The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1868-03-13

EnITCR JOURNAL: Much las lecn said and
published concerning the Teachers Institute
which should have been held in this county last
November bu! MS all the crooks and turns con.
crrning its roStpouemcnt have not been truly and
fairly stated, take the responsibility to place a
few facts before the public. At the last session
of the Teachers Association, in Bowling Green, |
was elected member Of the Executive Committee
did not attend Nothing was said to me couccru-
ing the affairs Of the teachers of the county, OIL
dllly, by either of the other members. until We
met on the County Fair ground, last October, as
Mr.. Avery states we did in his creep out" OF
December %. lie and Mr. Nearing came to me and
/ quested To hold consultation rs a Committee,
that preparations might be made for the coming
Institute. Mr. Avery says that lie adlcarntd iron,
Mr.. Nearing before they came to me, that we had
taken the matter into our own Lands and had
agreed upon timc place and whom we should
have as instructors. After they met me, should
have said to Mr.. Avery, "Yuu are Chairman, YOU
write to the most prominent educators of our state
and got their terms for conducting the Institute
for one week" Did that confirm his conclusion ?
Does that sound as though we had taken the
whole matter into our own hands Would !
we had already selected them? He must either
have misunderstood Mr.. Nearing, or else he wishes
20 wear our cloak Of innocence 10 hide his guilt.
As Il Committee we all agreed to write to noted
teachers, and ascertain how much it was going To-
cost us. Mr. Avery wrote to three, Mr.. Nearing to
two. Before Mr.. Nearing received a reply to his
letter, Mr.. Avery forwarded 20 us the communica-
tion he had received and wanted our immediate,
action. We thought best to engage Messrs
Stevenson and DcWolf, as they were reasonubl.
in charge, and men who were accustomed to con
ducug Institutes, besides, we could not tell when
we would hear from the gentlemen to whom we
had written. So it will be seen, had we not en-
tgcd whom We did, we nigh, have been thrown
entirely out Of good teachers. This is the reason
why the gentlemen to whom Mr. Avery wrote
were engaged.
Again, Mr.. Avery states that on the evening OF
October Is, he went to see Mr.. Nearing and agreed
with him that he (Avcry) would engage the teach
ers and that Mr.. n. should publish. Mr.. N. say $
he never agreed to publish, and that Mr.. Avery
knors better. He told Mr.. n. that he had written
t. the Secretary, aud requested him to publish
but our most worthy Secretary, ab0rng under
mental arrangement, did not publish. "Of this
Mr.. l.ayman is not in the fault" Mr.. Avery
again states that all that was DONE was done
by him at our dictation. We could not have die
tatcd much for there was but little done. BY ali
the rules and customs under which II Committee
act understand that the Chair is in all cases the
Secretary for his Committee and should expect t.
do all corresponding aud writing. at least have
und 1t so. Mr.. A, living the railroad and Mr..
Nearing and myself three miles there rom, he hal
NJ gcntlemanly right Chairman to expect 5
to do the bulk of business.
On the first day of November, he resigned his
high office and gave as his reason for doing III
his communication of November ii that q house
sufficiently large could not be procured in Bowl.
ing Green, and that Mr.. Callihan's school would
be in session, and that he thought il the duty OF
the other members to do something in the way OF
arranging matters such as procuring room, &c.
Were we to blame if the buildings at Bowling
Green were not large enough? Rooms were en-
gagged and We thought everything rel until Mr.
Avery resigned and informed us that he had dome
nothing, much less making any attempt 10 do any
thing. 1t is believed that he wished to confuse
the business under his care so completely that an
Institute could not be hcld, unless he would be sol
tied us an instructor.
Why was the Institute postDuned On the
lst OF November there was no publishing done
aud it being on Friday, the county papers were
printed and we could not publish for one week.
which would give the teachers ONLY three days'
notice and more than likely half would not see the
notice at all. Besides, there was work to be donc,
which Mr.. Avery had neglected, Of the most vital
interest. We did not feel willing to take the re-
sponsibiIity of holding an Institute and spend the
money unless all the friends of education were
duly warned and prepared to come out. We could
not postpone one week or two for then we would
lose our instructors. Mr.. Layman posted bills
all over the county, wholly unknown to the Com
mittee, and upon his own responsibility. We did
not know Of this until after tine lns itute should
have commenced. In conclusion, we would say,
had Mr.. Avery informed us OF his intention to re-
sign, in due time, as he should have done, the In
stitute would not have been postponed and there
would not have been any i'll feelings.
Yours respectfully, j. II, WHITEHEAD.
LIBERTY, March 3, 1868.