Year: 1876

tSAl-pOOhS.


THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.


The recent public discussion of school


affairs has been the means of attracting the


attention of our citizens to the constitution


of the school board, and has developed an


extent and intensity of feeling on the sub


ject that we had not supposed to exist.


The people, who are paying for the sup


port of our schools at the rate of 81, 900
per day, and those who look to them for
the means of preparing their children for


the duties of life, are manifesting a very
reasonable anxiety in reference to the quail


iications of the men to whose control 80


great an interest is confded; and we be-


lieve that there Is an entire unanimity of
opinion among all classes Of our population
as to what some of those qualifications


should be. We know that all will agree


with us in saying that the trustees of the


public schools should be men who by resi-


dence, acquaintance, property interests or


otherwise are fully identified with our peo-


pie, who are deeply interested in the well


fare of the schools, and are able and will


ing to devote to them so much of their
time as will suffice to make themselves &C.


quainted with their condition and wants


We do not sympathize with the small
number who would array the "old citi-
zens" against the newcomers. We
recognize the labors of both classes, and


instead of antagonizing them would break


down whatever may be a barrier between
them. But it is almost truism to say
that no person should be placed in an i'm.


portant position in any community with
whose interests he has not proved that he
considers himself fully identified; and
therefore those who claim residence else
where while temporarily sojourning here,
and who have no intention of making this
their permanent home, have not that de-
gree of interest in our institutions that
is essential in an officer intrusted with
weighty responsibilities. Then, too, the
trustee should be deeply interested in
the schools. The records of the board
will bear US out in the assertion that
not small proportion of the members
can be said never to visit the schools
under their care, and that the number of
those who do so regularly and systemati-
cally is very limited. The result is that
the members are obliged to vote upon sub
jects with which they have not sufficient
familiarity to enable them to do so intelli-
gently, and they must either do so without
any knowledge or with that only which
they can derive from others. A few men,
bers, therefore, can control the entire
board. Under the present organization
this evil exists to greater extent than ever
before, from the fact that there are really
four distinct boards, each of which cares
little about anything except its OWE pecu-
liar jurisdiction, and the members repret
senting our white city schools being bu
eight out of nineteen of those schools,
which in the number of pupils and the
amount of taxes they represent are the ma
jority in interest, are controlled by board,
large majority of which scarcely profess to
feel any interest in them. The wrong thus
done we need not dwell upon; the fact &C.
counts for much of the ill.advised action
that has caused so general dissatisfaction.


Finally, the trustees should be able and
willing to devote sufficient time to the
schools to make themselves acquainted
with their condition and wants. We are
aware that this requires what compare
lively few men can give, and that care will
be necessary in selecting gentleman who
fill this requirement. But such men can
be found, and should be looked up. In
making the search certain persons should
be excluded, among them all who hold
Government offices that require their at
tention during school hours, and who would
be obliged to neglect their duties either to
the Government or the schools by the &C.
ceptance of the position of trustee. Expert
ence has proved that the Office that has no
pay is the one always slighted. With these
should be classed those who have been
members of the board and have not made
many visits and all whose business is of
such character or so remote from the
schools as to make it reasonably certain
that the latter would be neglected. Let it
be understood by every person to whom
tuC OulSO VI luolSC ID lCuuCIcu ludL tuC
position is no sinecure, and that its duties
must have his attention. We need in all
our District offices men who are known
and respected, who belong here and who
are interested in the duties entrusted to
them, and in no Office is this more essen
tial than in that which we are now con-
sidering. The Commissioners can have
tie assistance of our best citizens in pre-
pairing a list for appointment and may
rest assured that they can perform no act
that will give so universal satisfaction as
will that Of recognizing the school board
in consonance with the principles we have
laid down. By so doing they will give
the best assurance that our school interest
will be intelligenty and conscientiously
cared for, and the system become more
than ever an honor to the capital of the
nation