Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-04-27
TAKE The SCHOOLS OUT OF
POLITICS.

ln his recent declarations Governor
Cruce is not so much opposed to the
schools that are doing good work on
account Of the money needed to ad-
minister them successfully as he is
opposed to them on grounds Of a
political nature. The governor makes
Ia statement that no one can believe
that the schools can be conducted
without their interfering in the poll
tics Of the state. with all due respect
10 his cXcelcncy this statement GER
tainly may be questioned. School
teachers are not ordinarily politicians.
Their time and energy are consumed
with the daily work that affords but
little opportunity for diversions in
politics. The faithful school man must
conduct his classes without showing
his trend of political beliefs or ne
could not long win or hold the con-
fidcnce Of his pupils whose parents
may have trained them to think diff
fcrcuuy. The school patrons feel in
tcrcstcd In the maintenance Of cs-
tablshcd schools to a greater degree
than the school teachers. The ordin-
AIRY school teacher is a migratory per-
sonagc. He may go here and there
as his tastes or interests may dictate.
No SO with the school patrons who
have been sending their children To
certain schools for years. They feel
that that particular school is the only
one in which their children may be
properly trained and educated, II
the politicians would cease their har-
rangucs about the schools our polit-
lcal discussions would never be burd-
ened with school questions II the
state has established and maintained
q highway in any particular neigh
borhood for number of years and
some politician, wishing to gain a
little local notoricty, seeks to have
the roadway abolished as a state in
sutuuon we would have roads and
highways in our pollulal considera-
tlons.
This perpetual wrangle concerning
our schools has worked great deal
Of injury to the schools of the state
Parents do not Ike TO start children
10 school If II IS regarded by the
authorities as only temporary and
soon to be abandoned. II is difficult
to secure and retain the best teach
crs for schools that are being made
pmythings of politics. But II is safe
To say that the people Of oklahoma
VIII regard with stern disfavor any
attempt to do away with their schools.
4 long time ago during the Lincoln
Douglas debate II was said 10y cele-
bratcd character of the period that
"No man who spells negro with two
g's can hope to bo president OF the
United States" Now with an equal
degree OF gertrude 1t may be alleged
that no man can be elected to a state
office on "A platform Of hostility to
schools. for the schools that are now
established will rally in defense Of
their sister institutions and punish at
the polls anyone whose aspirations in
duce him to become candidate for
a state office. Knowing that this
biennial discord bids fair TO become
perennial in It's nature Mr.. Il. II.
Wilson. state superintendent, has de-
viscd scheme OF school taxation that
Is admirable for the success Of the
schools and for the good name Of our
state. He proposes to levy a small
tax on the cqualzed state valuation
Of taxable wealth. say FOR a period Of
ten years when new adjustment will
probably need to be made. The
schools would not expend dollar
more by having provision made for