Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-03-01
To the Examiners of Candidates
for the Teachers Office.

What avnils it that we pay millions Of
money Tor the support Of our schuols,--that
we build commodiOus and expensive schoul.
b 'uses. II our teachers, are incompetent for
the work of educating our children! Money
and buildings u.e of themselves, o! no value
la this work. With a school building in
each sus.disuict as costly as our State
Capitol, there will be none but worthless
schools, If the teachers are without due
qualifications.
There are thousands of TN educated and
i'l-6red young people 10 Ohio. who need Ia
learn much in regard to the simple principles
vi orihography and reading, who in any re-.
spectacle primary schuo's would b. found
ut the foot of their classes, and who vet
seek places as teachers. Ignorant of them.
selves, as of everything else. they think
themselves qualified for teaching. perhaps
for the reason that they have discovered
that they are unfit for anything else.
And, what is not ..less dePlorable. there
ure fathers, yea school directors, who ure
ready to employ these untaught young peo
Ple' to teach our schools,-to give form and
character to the lives of our youth. IF ali
who aspire TO become teachers find ready
employmentcif all the ignorant and vulgar
have only to offer their services in order to
procure positions which require the greatest
wisdom. 'hs sonndest judgment and the bes,
cultivation, our schools will become lount.
aims OF ignorance and moral death.
To guard against such evils, our school
law provides that in each county there sha Il
be appointed a Board OF Examiners, con.
sisting of thren men, whose certificate of
gu ! fieations shall be requisite to employ.
ment in teaching. None can engage in mi,
great work without their license. They
stand, virtnally, at the doors Of all the
school-hous Of the State, to ADM, or re.
ject Those who would enter as teachers.
How great a responsibility is theirs. To
them it pertains to guard the educational
Of the State against that greatest
of all misfortunes and misrries, untaupbt
and unteachable teachers. II they are
themselves competent and faithful, the work
will bless the world; their office will prove
second to none othe, in importance and
But if they are themselves I'm.
or negligent in regard to their high
obligations, irreparable loss will DO the sure
Quacks in medicine, law and the.
Dlogy, are dire evils; but quacks in the
science and art OF teaching are still more
scourges.
1t is to me a source Of pleasure and sutls-
|action that ! attn able to bear testimony to
The high qualifications of a very large pro.
Of the two hundred and sixty -four
gentlemen in our State, upon whom the
important work Of examining candidates
'or the teachers office has been devolved.--
For a pitiance In the way Of remuneration,
hey are ia thfully serving the public in a
work which comparatively few are well
lus lifted to perform. Something more than
Is neededsto qualify one for The
,fi ce o. examiner. Much practical wisdom,
act and prudence, are indispensable re-.
1t Is no welcome task that ] perform when
express the fear that there are some men
n our State holding this office who have
'adly ,mls'aken their calling. The man
who issues a counterfeit bank note, is Justly
to cell in our Psnitentiary.-l
the wrong which he commits is nothing
with that Of him who endorses a
counterfeit school teacher. The one plumb
'rs the pocket, the other the heat and soul.
Nav York, Feb. 2s.