The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1858-03-04

| PERRYsBURG, o., Nov III, 1893.
Hon A. Smith, Commissioner, DC:
! DEAR StR:-Iu answer TO your circular, have
prepared, from the minutes within my reach. as
nearly correct statement as possible of the trans
actions OF the Examining Board in Wood county,
which statement please ind enclosed.
Our number of applicants has been large. The
teachers Of many OF the county schools deslrous
to gain the reflected honor OF having smart pupils
have encouraged all whom they deemed sufficiently
advanced, to submit to Oh examination from the
County Board" The consequence has been that
our examinations rather resembled town meetings
than anything else and we have been peslered
with presocious Juveniles scarcely emancipated
from bib and pinafore yet able to answer tho
questions much better than many OF their seniors.
large proportion of our applicants, as you
will observe, are in the number Of those who just
got through, aud tight squeeze at that This
appears from the fact 50 many in the list have re-
ceived certificates for short terms, Few can con-
ceive the sublime and admirable depths OF gnor-
ancs sxhumed in the course of years experience
in the Black Swamp by school examiner At
recent examination, the written question required
the applicant to name the several States inter-
sscted by the parallel Of SO deg. 80 min. north
latitude
The prompt answer of one gentleman gravely
informed us that there was no such line existing,
as it was repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska Bill.
scornIully referred us to tho New York Tribune
and left evidently impressed with deep commiser
alton for our ignorance.
| 1t has been the aim of the Board constantly to
raise the standard of qualification, by rendering
each examination little more stringent than the
preceding 1t is doubtful, however whe thcr pub
lie opinion will uphold any Board in this course,
at least here. People seem to consider it as sure
to result IN increased rates of compensation and
| III la 70 hny hnir NJ ,Iar.
thrown aside. Yours very respectfully.
HENRY IL. DODGE
Let us commence where Mr.. Dodge ends, aud
see if his statements will bear investigation.
The assertion that the people of Wood county
as general thing, are unwilling to pay school
teachers literally is not true. Certain we that
no town in Ohio, with a population no greater
than that OF P1rrysburg, pays as much as ws do
for school teachers; and We know there are towns,
with double the number of inhabitants, where less
is paid. We have about three hundred pupils in
attendance upon our schools, and teachers receive
about eight dollars per year for each pupil or
about $4,000, the Principal receiving salary Of
$500. we do not speak of this to complain, bu.
to show the injustice of publishing to the State
that we are niggardly in our expenditures for ed
ucational purposes.
What salaries are paid to teachers in the Union
Schools of Bowling Green, Gilead, and other viii
lagos of the county, we cannot tell, but do not
hesitate to say that they are, in the broadest
of the term, LIBERAL Not only this. but every dis
trict school in the county, so far as we know en-
ploys good teachers and pays good wages; better
than is paid by counties generally. We know OF
one district, with all average of but fourteen schol-
ars, where a competent teacher was employed at
1913 per month Male teachers get from $29 to
$35 per month in our district schools, while the
wages Of female teachers averages about Sl5 per
per mouth.
Another evidence OF the liberality of our peo-
pie in educational matters, is to be found in the
excellent school buildings which are to be seen in
every school district of the county. In this re-
spect we will yield the palm to no county In the
State. 1t is matter or general remark by visit
ors aud of pride to us. that such monuments of
educational interest adorn the yet sparely settled
school districts of the county.
The assertion that the people of Wood county
will not sustain the Board of School Examiners in
requiring such standard of qualification in teach
ers as the Interests of education demand, is not the
case We know OF no county where higher
standard is demanded by employers; and certainly
the teachers of Wood county spare no reasonable
efforts in preparing themselves for properly dis
charging the important duties pertaining to their
profession. For the latter purpose, an Association
of Teachers has been organized and regular meet
ings are held for mutual interchange of opinions
and general improVemont--a thing not known in
most counties of tine State
Again; we are well assured, both by observation
and hearSay, that the higher branches of common
school education more universally taught in the
district schools of Wood county, than in the coun
ties Of Ohio generally One reason for this may
be found in the fact that we have no semnares, or
ties where all scholars desiring to study the higher
branches Of an English education are usually sent
and these are therefore usually taught in our com
mon schools.
. Suppose the auecdote related of the Comprom
Use line and the New York Tribune strictly
true, (Which no one will for moment believeI
is il treating the teachers of Wood county, or the
citizens generally, with becoming respect, by G
School Examiner, to give this as fair sample o
) those who have the training of the youth OF the
e county entrusted to their care? Is it not low
fling at the good name of the county. which would
! better become iow-toued local paper than al
| important State document where the bad nAu
ence which it is calculated to effect cannot be me
and obteraed ?
Mr Dodge says g. Few can conceive the sub,
! lime and admirable depths Of ignorance arhr,med
' in the course of years experience in the BlacL
SWGmp by School Eraminer' We have no
, doubt but the people of the State, as they read
the above letter. AMI particularly the sentence here
quoted, will be fully convinced that there il some
+" sublime ignorance in Wood county but VIC