britain, as the responsible head of the
Department of Education, to call upon the Attorney
General for opinion to the legal status of the
two members whom Governor Brown has sought to
remove, and of the two he has sought to force in
the Senate's will.
Upon Superintendent Britain, as the practical
head of this department rests the responsibility of
its welfare If it is to be rent with illegal appoint
ments made for political purposes the system con-
templated by the law will be an absolute failure
Mr.. Britain it to himself and to the school in
terests to have the confusion created by Governor
Brown cleared away. He should at once appeal to
the Attorney General for opinion and if neces-
sary, the courts for such action as will preserve
the integrity and usefulness of this Board AS mat
ters stand, the State Board, of which he is
a part and TO which he must largely look for guild
ance, is in chaos; and it will remain until the
question of its membership is oficially determined
Hon. H. S. White, author of the Education law has
declared that any action which might be taken by
the two gentlemen whom Governor Brown improp
erly appointed would be absolutely void and this
view he has supported by convincing citations from
the law and the Constitution.
Certainly the Department Of Education will re-
main hamstrung until this matter is settled, and
settled conelusively The interests of the teachers
and of the schools and of the public are thus vitality
involved. And it is to Superintendent Britain that
all these interests look for efficient action in this
crisis With the partisan politics of this affair he
has no concern, but he is Immediately and tremen
dously concerned with the welfare of the schools
No worked more earnestly than he for the en-
actment Of the Education law. No man under
stands clearly the need of keeping his depart
ment severely free from the entangements of
personal politics and the dicaton of special inter
ests. Let the Superintendent act at this crucial
moment in accordance with the duties before him. in
accordance with his own luminous record of public
fealty, and the people of Georgia will have cause to
thank him anew for the service he has rendered
them.
No agency of the States government touches the
citizen and the home at more vital points than does
this Board of Education 1t is clothed with large
power and responsibility. 1t has jurisdiction over
more than eight thousand schools and more than
thirteen thousand teachers 1t has do in one way
another, with the spending of four million dollars
for the states common schools and during the
last scholastic year this sum increased through
local taxation, to five million dollars The
State Board of Education is furthermore empowered
to select the textbooks used by half million
children and paid for by parents in every nook and
corner of the commonwealth. And 1t is soon TO
employ this power. Hence 1t was that the trainers
of the law wisely provided that mo person toho is
notC or has been, connected NTH or employed by a
school publishing concern shah be eligible to mem
bership said State Board of Education"
Is there any department of our government that
should be jealousy guarded against political or
selfish influences?
Is there any province of the public's interests
that should be scrupulously protected by the
law?
We repeat that when Governor Brown trampled
upon the law and dehed all precedents order that
he might substitute two of his personal appontees