The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1859-10-05
For the "SDtTtt, I" +"

ners. The Interests of Educa-
tion. Hear both sides before
passing Judgment,
MR. EDITOR. The last Spirit contains
a violent attack upon the County Board
of School examiners The real motives
of the writer are the exact opposite of the
apparent The Board is not attacked for
neglect of duty but for honest, faithful
and impartial discharge of duty. A
clamor of disappointed candidates has
been raising, and Increasing for the last
two or three years; and "Mr. Teacher
only wells his private griefs under guise
of public spirit, because he thinks he will
meet with favorable response from that
class of men. Knowing that the Board
has been subjected to odious calumny for
a considerable time past, we shall, without
much reference to this anonymous writer,
give to the Public candid exposition of
the principles which have governed our
conduct in the matter. ..s.aes
The number of rejected candidates has
been considerable, sometimes amounting
to twenty or twenty-five per cent, and on
a few occasions to thirty or thirty-fve per
cent of the applicants But who has a
right to complain of this2 Not the re-
jected candidates; for in every instance we
have rejected with pain and reluctance,
and where we have found any thing like
adequate qualifications, we have granted
certificates with alacrity and pleasure.
Not competent and we'll qualified teach
ers, for Board Of selfish popularity hun
ters, is sure to GIL their ranks with incom-
petent men, who, as their education has
cost little or nothing, can afford to sell
their services very low, and thus elbow
out their more meritorious and better in
structed rivals and deprive them of the
just reward of their tolls. Not the public
at large, for the Legislature certainly in
tended to raise the standard of qualiica-
ton of teachers and it is vital to the in
terest and happiness of the people, that
effect. 'asrsr.ta- -- set
We regard our duties as strictly ju-
dicial. We much prefer to grant certiG-
Gates, when a sense of duty will permit. -
What ought any fair-minded candidate
to demand more? Is it handsome or be.
coming in suito- to complain of the
justice of a Judge, who wishes him success
who will go as ia: in his favor as sense
of honor and duty will permit and who
only decides against him because the Law
and fact demand such decision? Oughr
not defendent to be satisfied with dis
positions so favorable in the breast of hi
judge7 natl s5s-5s,a asadi.T 81 .',Ht 7-
Calumny asserts, that we have neglected
our individual duties and have given wa,
too much to very distinguished teacher
lately but not now member of tn
Board. We are not the men grossly t
neglect any duty, which we undertake t
perform. And we are not the men tame
ly to resign our individual opinions, ex
/ cept to him who can render a reason
We boldly assert that the contrary is th
fact That except in case of sickness o
, absence every exercise of every candidat
f has received the strict, person and care
ful scrutiny of every individual member {
the Board. That with one single excel
: ton, in two years, the rejections have bee
r made by tho unanimous decision of th
E Board. The distinguished teacher, who's
8 personal enemies originate and propagat
: these calumnies. has had one voice
E three and only one voice in three. in tn
consultations of the Board. And "
n further assert that our individual feeling
e of antipathy or animosity have never, i
any one instance. had the slightest il
J. fluence in rejecting candidate or shor
q ening his certificate. We preserve tt
n exercises of the candidates in writing
f If any candidate thinks that he has bee
;. harshly dealt by. let him come forwar
d and make his complaint in open day.
v We will concur in the appointment of
e committee of educated and compete'
j. men, to review the performance of Il
3. NAL content. We challenge, we defy il
l. vestigation in this behalf. s'FaN
II We do not adopt quite so confident
i tone on the other side. We are mt
= with the feelings of men. And thoue
intending to be perfectly impartial we wi
n rot affirm that feelings of sympathy al
d compassion have never warped our jud
J. ments into decision little too favo
l. able. But we .hihk that this has not {
J. ten happened and not in any very glariI
e instance. Moreover this is not what tt
calumniators complain Of They cor
t. plain of unjust rejections We bold
,s affirm that no competent man has been r
d jected. 5a-u as IS 2'aa-9 .' ~
,r We have at different times pursu
two different modes of examination
Is The one oral by mere, verbal qnesti'
is and answer. In the other mode DO
Of questions and answers are written. v
:" approve of this latter mode, in the lig
t. of experiences and TO 1t we, shall adheI
t. The competent scholar has nothing T..
4 fear from making his appearances in man
script And the ignorant pretender
r sure to be detected His bad spellin
E. his false syntax, his erroneous arithmet
his ignorance ofgeography and his inn
cence of prosody and punctuation. ma