Year: 1876

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simplifed the election.


THE NORMAL-sCE00L FRAUD.


OF all the institutions established in thin
community TO be supported at public e.
pense, that one known IS the Cook County
Normal School is the greatest fraud on the
taxpayers. It Was erected and has been sup
ported for no other purpose than as an asylum
and means Of living for one man. That
has been, and is now, the prime use Of tho
institution, and the net product Of the sev.
eral hundred thousand dollars collected BY
taxation from the public has been ths
emolument and pecuniary support Of ons
man. The institution has been costly ona
to the public, both in the actual expenditure
of money as well rs in the results accom-
plished- As an outcome of this institution
We have a political body known as the
Cook County Board Of Education this
body consists Of six members, and tho
President Of the County Commissioners,
and the County Superintendent, who
are e1-oficio members. This Board hes
been divided for several months equally, not
upon the plain and sensible issue Of abol-
ishing this superfuous and useless school
and disposing of the buildings to the stats
to be used for some public purpose, but up.
on the issue whether there should be
change in the Office OF Superintendent. As
the school was established for the superin-
tendent, the proposition to elect some other
person to that Office might be considered
to be practically q move to defeat the Pur-
pose for which the school wss founded. Tho
Board Of Education, however, failed to elect
any Superintendent at al, whereupon the
County Board, which had about as much au-
thority in the matter as had the Governor Of
Oregon to make an E1ector out OF the man
CHosM, elected the old Superintendent
Mr.. G. G. P. HOLDEN has, as President Of
the Board OF County Commissioners, become
member of this "Board of Education"
II he have any regard for the public inter-
ests, for the cause of education, and any de-
sire to promote desirable and and deserving
end, he can best show this by exposing the
notorious fraud practiced upon the public By
keeping up this so-called Normal School
at Englewood. Let him do what he can
to abolish the school, and relieve the
public OF an annual and large waste Of pub
Lie money. There are in this city and county,
and in the neighboring cities and towns,
comparatively large population Of most
worthy and excellent citizens who have chill
dren laboring under the loss Of speech and
of hearing. These children are, by reason
of their infrmity, excluded from the public
schools, and their parents are not able to
maintain special private schools. Yet these
children are entitled to tho benefits Of educa-
ton as much as any other children The
larger part Of these afflicted children in the
State reside in Chicago and its vicinity, and
there are enough Of them to more than I'LL
all the apartments at Englewood ever needed
for the purposes of a Normal School IF the
County Board, or Boards, will formally
tender a deed of gift of the build
ines and grounds at Englewood to the
State, we have not the least question
that the Legislature will accept the gift, and
perhaps they would pay something for it,
and establish there permanent school for
the free tuition of all the deaf and dumb
children Of Cook County and the State who
may apply. We have no doubt that in
short time after the establishment Of such
school for that purpose there will be $50
children-ha1f of them from this county
seeking education who have no means Of
obtaining it otherwise. This would he
practical public benefits proper provision
for the education Of a numerous class OF
children excluded only by their misfortune
from the public schools. Such school
would te vast improvement upon the pres
ent expensive provision for the support, at
public cost, Of single man, nonlnally
styled the Principal Of Normal School
Here is chance for Reformer HOLDEN In
his double capacity as County Commissioners
and member Of the Board Of Education No
is in position, if SO disposed, to substitute
a great public charity for what, to an e1-
perienced man like him. must be selt-eV1-
dent fraud upon the public.