Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-12-02
DAILY DEMOCRAT


II
Anong The LleoPate."
Enros DsnocsAS.-I will present in this
the suggestions promised in my 6rst CON-
munica,iens. But, wsrd before doing 20
II these meetings are called and eenductsd
by W. A. Bemis, Esq in his character ~
. private individual, and il each teacher
attends - such, these might 30 sons jus
tics 10 sutrsa,ing. the mercy OF my silence.
But such Is not the case. The teachers are>
convened - teachers, BY the city Supsrintsn-
dent in his etieial capacity. The proceed
ings are, therefore, er cathsdro and lsgiti.
mate objects Of criticism.
~hs development Of progressive power -
naturally visible in the productions Of .
sreat mind u not traceable In thoas
Of the Superintendent. His brains seems
10 BE- . museum Of the NEST eisgulaf and
irreconcilabls Psychological contradictions.
Opening the meeting in the manner already
descr bed, asd closing With general o.
der" to prepare for an attack upon "Pss's
Raven,' displays . genius not less rsm>
arkshls than Piekwick's. Whether Pos's
"burd" is now ION the Nights Plutonian
Shore" or ..perched upon bust Of PHIL
brick lust above the High School door,"
is uncertain. But if he be IN the latter
position he will, it ispresumed. hurl his
s'never,nore'' At the assaulting column Of
Aristarcli. But Why is Poe singled out
against such fearful odds! The author Of
the Bell(e)s should not be subjected to such
an excrucia,ing torture solely for the pur-
pose Of displaying the consummste strategy
OF the Superintendent in marshaling his
grammatical ba,talions in such order that
they must bear at once upon oil quarters
and upon every feather Of the sable "burd.'
A picture Of what those meetings ere,
has now been given F; and given more IN
sorrow than in anger" and Tor the sole
purpose Of contrasting it with picture Of
what those mestings might, couid ana
would b under more intelligent and en-.
eouraeing auspices. Let me give an outline
Of proceedings that might be witnessed u .
teachers meeting.
There are. am informed, about afty
teachers in the public schools OF this city.
Il 10 doing them no injustice to stats that 2
very large majority Of them are young ana
net % we'll qualified - they wish to Dc.
Let all the teachers 10 the schools Of the
city be bound, by . condition in their con-
tract with the Beard, to assemble ct the
High School at 9 A. NJ. on alternate Safe
urdavs. and remain in session till noon
Let then DO classified according . their
| proficiency in the classes taught. Or to N
taught ia the schools. Let three OF the
msst accomplished BE- appointed oy tho
Board to act - teachers for the others
Let regular lessons bs assigned to oil and
re- cite bv all. By this means all will acquire
| thorough knowledge Of what they are nov
called upon to teach. Let each in turn %
called to the black board and call
Cd upon for the reason Tor the
faith that is in him,-hsr. Ambition,
sslfrsspect, . generous spirit ofsmulaton.
will soon rouse into . vigorous activity
powers that are now latent. A years in
| structiou in . course like this will BE- Of
| more value than an age spent in the discus
son Of abstract humbugs. Spelling, Read
ing, Writing, Grammar, Arithmetic. Gesg-
raphy, History, Algebra, &C., can, in this
way, be reviewed and intel!igsntIy under
stood BY many who are now ashamed to
admit, even to themselves, their Ignorance
Of those branches Of common education.
Those appointed to instruct might, in their
turn, prepare short lectures upon assigned
topics and which would not occupy mere
than fifteen minutes in delivery. BY this
means they will acquire self-relianes, duen.
cy. correctness Of expression and an apt.
ness in communicating their opinions
things % very essential to success in the
school room, and in which 20 many teach.
srs ere sadly wanting.
The above scheme, merely outlined. 10
not only feasible, but eminsntly practical.
And what ere the objections to be urged
agains III The Beard have IN undoubted
right y put such . condition into their
contracta With teachers. Aud no ambitious
teacher viii demuf to il. The places Of such
IN object saa be seen 6llsd BY Others ..
we'll qualified. But will those appointed
to instruct the others b required to assume
and perform such duties without receiving
an equivalent return. Certainly not. But
tho additional expense would not, perhaps
exceed t400 per year, mef6 tr tie when
compared with the advantages that would
result to the schools. X. ".
Davenport, Dec. I. 1868.