Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-07-19

unjust, aud while offer no apology for H.
competent teachers, wish to raise the novel
inquiry, whether there are no, others who
have duties and responsibilities, rs well az
teachers; whether sub~directors and parents
have anything to do in the work Of edaca.
tional reform; aud il so, are Mey always
competent, earnest aud faithful?
My own experience as teacher, leads me
to the conclusion, that the first indispcnsa>
BILE requisite to good school, is an ntelii
gent desire on the part Of the parents and
school officers, to hare good school. ! do
not mean simply preference for good
schools as contrasted with poor ones, but
such desire as manifests itself in anxiety
to employ thoroughly competent teachers );
in cheerfuliy supplying those teachers with
all the necessary auxiliaries in their work
in supplying children with suitable books,
sending them early and regularly 10 school
in sustaining teachers in their discipline
in frequent visits to the school room,-in
short, desire that generates u lively interest
in the teachers work. and gives him, or her,
the assurance Of warm hearted sympathy,
generous support, and just appreciation.
Now are the sccools Of tits county the
natural outgrow.h Of such popular desire?
Are they planted in the genial soil Of the peo-
Pies affections warmed by the sunlight of
far L. a. e
anxious parents guarded and cultivated By
competent and faithful school officers?
No, alas +, our schools are not the out
growth of any such popular desire; they
are not thus planted, summed and wa,ered.
Their type, If We may look for it among
things having life and growth, is the crop Of
sod corn, carefully planted by the farmer
upon the newly plowed, unsubdued prairie
soil. The owner bestows not an hours
labor, or a moments thought upon it if it
natures and yields him large return, be is
fortunate the crop has cost him little labor
and no anxiety-the yield is a clear gain.
If it fsils, he spends no :ime in idle regrets
it has cost him nothing, he expected moth
ing, and is not disappointed.
That large portion Of our schools are
kept, cannot say taught, by teachers whose
want Of literary qualifications and expert
ence is a sure guarantee Of failure, is fact
with which we are painfully familiar; but
whose fault is it that such teachers find ems
ploymcnt?
Does not the great law Of supply and de,
mand operate here, as in other departments
of business? Does any Que doubt that if
the people Of Buchanan County demanded
better schools, refused to give employment
TO incompetent teachers, and were willing to
pay fair wages, the supply of good teachers
would soon be equal to the demand?
The fact is simply this; the people of
Iowa DO not demand good schools. -The
teachers of the State. are to>day, far in ad-
vance of the masses of the people in their
desire for educational reforms. The State
Teachers Association for the last ten years,
has bee0 urging upon the Legislature, GER
tain measures, designed to elevate the con-
dition Of common schools, and how have
the people through their legislature respond.
ed? Take the actisn Of the last session as
a sample. A carefully prepared bill amend.
atory Of the Law Of Appeals. was voted
down without examination; the bill provid
ing for the establishment Of a Normal
school, for the education of teachers, though
ably supported, was lost, and the few unim-
portant amendments to the present law
were only secured BY the efforts Of iufiuen-
tial loby members sent there by the State
Teachers Association.
But return to the question Of individual
responsibility. Every teacher employed in
our common schools, enters into written
contract with the sub-district, in which he
or she agrees to faithfully perform the du-
ties Of teacher as required BY law; in con-
sideration Of which, the sub-director as the
agent Of the district, agrees to perform his
duties as required by law, and 10 pay said
teacher certain amount per month.
Now, what are the duties required by law,
Of the parties to this contract?
The teacher is required to faithfully gov>
ern and instruct the pupils under his care,
and 10 keep record Of his school.
The sub drector is required to keep the
school house in good repair, aud to risit the
school and aid the teacher in establishing
and entorcing rules for the government ofthe
school.
To the discharge of these duties, the
teacher is bound BY his written contract;
but the sub-director, not only by his con.
tract, but by his official oath.
Now venture the assertion, tha, Of the
one hundred or more, subdirectors in this
county, not twenty Of them have seen the
inside Of school room during the present
term. know that the pressure Of business
is an ever ready excuse, but it can never be
valid one the officer who cannot find time
to do what he has voluntarily sworn to do,
should at least take time to resign. Sup.
pose the teacher should make the same
excuse for teaching but four hours per day
would it answer in his case? Does the subs
director reply, that he gets no pay for time
spent in visiting the school, and hence he
can't afford to do his duty! That excuse
would come with better grace if offered to
his neishbors on election day.
have not space to enumerate the bene>
fits resulting from frequent visits by direc-
tors aud parents. Every teacher Of expe-
rience, knows how such friendly manifesto.
tons of interest, animate his pupils, cheer
and encourage himself, takes right hold Of
his heart. warns aud thrills him, fires his
zeal and increases his usefulness.
have reason to know that many of our
teachers, are to-day, kecnly feeling the
want Of this encouragement, and in behalf
Of those teachers, the monctony Of whose
school room duties, has remained unbroken
by the presence of single visitor, during
the long term now closing who expect no
other reward than the consciousness Of hav>
ing faithfully done their duty,-I ask school
officers and parents, to suspend their judy
mcnt Of this or that teachers ability and
faithiulness, until they can honestly say :"
have cheerfully and faithfully done my part