The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-05-28
ASHLAND, May oath, 1856.

ASHLAND, May 24th, 1856.
|. The best systems ever devised for any
purpose if badly administered can &C,
complish little good. But if there be
not harmony of view and action on the
part of those who administer, of course
no tolerable degree of efficiency can be
anticipated. Now the Common School
system of this State is one of the most
important of all its institutions. titles
at the very basis of that training in
knowledge and virtue which alone can
insure the exeellency and p%ermanency of
all its other institutions. The exeeu-
tive part of this system is committed to
a variety of officers; among these are
Directors of districts or sub-districts,
and County Examiners. Harmony be-
tween these is indispensable to the high
est efficiency of the system.
If the Examiners place too low a
standard of qualification, both mental
and moral, then will the schools be cursed
with driveling teachers, whose doubtful
virtue or positive immortality will but cor
rupt and ruin If they place the stand
ard too high, many who might become
efficient teachers will be deferred from
attempting to obtain certificates, and
the districts will find it impossible to
secure teachers. If the Directors place
too low a standard they will be perpetu-
ally finding fault with the Examiners and
be constantly tempted to evade the law,
and will introduce to the post of teach
ers unqualified and improper persons.
If the Examiners and Directors have q
different standard, perpetual diseord and
collision must ensue, and the whole ma
chinery crate and jar and prove inefi-
Gent. The result in either case must
be disastrous and disas ter here effects
q vital interest. 1t is manifest, there
fore that a proper standard of qualifca-
ton, both mental and moral, should be
fixed, and that there should be harmo-
ny between the Examiners and Directors
in its maintenance.
Directors, and others, sometimes sup
pose that for summer schools especially,
a lower grade of qualification will suf-
fee. Probably in some sense this may
be true; but it is known that the school
law leaves Examiners no discretion on
this subject ; and besides a poorly quail
flied teacher will probably produce i'm
proper habits in pupils, which will re-
quire long and difficult labor to remove;
and defective training in elementary
branches, will vitiate the whole future
course of the pupil. He who puts a
rotten log in the foundation of his build
ing, can look for nothing but a topping
house. This should be fully understood
by-Directors. Some suppose that little
regard need be had to the moral char
acter of a teacher, provided he does not
practice open vice in school hours. But
charcoal is charcoal, whether In the flu
gers of a lady or on the dunghlll. And
whether parents will or not, a teacher
will leave his moral impress upon pupils
and if it be not positively good it viii
be positively bad. AS well might it BE-
said that it.matters not what a minister
of the gospel is, provided he does no
practice immortality in the pulpit. o
what advantage can it be to have oul
children trained we'll intellectually, i
at the same time their hearts are poi
soned, and themselves prepared for vic'
and ruin ? Who would feed his chile
upon food, which, whilst i. rapidly de.
veloped bis limbs, should put out hi
eyes? Correct moral principles ant
correct moral habits, should be strictly
demanded of every teacher. But thu
most vicious man in the County, almost
can obtain names to a certificate of NOR
| al character. Great caution and hearty
cooperation should be practiced here
But sometimes teachers of rather defec
tive education, by q peculiar mode il
the management of pupils, succeed well
Toward these, if the Examiners knew
them, leniency should be shown. 9th.
ers, though well qualified, Intellectually
| either through want of. facility In com.