Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-10-04
For the Journal

Mr.. Edit0r:-ln the reply OF Mr.. Wood
house to me, in your issue Of the 2Sth ult.,
he admitted the truth of all l charged, and l
was willing he should have the benefit OF his
explanation without further notice from me,
for the reason, that hsd no personal inter-
est in the defeat of Mr.. Woodhouse, and no
greater interest in thesswelfare Of our schools
than every parent should have. In yester-
days paper Mr.. Woodhouse appears to wish
"Mr. Butler to keep on writing" Mr.. Wood
house tells us that it was at his instisation
Mr.. Doran asked the directors to make his
school public one. Now most positively
assert that Mr.. Doran never did ask the Board
to make his school public one, and Mr.. Do
ran never 4riU ask to have his school come
under the control of the School Board 50 long
as that Board is composed of u majority Of
Protestants, and for the truth of this appeal
to Mr.. Doran himself, gentleman of charac-
ter and intelligence, and undoubtedly con-
scientious Catholic, recognizing fully the AL
thorlty and discipline of that branch of the
Christian church; and, however great our diff
ferenccs, think no one can accuse them of
asking any .tauors Of Protestant School
i Boards.
The school tax is collected from all alike,
and al ,re entitled to share alike in the bene-
fits of our pub, schools, and think no man
friend to the Ca.,ssoHes o. the Germans or
to the good order and psacs Of oa'' CITY who
will, to accomplish pr, ate ends, endeaSor TO
produce discord in our c. Immunity, by 'Tst''
eating sectarian appeals fo.r division OF 'ne
common school fund. Shou.d Mr.. Dorsn OF
the Rev. Mr.. Oberman ever bee, me canoldates
for election as teachers in our pu. 'llc Schools
they would find that their claims .vouid not
be prejudiced by the fact of their b. Nonglng
to this, that or the other denominatio. ~ Oh
Christians or nationality. Mr.. Woodho Use
appears to find fault with the Board for sepa|
rating the colored children from the white, and
giving them teacher by themselves. Mr..
Woodhouse did not find anything to object to
in this argument when one of his own family
was employed as teacher of the colored chill
dren, and if part Of his policy" is. to dis
countenance that school and allow oil of our
schools to be open to them as formerly,
think some of his present supporters would
have something to say aboutit
Mr. Woodhouse says, "The Board has seen
fit to provide, and sees fit to continue sepa-
rate school for the negro children of the city,"
(and further) twill the Board compel the ne
groes to 60 together, and refuse to allow the
Germans or Irish to do the same?'' If the
Germans and Irish are satisfied with this clas-
sifcation, it is very certain the negroes will
be, but think it highly improper and inju-
rious to speak of classes in connection with
our school system. The zeal with which Mr.
| Woodhouse is animated in wishing our
schools conducted on economical principles
may be from very praiseworthy motives, but
is in strange contrast with his action in refer
ence to his osem salary or pay as Superixtend-
emf, as will fully appear from the following
By section 2o74, page 367 Of the Code, it will
be seen that the law allows the County Su-
perint ndent only two ($2) dollars per day,
while necessarily engaged as Superintendent.
The county has paid MIR. Woodhouse $1s4,
being 81 per day for all time claimed to be
necessa rily employed by him from March lst,
1860 to January LIST, 1861. 1t appears that
Mr. Woodhotise values his sery' ,es at much
higher rate, and his claim for S437.50 for the
same period against the county, is on file in
our District Court. Let the voters remember
this, when Mr. Woodhcuse finds fault with
the expenses incurred for teachers. In what
way Mr.. Woodhouse has msnaged to employ
,secsssurily 90 days of his time to be entitled
to $1s3 is , mystery to many, for it is well
known that he has not visited school in
Ausca tine District since last whit n and vhe'
ther his visits to the schools in tive county
have been often or not, have no means a
present ofknowing. t--
Mr.. Woodhouse further says, "Mr. Butter
represents me as urging upon tho Board the
opening OF . high school, So did. At that