Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-01-05
School Matters

: School Matters.
, EDITOR CHRoNICLE:-As there has bee
considerable said in the last few month
/. in regard to the examinations, by teach
ers from different parts of the county.
have come TO the conclusion that 1 mus
> "try my say" Regarding this subject
| viii be brief, as l wish to mention anOthe
n or two. At the examination which
attended, everything as far as l was abb
to judge, was conducted in an upriuht
honest and impartial manner. / hsv
been examined several times, and neve
saw examiners perform their duties NOR,
faithfully. If the other examination
were similar to the one I attended, i
seems to me that some OF our teachers
have been decidedly unwise and injudi'
elous in condemning and denouncing the
examiners as some have done. The
teachers of Trumbull County should con-
slider that we live in an & of progress
and that the intellectual standard of 3
teacher should be raised in proportion as
other things advance. Certainly more
intricate questions should be asked US
now than were asked five or ten wears
ago. We should also recollect that that
examiner is our true friend who faithful
ly ~endeavors TO raise our standard as high
as possible. Because in so doing he not
only for the county better teach
ers, but he also cuases us to prepare our
selves more thoroughly, and increases
our remuneration. Better had VI use the
same ink and paper, and with the same
energy, in ~denouncing some of the evils
attached to our common school system
OF education, than our worthy examin-
ers. For instance, the classification of
our schools and ''~boarding round.' It
seems TO me high time that our Boards
nE LlmAnWTaw- g. --a-- -
powerlies ifnOtin their hands, should de-
wise some means to remedy this evil. 1t
is utterly impossible for a teacher to sue
coed, when in a large school three or four
pupils of the same respective abilities,
have as many different textbooks. II
you speak to them about getting another
book, you receive replies similar to the
following: my Pa saws this il good
enough for me-" and "My Ma saws she
can't afford TO get another till this ones
worn out:' Surely something should be
done TO eradicate this very prevalent
evil. And now let us approach the sub
iect Of boarding round" A few weeks
ago Bann, of Hartford, very ably de-
nounced this system, and called on 9TH
ers to express their opinions. I had
thought we had no teachers at the pres
ent time who were in favor of this plan,
two weeks since 1 found out my mistake.
A heSopotamiSn, a teacher "FOnce in 2
While" said a few words in favor of this
teacher-killing system. Let US now ex-
anime what he has to say in his argu-
ments against Bann's position. 1 be-
lieve BGnn noticed sleeping in damp
beds, change Of diet, and entertaining
host and family. Our Mesopotamia
correspondent admits the first as a sound
argument by saying, at is not very
nNnn.nDk - L. -
sleep in a cold damp bed" Well now,
to this I would say, that in NV case the
sometimes has been the majority OF the
time. This plan probably had not this
Objectionable feature years ago. At that
time spare beds were scarce, and the
teacher generally had the privilege of oc-
cupying a bed that was in common use,
But now every family has its nice bed,
is probably occupied but a few
during the winter, except when
''the teacher comes" Now it is q fact
patent to all, TO all teachers at least, that
a bed which is unoccupied in a cold room,
ever for a few days, unless it is thorough
aired, becomes very damp, and is con-
seQuently very unhealthy TO sleep in
And we all understand that il is impossi-
Die for our good housewives 10 attend to
his daily on account Of their numerous
1 will admit that a change of diet isnot
INJURIOUS flour meals were as they should
be. But when we change our diet, and
hen change the order and time of our
meals, 1t then becomes detrimental TO
health. One morning, We eat break
at FIVE, the next at eight. One even
ng we take u tea Tor rather a hearty
because wehave eaten no dinner
pie and cake at five, and the next
L seven. Certainly this il too much
The last point which "Once in
While notices, and in fact the only
Irgument that can be advanced in favor
# this disgusting plan ofboarding, is the
that it affords for becoming ac-
Iuainted with your patrons. But if the
eacher wishes to become intimate with
as all teachers should, we think
can be done and have q regular stop
ling place. Let the teacher spend
of hours for a few evenings in Wis
ting the parents, and We dare say an ac-
.uaintance can easily be formed. Your
will then welcome you as a Wis
tor, and not IS a ledger, whom they are !
ompelled to keep a few evenings during {
he term. Then viii your friendship be
ppreciated. {
In his closing remarks our Mesopota-
Man writer advises US to go home with
Iur pupils, Law aside all our cares, enter
nto conversation with our host concern
ng his stock. crops, and ali the chieftop- 8
Is OF the day, and for the time being, en-
oy ourselves. .Weli Such a theory is
ather pleasing to think of, but the trou- :
lie with it is that it resembles a great
many other theories, and is more theo-
etical than practical. II is quite a pleas
to talk until ten or eleven o'clock, ]
Or a few evenings, but when these length {
n into weeks, and these in turn become
months, il comes 10 be very dull pleas q,
Far better wouldit be for us TO have :
steady boarding placeSand spend these !
venings in a different manner. Let an
our or two be devoted to preparation for
be morfoW's exercises, and the remain :
Ter Of the evening in recreation, visiting
our patrons, or 70 some useful and sub I
tantial reading.
Teachers Of Trumbull, I ask you ifthis !
'iew is not the correct one. Will we not
)e wiser teachers at the close of each
if we can secure such a consumma-
ion? VIII not our success be greater
And will not our health, which should
,ver be u greatest consideration, be
ess liable to be ruined? I myself at the
present time am enjoying . magnificent
old, the fruits of this beautiful system.
Another Objectionable feature is that il
s unjust. Teachers generally board most
where they are treated best. So that q
parent has only to be bearish (which is
10 very difficult task for many to ward
teacher, and we generally give that one
wonderful letting alone Besides this,
many families never expect TO board the
and so make no provision what
,ver for so doing. In conclusion, /
would ask others to express their opin-
ons. Express them, no for the sake Of
but for the purpose of letting
know what our opinion is of this
but nevertheless injurious 0uE-
ON. }.
Rowland, Jan'y 5th, 1870.
PuhIie Dehf Statement