The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1865-03-16
Our Public School:

REILLY TO "a MEMBER or THE BOARD"
When we hastily indited a brief article, cali
ing attention to the annual election, We little
thought Of stirring up so profoundly "a NJ m
Der of the Board" We simply said, eve believe
there is some foundation" for complaint against
the board; when 10! the unfortunate "TsX Pay
err" is accused ofjoining hands with the enemies
Of tho public school, and OF pitching into the
teacher, the school, and the board, without
judgement or mercy.
We beg the honorable member to stay his
wrath little. TAX Payer is a friend of the
school, of the teachers, and of the board, and
always has been He voted for nearly every
member OF the late boaid, and has voted for
some of them repeatedly. He has right there
fore frankly to express his opinion Of their
doings. If he has been unjust towards them, it
was entirely unintentional and shall be cheer
fully retracted.
L. One Of the principal arguments resorted to,
in defence of the board, is the assumed fact that
"a Tax Payer" had "deied the plainest princi-
pies of English composition by commencing his
proclamation, &c.'
Now, in the first place, he did not commence
his article in the way specified and in the Sec
ond place, he did not defy the principles Of Eng
lish composition. The first sentc nee Of the
article was, "Our Public School," which is omit
ted by the critic. There was no violation of the
rules Of grammar, but only somewhat liberal
eiHpsis "Our Public School. The annual efec
ton [of School Boardl is at hand.' Who would
have failed to see that this the obvious sense,
had not the perspicacious mind of "a Member
of the Board" so learnedy discussed the ques.
ton of antecedent and relatve2 An election,
implies an office: and what other Office but that
OF member Of the Board could be suggested,
to any ordinary mind?
As one good turn deserves another, VIC would
suggest to the honorable member, that he Is also
at fault in his grammar They can neither
keep their children or the street or at school,"
is violation of the principle. Of grammar $50
self-evdent that our best authors" hare "seen fit
to set it forth" very explicitly. And how about
that school Office" of which the member
speaks? We charitably presume he meant an Of
flee in the School Roara not in the school,; but
he does not clearly say
("Folks that live in glass houses, should mt
throw stones."D
We confess to some neglect in visiting the
school. 1t can hardly be, however, that the teach
ers know who "a taxpayer" is, if they informed
member of the Board that "he had not visited
the schools" We spent parts Of two days in the
High school, within a few weeks; we also visited
all the departments, except the Primary, in COM
pany with another citizen Of the place, within a
few months. We ought, no doubt to have visit.
ed mole and oftener than we have. But we claim
I, Inn tho hon ina A.,
ofpersonal visitation.
"A Member of the Board" seems very anxious
to rank "a Tax Payer" with those who discuss
school matters and other subjects ut saloons,
streetcorners, and other loalng places"
OF course he knows better, il he knows any
thing abont it. Why then does he seek to fling
odium apoa an humble tax payer" by such sug-
gestions? Perhaps it was to illustrate "the
christian motive Of correcting an evil, (which he
thinks so sadly wanting. in cur brief note; or to
expose 'the uncharitabe desire to publish a
fault" which he thinks so conspic uous there.
He accuses US of echoing the complaints Of
others, without attempting to show upon what
they are founded.
We had no desire to expose the faults Of the
late Board. But since member undertakes to
vinlicate the board frcm all blame, it is proper
for us to say, that it was unnecessary for one
living in the near vicinity of the school to risi.
it, in order to know what was going on during
some of the coolest and stormest days of the past
winter. When teachers and scholars visited us.
to get out of the smoke. and to keep from freez.
ing, because the stoves, pipes, &c, were in such
state, day after day, that the rooms could not
be decently warmed, we knep som ething of what
was going on, possibly, quite as much as "a
Member Of the Board"
That "the Board has labored under some diff.
culties," we are not disposed to question; having
had some experience in that line, in former
years. We have ever had, and have STILL Tue
sympathy with those called to discharge the
trying duties Of School Board But we can
hardly conceive of any difficulties that would
justify such condition of stoves and pipes as
existed some of the time during the winter term.
"a Member of the Board' charges "A Tax
Payer" with "throwing difficulties in the way of
teachers, Understanding their labors," &c.
We neither said word, nor made the least in
situation against any teacher or teachers en-
ployed in the school. We simply spoke of the
Board, not of the teachers. The members mind
must have been muddled as well as excited, to
confound things SO essentially different and dis
tinct.
Enough. Let US all unite in sustaining the
school, and in raising the qualifications aud
wages of the teachers 80 that We may have
Public School that shall be worthy of the times
and OF the pleasant village in which we live. TIP.