The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1870-03-03
Hints 10 TPachers-1keeb Up or
-.-..-. Fall Back.

-..-.. -. EaIl Back
To The Ohio State Journal
Below is a verbatim note, addressed
me by G. s. Innis, Esq, one Of the
School Commissioners of franklin
county. It is in answer to an inquiry
touching the probability to ''rusty''
teachers getting cirtiicateI
COLUMBUS, Jan. Il, 1870.
Mr.. 7. s. Shepherd: ~
DEAR SIR:-YOurs Of the 10th inst.
is before me. frankly acknowledge
that 1 am at loss to know what to say
in return. The exDense fJf
our State School system runs into
millions Of dollars each year. I au1
fully convinced that one half, at least
of this vast sum is wasted upon fneOrn-
petent teachers; and that the money
consideration is Of no value, compara<
lively, when COntrasted with the last
ing injury a poor teacher generally
does to his school. Errors
taught to children in early youth ars
almost indellible, very hard to correct
in after life. This I know from ex.
perience. Unless we are very careful
we will slip right back into old hab-
It's. Give child wrong start and
1t Is like rowing up stream constantly
all through life to keep right, however
well he may be Instructed afterward.
Still, on the other hand, It seems
that the people of a school district
should have their choice as to teachers;
but in this particular those least quail
flied to Judge need the best teachers
Now, for their protection, the Stats
has organized County Boards Of School
Examiners; and they are sworn to-
grant no Certificates unless the appIi-
cants understand certain branches,
generally called common. When
first became a member of the Frank
lin County Board Of School Examln-
ers, l was astOnished to find old teach
ers who could pile up ten or more cir
titicates, and yet knew nothing almost
about English grammar, and did not
we'll understand the fundamental rules
Ofarithmetic, in fact were ignoramus-
es. Upon consultation the new Board
determined to raise the standard,
which we have been gradually doing
for the last eight months. We think
from the reports Of local school officers,
and others, that under this system OuE
schools are improving, the teachers are
brightining up, or at least, those that
have energy enough to do so.
Now, those that try to improve, en-
deavOr to make themselves Workmeu
that need not be ashamed. Should
they, Bro. Shepherd, be forced into
competition with these drOnes that
are too intellectually lazy to ever
brighten up?
We want all the schools filed, but
have been trying to give the people
the very best material that offered, and
this good material something like lIvr
ing wages. Shall we, or would you
advise US, to lower our standard Of
qualificatiOns-tU return to the schools
these incompetent teachers, not to say
ignOramuses, that have been refused
certificates by other Boards, and that
without any effort on their part to inl--
prove themselves or their schools ?
/ write freely to you because I know
you to be one Of the best educators we
have in the county, and we wish you
to understand the motives from which
the Board have acted. Ifthere is any
thing in which I feel a deep interest,
that is the liberaal education Of the
youth of our land. We are now hav-
ing such a mighty influx to our land
of the ignorant, not to say vicious, Of
other countries, that it will be all we
can do to leaven the whole lump and
keep up our free institutions.
Any Board of Examiners who place
their standard high, will soon have
the better class of teachers from sur
rounding counties, while those who
give certificates to applicants Of inferi-
or qualifications, will soon have all
the poor teachers from surrounding
counties who cannot get certificates i'm
their own localities.
] acknowledge this is somewhat
selfish and partial to our own county,
but then you know the old proverb
that "charity begins at hOme."
Yours, very respectfully
G. s. INNS.
T. s. Shepherd, Esq.