Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-10-19

MEssRs. EDIroRs: The article in the
LEDGER Of recent date entitled City
Schools, or What Teacher Ought to
Be-" is exciting some attention as GER
tainly rejecting severely upon the city
schools of Memphis and the Board Of
Visitors having them in charge.
Heretofore, the LEDGER, ever noted
for the liberality of its views, has been
foremost among the press of the city In
its encouragement of those engaged in
the great work of popular education.
The article under consideration is not
ostensibly against us; but succession OF
quotations, containing some undeniable
truths, we'll and ftly spoken, by an
! adroit arrangement Of coutexts, is made
to inveigh against the public school sys-
tenn of Memphis. We protest against
being wounded in the house of our
friends, and with weapons from our own
arsenal.
The frat writer quoted-"Good Author
ity has stated that the public school
system, as now organized, fails to inspire
parepts with such sense of its value and
Importance as would move them to be al
apy pains or expense on its account"
"Gooa Authority" in making the above
statement, is guilty of gross Ignorance
or willful Misrepresentation The remark
is general. Is it intended to apply to
the public school system of the United
States, or to be restricted to Memphis Z
If to the first, we would call the atten-
ton of thewriter to the interest this sys-
tenn is exciting in Europe. England, so
slow to appreciate American merit, testi-
6es to the value of our school system IN
many ably written articles in her lead
ing magazines. She sends us from Ok
ford the celebrated Prof Goodwin Smith
and Rev. Mr.. Frazer, who express their
warm approval both to the faithful labor
ers in the schoolroom here and their own
people at home. The Czar of Russia
sends his Commissioner Kapnist to in
ouire into our public school system.
Baron Mackay, of Holland, himself
hears classes in our schoelrooms and
d. Hauranne, after spending hours in the
classrooms of the Philadelphia public
schools, writes of their excellence in the
Revue des deur Mondes.
The public schools of Memphis claim
kindred with those OF the older
States. The system adopted IS
the same, and if, in Memphis,
amid the depressing influences of war
and the evils which here followed in its
train, it has not yet outgrown all defects,
! it has, in the last few years, made such
rapid strides in the march OF improve
ment as to draw warm encomiums from
those who have investigated the matter.
An examination of the records will show,
among those who share and appreciate
the benefits of these schools, a large
number of our most respected citizens,
all of whom are ready to testify their
sense of their ralue and Importance;
and few indeed is the number of those
who have grudged the means of their
support,
The ideal teacher of the graceful writer
in the Southern Rerie,0 is not 'sabsurdly
high" 1t is just the standard adopted by
the present School Board in making
choice of a male teacher. For a perfect
embodiment Of this ideal we have but to
point TO two of the latest teachers pre-
siding over the Male High School-Prof.
r. ID. Redus and Rev. John Stacey, gen
nemeH whose names we're we'll and hon
orably known in this community, but
whose earthly course being finished do
now "rest from their labors and their
works do follow them"
Our work is not cheap work." nor
do we employ cheap persons to do it.
Some of that class, it is true, are at
tracted, but do not stand the tests Of the
Examining Committee, who find that
some do call themselves gentlemen who
are not competent to do that which
they profess to be competent to do" thus
failing to come up to the standard
adopted By the writer in the Reuielc,
aud practically applied BY the Board Of
School Visitors.
The male teacher should, indeed, be q
gentleman, the female teacher, a lady.
/ If ours are no, yet fully up to the siau-
dard, they will, as q body, compare ia
I vorably With the private schoolteschers
Of the city. That they are not cheap, ]. e.
needy persons, has been practically
proven By their being able, as well as
willing, t0 labor upon the credit system
I for eight months Of last year in the sup