The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1913-11-06

our position as 10 Mf. sinclair pOlltl
cal views, for we have not, but that is
not the issue in this matter"
Board Should Have Been Given Chance
to Make Good.
The above statement speaks for it.
self and needs no further comment. 1t
simply recognized the facts that the
board had repudiated the sentiments
complained of and had publicly prom
ised to protect the schools against the
evils feared. This paper believed in
giving them a chance to make good or
show that their promises were made
in bad faith. Instead of being given
this opportunity, the board has been
kept in the midst of a relentless politi-
cal fight since that date. In the
course of this strife various things
have been said and done that should
not have been said and done, and as
long as it continues grievances and
fancied grievances will continue to ac-
cumulate. These are the mere Incl
dents of the strife. The essential facts
are as we have stated.
Has the Board Kept Its Word?
Patrons of the school having pro-
tested against the threatened invasion
of our schools by doctrines which they
considered dangerous, and the board
having promised that this should not
occur, it now remains to inquire if the
board has not kept faith. AS to the
employment of Socialist teachers only,
it is patent to everyone that the board
is not acting on that policy, for of the
twenty-six teachers employed by the
district only four ESQ far as we can
learn) are Socialists. We have in
quired diligently as to Socialism hav-
ing been taught in the schools and
have been unable to learn of such an
attempt having been made. AS to the
handling, of the. general business af-
fairs of the school, we Rave heard no
complaint.
In the above a studious effort has
been made to state the facts without
bias and to omit all personalities. If
the above are the facts, and if the real
object at first in view-the keeping of
politics out of the schools-is still the
motive, then why all this whoop and
hurrah over a recall election? If the
two Socialist members of the board
are to recalled simply because they
are Socialists, then politics is being
injected into the schools. In fact this
agitation has degenerated to point
where politics is the yard-stick and
standard by which everything apper-
tanning to school work is judged. No
sooner does a new teacher arrive on
the scene than the question is at once
put to him, what is your politics? For
instance, when Mr.. Caldwell was en-
ployed the word went out at once
that he was a Socialist, but later he
was diagnosed by political specialists
anu pIOuOuuCGu Tree lIOll IllS VII u.s.
the result of the examination being
heralded to the public as a discovery
of major Importance. Is this keeping
politics out of the schools? 1t is rather
emphasizing and inculcating the po-
litical idea not only in the minds of
the patrons but also those of the
pupils.
If J. e. Sinclair was a director of
our schools and still reiterated the
principles originally complained of,
this paper would favor his recall, but
we do not believe in recalling the
board on account of objection to those
principles when they have shown, not
only by word, but by act, that they do
not believe in them and have no in
tention of carrying them into prac-
tice.-Arlington Times, Saturday, Oct.
%, 1913.