Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-08-19

O1XlCB QUIT O01As 0CUoO&s0 -. ~'sE -
August 10, 1857.
MrssRs. EprroRs: have been rsquested to pub
fish my opinion in regard to the Boaros
of County Superintendents Of Common Schools 70
fix, by general regulations, the amount OF salary
which Common School teachers shall receive. Such
attempts, from commendable motives, have oesn
several times made and have had occasion to write
plumber of private letters on the subject; and %
the matter is one Of general interest and OF great
importance, it is proper to give publicity to the
views which entertain.
am Of opinion that it is the province Of the Dis.
trict Committee to decide on the rate of compensa.
ton which the teacher shall receive. and believe
that this power belongs exclusively to said Com
mittee.
The whole genius of the system, as at present or
ganized, seems to favor this idea; and the law also
expressly says that "the School Committee shall
contract with suitable teacher for their District for
such time as the funds for the District will allow
See pamphlet Of School Laos, pu6lished this year.
page 6, sec. 10.
The Committee have the exclusive right to con.
tract for sites for school houses to erect houses and
to incur incidental expenses for the school; but
SO far as the public money is concerned, they are
limited to the amount due to the District, and tn, y
must apply it for strictly Common School purposes
Such believe to be the spirit of the law; and as
our system is at present constituted, l think it
would be inpolitic, well illegal, for County
Boards, however just their motives, to determine
tnat no teacner SnOul0 receive more tnan certain
sum per day, or by the month, for bis services as
such.
A regulation Of this kind, in some countless and
not common to the whole State would have ten.
dency to repress generous emulation to excel among
teachers and to drive the better class to regions Of
fering greater inducements to exertons; and thus,
instead of preventing the poorly qualified from re-
ceiving too much for their services it would be apt
in time to leave these the sole occupants of the
field; thus enhancing the very evils intended to be
avoided
Indifferent teachers, all know, not unrequent-
ly get into places which pay WELL if not better,
than those sometimes occupied by teachers of a
higher grade; but this is evil incident to all hu-
man systems and can never be entirely avoided un-
til the whole community have made great progress
in intelligence and virtue. The best remedies must
be general and gradual in their nature; and these,
in system of Common Schools, will be found in
the careful and strict enforcement, in letter and
spirit, Of the regulations in regard to the examna.
ton and licensing of teachers in combined and
| wearied efforts on the part of intelligent officers
and friends of the cause, to enlighten the public
mind, and to have the spirit of system of public
schools fully and patiently carried out in the care
full application of means devised to create and foster
spirit Of emulation among teachers, such as the
formation of teachers associations and the circula
ton of school journals and of official and other pub
LEGATIONS bearing this subject in requiring every
teacher to keep and to exhibit register or faithful
account of his school, in a blank book which am
| now having prepared under authority of an act Of
the last Legislature and in keeping open field 70,
fair competition and wide door of hope to all who
| desire to excel in competency and fidelity.
G. H. WILEY,
Supt. Com. Schools Of N. c.