The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1860-05-24
Oar Public Schools.

AcsSrS Editors Your paper has been, since
an early date, friend of public schools and pop
nlar education. IT. long ago heon,,,n o,,Iis+o7
The welfare Of our own schools, and has done as
much as any other fundamentally, to raise them
to whatever usefulness OR distinction they enjoy.
To the few enquiries l wish to make touching
their personal condition, know you will assign
a place in your columns, for l cannot conceive
that you have changed your ground or that you
are less interested in what regards their welfare
now, than you have been since the establishments
of our public school system.
l will first premise by saying, that have no
desire, or intention of prejudicing the public
mind against School officers, or teachers. want
merely to draw out such explanations as may
tend to correct any misapprehensons which may
exist in respect to our public schools.
| understand it to have been one ofthe prima
ry objects of School Boards. for three Or four
years past, to perfect a system of classification,
such now prevails in all well regulated schools
in other Cities east and west. A complete sys
tenn of classification cannot of course, be accom-
plished at once itrequres time to make it what
it shout be- 1t is said by those who ought to
know, that the classification in our Kenosha
Schools, has been gradually becoming better de.
fined every year, during the past four years.
This, every intelligent friend of education will
say, is as it should be. The impression, howev-
err, has been abroad that for some weeks past
the rule of Classification, in our schools, has beer
abandoned, or, at least, but lightly regarded
that some thirty scholars, many of whom are
quite young and small-have been suddenly
elevated to the High School, Also that large
numbers in each OF the lower, have been ad
vanced to higher departments, without undergo
ing any examination. If this be true, disorgan
zation and disarrangement of the classification
must be the consequence.
Were it not that no policy relating to schools
has the sanction of educational men, more thar
that of strict classification, and were it not tina
Il previous board of school officers, had adopted
and caused to be printed in pamphlet form. for
perpetual guide in this matter to a complete sys
tenn of graduation, these inquiries might not be s,
pertinent at the present time Those who bavt
control of this matter would confer a favor upor
the friends of the school, by giving some expla
nation on this point, which may allay any appre
hension, or remove mis.a apprehension, of the pub
lie in respect to the alledged non,adherence f.
school classification. If any emergency ha
arisen which requires even a temporary aban
donment, or deviation from the system of era
dauon, or classification hitherto enforced, it i:
due to the present school board, to have it ex
planned. How did such emergency arise if an,
has arisen? And was there no other way t,
meet it than by striking down this cardinal fea.
ture of school policy? This is a matter in which
every friend of schools has common interest
There should be no unfriendly feelings gotten up
but mutual interchange OF views and explana
tons will do good.
1t is not only natural, but entirely right. ant
argues well for the final success of the Schools
that such large majority of our citizens feel 8
deep concern for their prosperity The people
lave cheertully consented to taxation, in pas
years, to make suitable provision for them anc
there is a strong desire manifested among III,
principal taxpayers and school patrons, that I'll,
standard of our schools should be maintained. -
Shall the desire be gratifed We hope so.
Yours truly,
A FRIEND TO KENosHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS