The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-10-26

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the State. The following statistics cleaned from the
last report of the State Superintendent shows this
statement to be true. Ehe whole number of public
schools in the state is 1865 The number visited by
County Superin during the 1sIe is 1851
being less than average of visit to each school
Green County reports 1913 schools and $50 visits by
the Superintendent; Iowa County, 12s schools, and
ri visits waIworth, 1873 schools, and 100 visits;
Waukesha 100 schools and 1o3 visits; La Crosse 50
schools. and IS visits La Fsyette, 12l schools, and
81 visits O2aukee, SO schools, and 81 visits; Sank,
$50 schools and 90 visits Maatowoc County reports
los schools, and the Superintendent has made no
visits this year. Comparisons favorable to my
arguments be drawn from the compilation refer
red to- but the counties named welIsettled, pros
porous, and many of them advanced beyond in
educational affairs, and to show that doing
we'll as other localities supports my positiou and
| flutes the assertions made in your article.
kept the books of the Manitowoc Dry Dock Com
pany for period less than four months Immediately
preceding September oath; but by permission of the
directors of the company enabled to give por-
ton of this time to visiting schools, and many
days, when the business of the company trans
acted at an early hour, at liberty to give my
| thoughts to preparation for official work.
Much of the business connected with the Super;n-
tendents Office necessitates a continual expenditure
in its performance, differs in some respects from
the duties of Offices The salary is but one-haf
the paid to other officers in this County, and
while they have places in the city where all their
business is done without any expense to themselves
the Superintendent has travel through the county
under outlay of about 49, per day while engag-
ed. There legal enactment against his contract
ing marriage, and maintaining family and as these
conditions subject him the requirements of natural
laws and social custom, benevolent people may pos
sibly forgive him for expendng some of his wages
| in providing the necessares of life for himself and
those dependent on him. The salary being irrevoca.
bly, fixed for the ensuing term, cannot be charged
here with appealing to the sympathies the County
Supervisors
agree with you that the Office of Superintendent
should be free from the contamination of partisan
ship and political hatred. 1t has been my aim to
mako it SO, and in this have been consistent
than you, who advance the sprinciple but show by
your subse Iuent action that far you are con-
cerned it is bat an empty sentiment. The gentleman
whom your party has nominated for the position of
Superintendent, esteem, and deem him we'll worthy
descend to make the reckless and unfounded state
Dents which you show yourself rea y to promul-
gate for his benefit.
That my DtoIs time has not been given to the su.
perTision of schools is true that the time of any
other incumbent ever be 1pholly given
to this business with the present salary was and is
practically impossible. That another may render
greater and ecient service would be egotism
in me TO deny hut that have done what was posi-
BILE for me to do that candid. thinking people, I'M.
biased by political rancor express themselves satisfied
with my work; and that it is scarcely magnanimous
honest to hurl Wholesale accusations unsupported
| by facts, respectfully submit.
| Yours, MICHAEL KIRWAN
The above is the rerbatil and litteran, answer to
| the complaint in the last TRIBUNE.
In the first place, would assure Mr.. Kirwan that
neither "malice my conception of my duty to
party has prompted what did say, but it is nv
duty to my country which is doomed to ruin and per
dtion without tho highest and strongest efforts
of every citizen and especially of teachers and
school superintendents to the spread igno
rance and its awful consequences
The charge that you have neglected your duties
drawn your salary and stayed at home, letting the
schools take of themselves, am ready to SUBJ
stontiate by almost every teacher in tho county, or
do You call it fulfilling your duties to the schools by
hnrrying once year into schoolroom, stay there
fro five to ten minutes and then leaving again to
take of itself for the space another IL months7
Do you want proof of this your action in almost
every school district the county, Does your stata
ment in figures that have done little better than
other SuDerintandents nd rbo
duties than you did, prove that you did not reg
iecs yoursl Could gain any satisfaction in regard
TO the qualifications of your teachers by such calls
You acknowledge keeping the books of the Dry
Dock Company-have you not had much other en-
poyrent besides that and surperntenIfg Of schools
Yen say that much of the business connected with
your office uecesitates continual expendture is
true, and that is just the point which canses your fail
nre You want the Office and save the salary: but as
either the the other mast suffer YOU neglect
the ormer and take of the latter. You saw YOU
have to travel through tho County at an OUTLAY of
about S. per day At that rate you would have
nothing left for your family or yourself if you were
10 do whole Duty but is it necessary to spend
such an amount7 Whom thought was able, L kept
horse and buggy; when found was not able 1
walked and still have to walk. Look at our friend
John Reed in kewaunee, who has been re- nominated
by both parties to the Office there that you hold
here, does he RIDE about the county? No. He visit.
the schools and the OF the scholars without
horseis gladly welcomed kind instructor and
their best councillor and has invitations to free
and bountiful entertainments than he apossby COM
ply with The distance from school house to the
other in our county is certainly too great for
healthy man to walk over before school commences
in the morning Try it once, try to do good in your
dnties to your schools and they will gladly try to
| do good to you.
You further that it has been your aim that your
Office should be free from the contamination Of par
tsanship and political hatred do you prove this as
sertion perhaps by your depriving the TRIBUNE of
every official informations support that in your
power TO bestow' and how do you acknowledge IT,
Is that your consistency whose is the epty ssnti
ment,
You acknowledge that your whole time ha. not bean
given the supervision of our schools; now will rou
please tell us, ho,0 mack CT your time has been thu,
given. Could you not have given good deal more
of your time only one thousand dollars salar,
| by economy in official expenditures, How much of
Your duty VIII you do for the amount OF your salary,
And aaally, do You still consider my accusations
wholesale and unsupported by factsi
All these questions -es respectfully submitted b,
! TaE EDITOR.
/ W. T. PETRAN, refugee from the
Chicago devastation. has located here and
We cordially recommend him to this CON-
muuitv for executing all kinds of Up.