The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-05-25
COMMON Schools
FOR the Post.

Editor Post 1T has been nv d.,
some time to call the attention Of rs" io'
read your paper to the subject of rs' Who
Schools. This effort requires mora ,I,,oh
than can call my own; indeed, the I'M!
lance of a well constituted system os '1for'
mon School education is Of so grea, ,' NOl''
to the constituency of q republic ,L.,eL
best talent should be employed in il. hs
ton. But it is not the intention TO n.. ,Orna'
a nation of the necessity Of It's peonIo. I Iloe
cultivated in point of mentality, nor oeils
speak to the people of a single State. b', 70
an humble manner to drop q few sp,,.s. Ivy u
of practical nature, for the conside,.,is0n,
Commissioners patrons and teachers Of p,S
lie Schools, in this corner of Tennessee ~
if you could, consistently with your own , nlN
sonal or rather official affairs, devote pes'
tion of your columns TO their publics,;op'
few articles suggestive of a method Of ona,'
tion from those who design taking EMIL
ment in the high vocation of teaching n,;,i,
excite some interest and anxiety anong IT,
whose "ehauge" has already gone into ,Le
public treasury, and which will at its nav,
leap. find its way into the pockets of mon
who have made nO'special preparation far
successful and efficient discharge of the Al,
duous duties resting upon the teacher.
In endeavorlng to secure Que progres.v.
step in the march of education, the first oh
struction that seems to require removal ia ,bs
careless manner in which some Commis.;or
ers dispose Of their business. To number Tho
scholastic population has, with some, at ,ims.
been neglected. But greater violation ~
dLty consists in distributing to the several
School Districts in a Township an equal mart
Of the yearly fund. regardless of the greater
number of pupils between the ages of six and
twenty-one. that SO much crowd schools Of
the more densely populated districts 1t only
needs to be thought upon to know that lust
apportionments should be in proportion to tho
scholastic census.
But those do not, by far, present the most
obstinate impediments to our course. A neg
lect of special training for the teachers Office
and an unwillingness on the part of MANY
employers to compensate those that would
devote themselves to the elevation of our
schools, are prominent obstacles that greatly
retard the advancement of education and the
profession of teaching A disposition to
remedy these defects might be safely relied
upon az an indication or harbinger of that
spirit which would build large and airy
School Houses, provide them with the nece..
sary apparatus, ventilation and light; and
what is of equal Importance, separate play.
grounds for the male and female portions of
each school, and these should be well shaded
and securely fenced. The necessity Of seps.
rate Fairgrounds for these two department,
is obvious when it is reflected that the usual
familiarity of the sexes in this country in
most schools, is n sufficient objection to send.
ing girlsto them. Nor is it at all proper to
have Dung. men and boys brought up to dis.
regard of those observances that cbaract erie
well bred people We might hold our peace
but we know that no teacher under the cir
cumstances, can completely obviate the evil
Before our schools are q source of any CON
siderable profit, Comparatively speaking, I
admit,) they must be worthy the support and
patronage Of the best citizens. | do not mean
to say that they are not sustained and nat.
ronized by this class, but that it is done with
some reluctance, and as much from desire
to encourage system Of public education MS
any expectation of receiving benefit of much
consequence. Is it not So Let us hear from
the people through the post" Now is an
appropriate season for this and other points
of collateral import. Schools, in short
time, will be opening. Should not Commits
missioners look out some weeks before the
time they design Schools to begin, and see if
they cannot fill every vacancy with com.
petent teacher. They need not wait until
the first or fifteenth of July to let them out
at public cutlery to the lowest bidder but so
lect the men they want-go and see them.
and offer them compensation that will JUS.
tify them IN devoting their whole time, in
School, to teaching and out of School to that
study which is indispensable to success at each
successive day.
7 l.