The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1913-01-24

mittee SoundIy Abused.
That a bitter and desperate fght
will be made to prevent the donation
of the property Of the Columbia Mill
tary Academy for the use of the pub
lie of this section, is evident. Inc
campaign to this end has ALREADY
been launched by private school inter-
ests and those who prefer the private
tn the public school and the issue is
doubtful
All day Monday opponents OF the
use of this property for the Denept Oh
all the boys and girls of this section
were busy pouring kilograms INTO
washington protesting against
change in the grade of the school. 1t
was represented in these kilograms
that the overwhelming ~entimen. OF
the people of this section was against
a public institution at the Academy.
The members of the committee to
whom Fl. C. Weber first rendered the
rronertv for the use of the boys and
girls of this section, as public edu-
cational institution, were simply
amazed at the opposition which they
encountered. The members OF the
committee were even attacked, their
motives assailed and their purposes
misrepresented by the partisans OF
the private school interests.
No one was more surprised at the
outburst against the proposition OF
Mr.. Weber, which all fair-minded men
must confess was a generous one,
than the original committee. They
were so favorably impressed with the
idea of using the grounds and build
ings Of the academy for public instead
of private education, for the use and
benefit of the boys and girls Of both
rich and poor, that they were amazed
at the hornets nest that was stirred
mp. Many opponents of popular educa-
ton are so aroused that they can
hardly discuss the matter without
getting red in the face and ra sing
their voices to an unusually Algn
pitch. With many of them it is
private institution with high price
where only the favored few can at
tend, or nothing at all.
The members of the committee
were so sure that the people OF the
. city and county would welcome the
chance to have a great practica
school for vocational education where
all would have an opportunity to ge
the benefits OF an education at thu
public expense, that they had pledg
ed funds from their private purses tt
send a committee to Washington II
induce the secretary of war to chang
the grade of the school sc that
could be used for the benefit Of al
the people,
However, members of the commit
tee now admit that they underest
mated the strength Of the privat
school sentiment of Maury count
people. They seemingly oVerlooke
the fact that Maury county has ION
been known as private school couI
ty; that large majority of the bus
mess men and large tax payers Wer
educated in private institutions an
that they are sending their childre
TO private schools, having, MANY
them, small opinion of the public Il
situations. However, this anti-publ
school sentiment is now rampan
The senatorial situation has almo
been forgotten in the bitter denunci
ton by many of the action of the COZ
mittee in accepting Mr. Webers ge
erous proposition. Had the comm
tee made midnight raid on tt
school property, appropriated Il
their own use and carried 1t to Il
South Sea Islands and there dispose
of it for profit, they could not ha
been more roundly abused by mai
of the "leading" citizens than tn
have been for manifesting zeal for t
cause of popular education.
1t is admitted that the chances NJ
for getting the property for educat't
al and mechanical education are eli
Mr.. Padgett has wired to members
the committee that concert OF
ton upon the part of the citizens
he necessary in order to get favoral
action upon the part Of the secrets
of war and since this cannot be sec
ed no action is expected by that Q
cial.