Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-10-05
For he Spectator.
Common schoo1s--Teuchers.


Common SchooIs--Tenchers'
.llessrs Editors VIII you permitt, me through
the medium Of your paper so ge"efahy CIRCULATED
and, read, to call the attention vi our Oouuioh
School commissioners and of our members elect
10 the legislature, to one or two defective points
in onr Cannon School system. The first and
most valuable defect,t which propose to confne
INV present remarks is the extensive restitution Of
the proper and requisite qualifications in our tea
cheIs. | do not include all, for we have some,
many teachers amongst us, of superior order, tor
which am sorry to say we are mostly indebted
to foreigners or natives of other States; but the
majority OF our teachers are of different charac-
ter and would confer a greater benefit upon our
community if they would seek other employment
Ii would seem from the readiness with which
they are employed as teachers,that the only quail
ications required are brass enough to offer their
services and the low price which they are willing
10 accent as A compensation. Who does not know
from personal observation, that we have some tea
cheers, or those pretending to teach, who have not
the requirements of many school boy Of ten years
of age. Some of our teachers are too old and III
efficient q mean no disrespect TO age) whose tea
chings are entirely obsolete. and in "Webster's
Spelling Book" manifest an ignorance or disre-
gard of our accepted standards of pronunciation, or
bet-for instance Z(whose name is derived from its
sound as is b. or d., may be called zed or lizard.
No pretentionS to teach Grammar nor many other
branches which some might wish to have taught.
But his term has expired and he must be paid
"SYife have paid the school account and might
as well have thrown that much money away be
sides the time if had kept John and Ned at
homo as ueighbor Brown did his boys, they might
have earned me something on the farm {; really
think they know less than they did before the
school began" ''Yes its bad enough but then its
better to send to poor teacher than for chill
dren to grow up in Ignorance"
In due time his beardless successor appears in
our midst with his ''article" in which he proposes
to teach diverse ''Ologies" and Biographies" set
ting at defiance the rules of every science which
he proposes to teach. Having heard the com
plants against his predecessor and obtained his
minimum number of subscribers. our Young Peda-
gague takes his seat in hopes that others will send
in. who are now compelled to do 50 or keep theil
children at home. We may now expect an ex
IRENE on the other hand; every thing is taught
differently aud his pronunciation is so far ahead Of
the times that We can hardly recognize the Kings
English. So we gO,oue teacher HRieaching what
has been taught by another.
| now propose to enquire briefly what are the
consequences. First, the good object contempat
ed by our literary fund is to q great extent neu.
tralized and the money is 50 far thrown away.
Secondly, citizens who are able aud willing tt
pay fair price for good teacher, are compelled
to send to such as they have not send at all, OF
they must send their children to board from home
against their wish, thus increasing three or foul
fold the expense for the rudiinentsony Of CONNER
English education.
Thirdly, would refer YOU to young men wht
III
or other high Summaries for further view of tht
most serious consequences. They can tell you o
misspent time and money upon themselves, il
our ''old field schools - they now find their pro
gross retarded for the want ofprope instruction il
the primary schools their class mates not labor
ing under such disadvantage are outstrpplng
them, and they must redou5le their diligence Il
keep up, or they must fall in the rear. have
known Of young men having To abandon thei
studies and return home for the lack OF those quail
ifications which they might and should have &C
quired at our common schools.
These evils may be easily avoided by not allow
lowing any to teach who have not gone through
au examination. by compel mt person or persons
appointed for that pdrpose, or bringing certlh
cate of qualifications from the institution or teach
er where they have been educated.
hope our Commissioners will take this subjec
into consideration and devise some plan to obyat
these evils which are like an incubus upon on
common schools.
Our next Assembly will no doubt take the sub
ject into consideration if asked TO do 50, and pas
laws to remedy this and other evils or defects
which are very apparent in our common schoo
system. if should find time, possibly may re
fer to them hereafter.
Finally consider our Primary schools of pri
mary importaHec; the chief corner stone of on
morals and Intelligence, and upon which our val
ued institutions are built mean in these times
Of universal suffrage, the common people who arr
educated at the common schools, are the law anC
the government" NOVICE.