The Van Buren press., 1871-10-10
"0ur Common School Systsm !
EWING sEMlsAHY, Oct. 1, is

EWING SEMlNAHf, Oct. q, lctl.
In this age of progressive ideas and . on
ward and upward " tendencies. the man who
attempts to oppose our new sy stem of Com
mon Schools will have about the same sue
cess that did the puiSant Canutc. when be or
dered the waves Of the ocean to recede from
the foot of Majesty. Nor. indeed, can any
one who has the common good at heart wish
to offer an obstacle to that Which. ifpfopcrly
conducted. will carry the inestimsblc bless
ings Of education. to the hearth Of every citi-
zen OF the CommenwealtIi-ilimi the
hovel of poverty, as well AS the mansion Of
wealth; breaking down the barriers Of cast
between the rich and poor. and asserting
that IF the rank Is but the guinea's stamp ;
the mans the gold for a that" But. 1t be-
comes the duty Of all intelligent citizens to
inquire whether II be now working in man
ner best calculated to produce the greatest
amount of good. or the many objections that
mightbe urged mot so much to the system
itself but to its adminiStrston-I shall at
present coming myself to one: the payment
Of teachers wages in deprecated currency.
This one thing is now producin. more dissat-
sfaction with. and more seriously prejudic-
ing the interests ofthp Common Schools than
all the Southern pride and eternal hatred to
Yankees and their isms, that any. or. all Of
our blatant scalawag officials can discover
within the limits OF the Gulf States. Systems,
however harmonious. theories though jewels
of consistency. and snperintcndents. though
ever so efficient and Jealous. can never make
successful school without teacher lie is
to the school what the helm is to the boat. the
directing and controlling pswer. Now. it is
or should be-plain that II we place weak.
ignorant illiterate class OF men in charge Of
orr schools. that they are bound to languish
for a timc-a clog to advancement. and die
miscrably in the end; and yet such will be
the result. II, the present patry rcmnnera-
ton he adhered to. No man Of sufficient at
tainment. to insure him respectable rank
among other professions. " i'll take the oner-
Gus. responsible, and too often thankless po-
sition Of teacher. when he Knows that his sal
ary. at lirst too small will be paid In Treas
urrr'. Certificates at 3 discount of from 80 to
40 cts 1t Is true they are taken at par for
tares. "What isjusticc to a man, or laws,
that never comes within their claws?" This
is ronsoling, indeed. to 4 class Of men who
never have any tax to pay. who ever heard
Of school teacher paying tax? A great
many are inclined to lay the blame NJ the
door of the school anu county officers, when
they. poor fellows. are victims like ourselves; |;
with this dil'erencc =" But then. their tyrants
arc their countrymen. The car Of" Brn-
die" is crushing her own priests. There ia
but one method Of rctlrcssing this great
wrong. and that is by hearty and cooperate
action OIL part oftIie teachers. All other pro-
iessions have found such a step necessary and
fthis thing be taken under due consideration
and acted ono see no reason why the evil can
not be removed, The teachers profession is
\ most openns and responsible one, Is pro
ductive Of more good to society than any or
all Others and at the same time Is more mean-
ly remuncratet. and for a great part the fault
rests with them Come gentlemen, let us have
Teachers Union.
Yours In tribulaton,
"ARKIxG. .SAW-YER."