The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-07-01
THE TRUE ISSUE.
shall our Public school System Con.
EtUua 10 ExIsfa

|
Iinue 10 ExIstS
Editors InteEigencer:
1t is with extreme reluctance that
attempt to address your readers on the
subject which stands at the head of this
article, Nothing but an imperious
sense of duty could impel me to do SO.
especially at the present time, when
feel that my exhausted energies require
rspose In order to their recuperation.
But from certain Indications which
have appeared from time to time, with
| in the past year or two, it Is evident
that the time is approaching when a
general assault ia to be made upon
our public schools System. This has
| been long expected, especially by those
who have occasionally enjoyed peep
behind the scenes. 1t therefore becomes
| the duty of every man who desires the
welfare of society," to DO on the alert
and this is especially true of those who
are in any manner connected with Its
educational interests.
lam led to these remarks by the fact
that the discussion of the "school queS-
ton" az 1t Is called has been. sprung
upon the public once or twice within
the past year, in most unexpected, IL
| liberal and ungenerous manner, es-
peclally towards those who are more
| Immediately concerned in the opera
ton OF our schools. 1 mean the teach
ing fraternity. Including the Superin-
tendent and all the subordinate ranks.
| In reference to the discussion now
going on, shall take occasion to say,
| that see no necessity for making an
issue of yeracitY between DIR. Baird and
| Mr.. Williams. A charitable person can
very readily conceive that one or the
other of the gentlemen may have been
mistaken. 1t need not at all be sup
posed that either of them was guilty OF
| fol I NJ
| fident that such was not the case. AL
though I incline to believe that the
Doctor acted injudiciously in thrustiDg
the matter before the Board of Educa-
ton without taking sufficient pains 10
inform himself accurately in the prem
Uses. He was especially hasty in
making an issue with MIR. Williams.
AS to the general practice of euforc-
| ing the attendance rule in the schools,
| L am certain that MIR. w. stated
the matter correctly. That there
NAV have been occasional excep.
tons, when the restored rule. as
amended, first went into operation,
1 cannot either affirm or deny. l can
speak only of my own practice, which
has been governed by liberal con-
struction OF the rule. 1t should be I'M
lderstood, however, that neither super
! intendent nor principals are to be held
responsible for the rule itself, after the
pOnru OF euucdIou NUS ouCe seeu tue
propriety of adopting II. Their duty
then becomes simply one of obedience,
in seeing that the rule is properly, and
of course, judiciously enforced.
The allegations made by DIR. Baird
and Mr.. ClOhan are positively denied
by the Principalsin both cases. mean
MIR. futile and Mr.. Galloway. While
am very willing to believe that DR.. b.
and Mr.. G. thought they were stating
their cases fairly before the Board, l
think 1t quite likely that they may
have been misinformed; and do know
that Mr.. futile and Mr.. Galloway are
both honorable gentlemen. who would
not knowingly, or Intentionally, utter
falsehood. Let 1t be supposed, II you
will, that either or any OF the Parties,
was laboring under mistake. But let
it not be said that he was guilty of sly
ing. ~ or that he was "a teacher of lies. !"
Such language, fancy, does not belong
to the vocabulary OF good breeding.
And here may be allowed TO state
that If certain members of the Board
of Education were to exercise more
caution in their statements in regard
to matters in which the reputation of
teachers is involved, these discussions
would not so frequently arise. Child
rem have their rights. Parents have their
rights. Boards OF Education have
their rights. But It must not be for
gotten that teachers have theirs also;
and II they do not defend themselves
against false imputations-pray tell
me who will2 l.
But while l have exonerated Mr..
Clohau, as far Ms possible, from the
imputaIlon OF wrong motives, can
but regard him as exceedingly indis.
Greet. feel it my duty to say, that 1
believe he Is pursuing a course highly
detrimental to the public interests, In
his efforts to abolish the City Superin-
tendency. He is regarded as the chief
aRitator in this business, and Is allow
ing himself to be used as an instru-
ment by the enemies of our public
schools. It has been intimated, that
for some cause or other, he indul-
ges private pique against Mr..
Williams perhaps because Mr..
Williams has not been entirely
subservient to his will And hence he
is said to avail himself of every oPpor-
tunity, Gas In the case of the statement
by DR.. Baird,) to excite prejudice
against the Superintendent. Know
ing, as he ought, that Mr.. W. is aIfaith-
full, laboriouS and pains.taking officer
enjoying character for rectttude, pro-
| billy and truthfulness, beyond suspt-
cion and that he could not be ousted
from his position by. fair means, he
perate remedy or abolishing the Office
to get rid of its present incumbent.
Hence theorigin of all this hue and
cry against the Superintency.
But when they now resolve upon a
doubtful or desperate measure, they
are not apt to be very scrupulous about
the nleans-and what are the means re-
sorted TO in this case ? As might have
been expected, combination of the
extremists of both the great political
parties, Actuated by an inordinRte
self-will and self-conceit on the one
hand, and by an intense hatred of our
public school system on the other, we
now see these two factions of extrem-
lists, working shoulder to shoulder for
tionally, It matters not which: to
abolish our public schools. 1t Is
against such a combination that 1
would now put the public on its guard.
Some of the leaders are known. Their
names could be given, and the unsus-
pecting community would be surprised
to find among them those who have
hitherto, and will again be, applicants
for public favor, and who would ex.
ceedingly regret to have 1t understood
that they are in any degree hostile 10
our public schools. You Will know
man Of this class by the ear-mark. II
You hear one say, ST am in favor of
public schools for the po0T''-this is the
ear mark. Note that man. BE Is one
OF them. Our public schools are In
tended neither for the rich nor the
poor, exclusively, but for the masses
for all alike. 1890
Now, If it is the will of the public to
abolish these schools, let It be done by
the public at large, and upon fair no.
tice. Then there will be an end OF all
| controversy. Let ii be done in an open
manly way, and not by a system OF
sapping aud mining, lghich tgottt6 ttTst
| dignU and then StrGn9Le MeVl.. Dwarf
them by abolIshing the City supertn1.