Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1865-05-20

GC'tl WufiO. thSh PiuNSoI HnFo beSuI euppfiSu
with those Of lower grade, and besides
the extremely low wages now paid teachers.
aud high prices Of living have compelled
many more Of our best teachers to seek more
remuperatipe employment" 1t is a fact
too that there are forty, five townships in
this State whose schools were In session less
than twelve weeks during the year. =
I, This says Commissioner White. "is to
be attributed TO a cuIpable4ndif1erence on
the part Of school officers to The highest in
terests OF their communities" Docs 1t not
result rather from q mistaken view oe the
common welfare public sentiment which
leads school directors to cheaper the schools
10 order TO diminish the burdens Of taxa.
tioD? From these and similar facts which
might be adduced the los ical inference is
that the experiment iu this State at least
is a failure. As with Ohio SO with other
Of the loyal States, The aggregate de-
crease in the appropriation for school pur.
poses in the State Of Massachusetts, during
the school year 1923 was $50 4s5 90 =
The effect Of this diminished amount derived
from taxation, is seen in the reduction of
the wages of teachers, an average per
month in the wages OF males of 50 81 1; OF
females, so As In 1862 the reduction
10 the average wages was, Of males, so 33;
Of females, SO 65. In 1S60-l the reduc.
ton was, of males, So 85; Of females, 50 O3
The whole amount of reduction since the
process teg IN has been, Of males, $5 60, or
over IL per cent; of femaleS,$l 08, or
per cent. /" II must also be borne in mind" :"
says the Secretary lof the Board of Educa
tion, ttthat there has been an additional
and more serious reduction Of wages Arising
from the depreciation OF the currency
X ~ - To reduce the nominal wages Of
the teacher, under such circumstances
would seem 10 be most unjust and unBise
discrimination against that class whose la
Dor is most of all, essential to the well-be.
ing Of the community. 1t is unwise, mas
much as IT'S natural effect is to drive from
the profession those whose activity and en-
ergy of character will enable them TO secure
better rewards for their services in other
callipgs and whose services for this reason.
are most needed as teachers and also to dis
courage Others from making the most thor
ough preparations in their power for the
ieachers's work. A lower standard Of
scholarship and general qualification is in
troduced. QuaHtity and not quality be.
comes the rule Of selection. Inferior teach
ers find their way into the schools, and the ia
tai process of de teriorstion goes on un
checked 1t is unjust inasmuch as il bears
with peculiar severity upon o large aud
most meritorious class of persons. Of oil
Others least able to protect themselves
against the exaction. More than eight
lenths Of our teachers are females, and the
proportion is rapidly increasing. Large
numbers of them are graduates of our High
Schools, Academies, and Normal Schools,
who have fitted themselves for their profes
sionS by the most asSidlous efforts and gen
erous culture Of their powers =. *l*
Can that.language be deemed uhduly severe
which cbaraeterzes the application of The
pruning knife TO The already inadequate sti
peudS Of our female teachers as alike un.
wise and unjust? 2" l need not quote fur.
sher TO show you how important The duty
of providing literally, that we may secure
and retain the services Of competent teach.
ers, and thus promote the interests Of edu.
cation in our midst. The Efforts put forth
during the coming year must be character.
.zed by an earnest liberality in this direc
ton, or our schools must suffer and perhaps
most dsastrously. The second topic to
Ahieh ] ask your attention is the necessi.
W of improving our school accomodatiohs,
The need of repairs is urgent and impers.
i've SO much so that immediate action
Shonld be taken 10 preparation for general
overhanlug during he summer vacation
Tit be true that we are influenced by those
wi h whom we associate 81 much SO that a
man may be known by uthe, company be
keeps, tits equally true that all our sur
rounding have an Influence upon US either
f,r good or evil. The man who is
compelled to work day after day in dir.
", dlngy Office, naturally becomes akin 10
it in bis personal appearance and habits,
but place This same person in an apartment
which is neat and tidy and you will soon
6ud him making an effort to coniorm per-
sonally to the improvements which he sees
around him. Now lit is not to be denied
that children are more liable 10 receive i'm.
pressions productive Of injury from .heir
associations than adults. Such injurious
Impressions may be received from The gen
erai appearance efa school.rooni. If when
the child turns his attention COR q moment
from his lessons, his'only relief is such as is
found in the thoughts suggested by iilapi
n. I..,Lu f. u -.