The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-02-26

Pursuant to call "by many citizens"
meeting was held in the Court House on
Wednesday evening to elect ticket for the
new Board Of Education, TO be elected on
the first day of March next The chief de-
sign Of this meeting, however, was not ia
enroll upon their ticket men Of suitable ca
pacites and sound discretion-nen to whose
honor and mature Judgment the inhabitants
Of this city could entrust the entire manage
rnent Of our Public Schools-but men to
stand pledged not in any manner to touch,
regulate or revise any Of the measures that
have been adopted by the former Board Of
Directors from the morn of their creation TO
the God-spee1 evening Of their decline.
Lit bc known then to every individu-
al in this town that this new Board, If elect
ell, will not disturb any OF the concerted
regulations or redress any OF the present
wrongs, that have crept into me sanctum
Of our Public Schools Judge Leland had
the holiness to tell Us that our Public
Schools have been conducted in the very
best, in the wises; and ab'cst manner. That
now thew rest upon basis (primd "a
ctej models 10 all other institutions Of the
same grades. and bat--they had attained
this standard of perfection principally and
solely through the unprecedented exertions,
wisdom and ability of the Board.
It appears To ii, that the judge has new
or been auded in his capacity as Director Of
Pubic Instruction in this city, and that
Consequently his praises would have TO leap
from his own tonEur.
"Oved some pow n the giEt:c gle Us
To see ourselye a. others us.''
1t was resolved at this meeting that no
retrcnchmcnt should be made, or could
safely be made without the risk of consign-
+ ~, 90 tat1
ruin. The eloquent Judge sketched a very
pleasing matter of fact and matter OF fiction
statement, by which he established his pre-
misses: his power in lsgic certainly exce!led
that of King Solomon.
Away with all this iness Of dilly daily and
inconsistency. Let US have the clear sun
light rather than mOonShining reveries in
matters OF so great importance. GIVE US
sound logic-matter Of fact alone. tell us
not that no retrenchment can be made; that
our taxes must necessarily be enhanced;
: that in o del to see oar schools flourish no
regulations, good or bad. must be touched
that noimprovements can be made in the way
of reducing expenses, and elevating the pres
ent standard of our school policy. Let US see:
First. In the first place teacher might
he installed in the Third Ward high school
department salary of $500, in place of
.ir. StONe at SIUO}. Jutt.c, Sbdii We Hdtile
score OF teachers who are every way as
fully qualified in the vocation as Mr.. Stone,
filling the same partmcnts in schools as
good-aad shall we say be;ter-thsn others
on salary of 5000?
Second We can elect school superintend
ants that will assume and completely ex-
ercise the function of that office without
paw Do YOU say we have no such men,
that could and would serve the public with
out sufficient compensation
Third. We will have our schools to the
exclusive benefit of those only who are
directly taxed for their support, and cast
out every scholar not entitled to this pri-
vilege and by so fdoing, we can unite the
| high school departments, in both brick
houses. in one elias in one house, and entirely
/ dispose Of the services of one of the teachers
at present on a salary of $1,000. This latter
instrument could be executed, for exclude
| all outsiders who have no right in our
! schools Cor shall we build expensive houses
for the accommodation Of those, and pay a
teacher $1,000 to instruct them) Yes, ex-
clude all those, and there will remain no
greater number of scholars in the high
| schoal department than can be accommO-
dated in one room and instructed by one
/ teacher. What say you to this:
| And 9Th. We would regulate, al so, the
system of instruction, for we hold, as our
highly respected citizen Mr.. Wade, our OBJ
ject to make colleges of our Public Schools
| We do not consent to be taxed for pnblic
colleges. But we would forever maintain a
sound public school sy stem. We would ed
ucate the masses for the counter, the ma
chine shop, and for the various branches of
commercial business, and make them useful
men.
Is not this the very letter and spirit upon
| which Public Schools have been founded
Shall we have teachers on high salaries for
the benefit of few wealthy inhabitants,
whose sons are likely to pass through COL
| ege? Shall we be taxed for such persons
! Can not they bear their own expenses! We
would have the solid branches taught, and
among these we should not neglect writing
and English Grammar; we wonld prepare
none for college, and thereby avoid the ex-
penses Of that "Model System (using the
Judges phrasoIogy) to have them sent back,
| as is the case now, when they do apply
Can any retrenchment be made. Shall
it be done? Let every body reflect upon
that?