The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-07-02
THE TRUE ISSUE.
shall Our Public school System Con
time TO Existt

Editors Iateligeacer:
1t is with extreme reluctance that |
attempt to address your readers on the
subject which stands ut the head of this
article. Nothing but an imperions
sense of duty could impel me to do so,
especially at the present time, when l
feel that my exhausted energies require
repose in order to their recuperation.
But from eel tain indications which have
appeared from time to time, within the
past year or two, it is evident that the
time Is approaching when general as
sault is to be made npOn the public
school system. This has been long ex
pected, especially by those behind the
scenes. 1t therefore becomes the duty
OF every man who desires the welfare OF
society, to be on the alert, and this is
especially true of those who are in any
manner connected with its educational
interests.
am led TO these remarks by the fact
that tine discussion of the "schOOl queS-
tion," as 10 is called, has been sprung
upon the public once o: twice within
the past year, in most unexpected, IL
liberal and ungener"us manner, espe-
cially towards those who are more i'm
mediately concerned in the operation
of our schools. l mean the teaching
fraternity, including the Superinten-
dent and all the subordinate ranks.
In reference TO the discussion now 60
ing on, / shall take occasion TO say that
l see no necessity for making an issue of
veraclty between DIR. Baird and Mr..
Williams. "A charitable person can very
readily conceive that one or the other
may have been mistaken. 1t need not
1T all be supposed that either Of them
was guilty of intentional falsehoOd. /
Ieel very confident that such was not
the case. Although decline TO believe
that the Doctor acted injudiciously IN
thrustipg the matter before the Board
of Education without taking sufficient
pains TO inform himself accurately in
the premises, he VAS especially hasty
in making an issue with Mr. Williams.
As TO the general practice of enforc-
ing the attendance rule in the schools,
am certain that Mr. W. stated the
matter correctly. That there may have
been occasional exceptions, when the
restored rule, as amended, first went in
to operation, ! cannot either affirm or
deny. can speak only of my own prac
tice, which has been governed By q lib
eral construction of the rule. Ii should
be understood, however, that neither
Superintendent nor Principals are To be
held responsible for the rule itself, after
the Board of Education has once seen
the propIiety Of adopting it. Their du
~ then becomes simply one of obedi-
ence, in seeing that the rule is proper
~, and, of course, judIciously enfOrced.
The allcgations made ny DR.. Bdirl
and Mr.. Clohan are positively denied by
the Principals in both eases. mean Mr.
futile and Mr.. Galloway. While am
very willing to believe that d.. 6. and
Mr.. G. thought they we've stating their
cases fairly before the Board. | think il
quite likely thai they may have been
misinformCd; and ! do know that Hr.
Tuttle aud Mr.. GalIosay are both hon
orable gentlemen, who would not know
in2ly, or intentionally, utter false
hood. Let il be supposed, # you will,
that either or any of the parties, was
lsboriRg under q mistake. But let it
NOT be said that he was guilty of "ly
ing,D or that be was "a teacher of lies"
Such language, fancy, does not belong
to the vocabulary of good breeding.
And hero | may he allowed to state
that II certain members Of the Board
of Education were to exercise more
caution III their statements in regard To
matters in which the reputation of
teachers is involved, these discussions
would not so frequently Nrise. Children
have their rights. Parents have their
rights. Boards of Education have their
rights. Bnt it must not he forgotten
that teachers have theirs also; and &c,
they do not defend themselves against
false imputations, pray tell me who
Wilt
But while have exonerated Mr.. Clo-
han, as far as possible, from the imputa-
tion of wrong motives, / can but regard
him as exceedingly indiscreet. feel il
my duty to say, that believe he is pnr
suing course highly detrimental to the
public interests, in his efforts to abolish
the City SUPPLEMENTARY. He is re-
garded as the chief agitator in this bus
mess, and is allowing himself to be
used as an Instrument bS the enemies of
our public schools. 1t has been intima-
ted, that for some cause 90 other, he in-
dulges private phone against Mr.. Will
liams-perhaps because Mr.. Williams
has not been entirely snbservieut to his
Wilt And hence he is said TO avail
himself Of every opportunity, Gas in the
case OF the statement by DR.. Baird,) to
excite q prejudice against the Superin-
tendsnt. knowing, as he ought, that
Mr.. WIS a faithfu, iaborious aud pains
taking officer, enjoying a character for
rectitude, probity and truthfulness be-
you'd suspicion, and that he could not
be oHsted from his position by fair
means, he does not hesitate TO resort 20
the desperate remedy of abolishiug the
Office to get rid of the present ineum-
bent. Hence the origin OF all this hue
and cry against the SUPPLEMENTARY:
But when men resolve upon doubt
full CT desperate measure, they are not
apt to be very scrupulous about the