Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-02-21

HIGH ScHooL-A slanderously false and malig-
nant communication appeared in the Revie1e of
Saturday morning, touching the correction of an
unruly boy, by Mr.. E. P Ingersoll, Principal of
the Central High School, on Thursday last The
article spoken of is written In such style as TO
show its absurdity upoa its face, and we presume
Mr.. lngersoll and his friends (of whom, we are
glad TO say, he has as many as any teacher in the
city, consider it unnecessary to reply to such a
one-sided statement, but we are not willing that
such an unwarrantable attack upon the principal
teacher Of the city should pass unnoticed
From information which we have received from
scholars OF the school, and from reliable sources,
we do not hesitate to say that the case is falsely
stated from beginning to end, and furthermore is
written in such an unchrsian, ungentemanly style,
as no one who was acquainted with the rules of
common courtesy would write OF dictate Take
the first paragraph as a specimen:
The fiery, petulant, and very amiable temporary
teacher of that school by the name of mgersoll 60
far forgetting his exalted position as to give way
to bis animal nature and pitch into lad some IA
or 10 years old taking him by the hair of his head
and pounding him about on the floor of the school
room, and for what, do you suppose? Why for
smiling at his ferociousness while removing the
seat of one other scholar to another part of the
room.
Those who know Mr.. Ingersoll are as well salts.
fed now as they be after reading any assertion
to that effect, that the above is a totally absurd
charge But to look at it On the ground of simple
fact, we say that instead of the above uncaed for
personal abuse, the writer should have stated that
the boy insulted the teacher by several volunteer
and impel tinent remarks; that when Mr. Ingersoll
asked him to explain his conduct, the boy told him
to "tOuch MIN at his peril, or words to that effect;
that he fatty refused to sit where he was told to;
that be said be had rather leave school than to sit
there; that the teacher then told him to 90 if he
ehosei that he then would not go peaceably, but
continued to disturb the order of the school; that
Mr.. Ingerson then took hold of his collar and
walked him out, mot pitched him out.") Such
q statement would have been much more 10 the
credit of the writer, and much nearer the truth
Again, this Temporary teacher by tine name of
IugersOll" (Mr. IngersOn has for years been one
of Clevelaud's most respected citizens, aud no
young man stands to-day higher than he in integr
ty enterprise and talent) did not take the boy by
the hair and pound him upon the Aoor, IS can be
most abundantly proved:
The remainder of the communication is written |
in the same strain, showing the author to be either
a man of but very little judgment, or to have writ
ten the note wAiIe so angry as to be unconscious
Of what became a gentleman. He further utters
the threat at may become necessary in order to
obtain satisfaction to resort to the manly art of
seldefenee." Rather say, to the brutal art of the
''Plug- and strike man because he does
not conform to every idea of your own.
Il is indeed time to wake up when teacher is |
to be called to account for using any wholesome
correction among his scholars. In earlier times,
boys were sent to school to learn, and to be gov
erned by the teacher who was appointed over them,
but now, in too many instances "young gentlemen"
go with the understanding that they shall be treat
ed with all the indulgencies which too fond pa.
rents grant to them. This evil has gone too far,
and unless It can be arrested will sadly initiate
against the benefits of our common scaool system
We should perhaps, offer an apology for occupy.
ing much space in reply to such an article, but
we believe the public insult offered to Mr. Inter-
soil, although unnOticed by him, should be publicly
answered. We were surprised that any paper
should publish such a libeIous article