Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-09-26
Public Instruction.

10 the superintendent Of INOuc IRS3TNcuOn:
In compliance with your request, submit,
as addenda to my annual report, the following
remarks: | have met with no discouragements;
our people, with very few exceptions, land these
arising more from dissatisfaction with the
school system adopted than from any hostility
to a general system Of public Instruction.
have cordially aided me in my work. The only
difficulty [ have encountered has arisen from
the inability Of our city authorities, burdened
with heavy debt, to provide suitable school
houses and furniture. This, with the aid Of
the Peabody Educational Fund, hope to over
come gradually Public sentiment, favorable
at first, has become still more so us our plans
have been put into execution; and though it is
neither to be expected nor desired that people
perfectly able to provide good education for
their children, should avail themselves of their
legal right and fill our limited number OF
schools to the exclusion Of those who cannot
make such provision without the aid Of the
State, yet, on the whole, there is, think i
very fair representation in them of all classes
Of society. The desire of the colOred people
for education was shown by the filling OF all the
schools opened for them on the very first day,
and by the high percentage of attendance main
tanned, 81 on the number in the school at the
end of each month, percentage very nearly
equal to that Of the white children, which was
less than ST. The difference in the percentage
on the entire enrolment II, arises from the
fact that more colored than white children have
to leave school in the spring for industrial pur-
poses
The new city school law has not been in op-
Grafton long enough to enable Us to judge OF It's
efficiency, but, so far, it has worked we'll The
City School Board has done its part under II
admirably, and the City Council has promptly
responded to its call by q levy Tor the ful!
amount declared to be necessary Tor school pur-
poses. The City Treasurer has replied without
delay to all my calls for intnrnatlonas to tinan-
cial matters, and has kept his accounts, an APP
proved copy OF which enclose in Il most sat
isfactory manner That notifications Of the
law would be necessary under less favorable cir
cumstances, have no doubt, but it is scarcely
worth while to trouble ourselves at present with
difficulties which will never arise it our people
continue to act with their present good sense
and regard for the spirit Of the law.
As to teachers, VIC have been fortunate, al
excellent corps having been secured, at once,
from among ourselves. These, although they
lack some advantages which attendance ut 4
normal school would have afforded thcm arc
far preferable to strangers, us they know the
manners and feelings Of our people and possess
their confidence. In literary attalnmcntS they
decidedly excel as Il body such strangers is
have presented themselves to me for cXalnina-
ton. Being impressed with the idea that col ,
orcd children would be best taught by co!ored
teachers | took an early opportunity of con-
sultine some of the leading colorc1 people Oh
the subject, and finding their views and those OF
the trustees to accord with mine, determined
to use INV influence in that direction. We were
ortuuatc enough to find suitably educated col
ored people among Us, most Of them born III
our midst, and though some preferred send
ing their children to white teachers, the Wis
dom of our decision was amply proved by the
dicipline Of the school and the result OF the
examinations. Sympathy with the children
under their charge is one OF the most necessary
qualifications for Il teacher. and it must be evil
dent to all rejecting minds that colored people
have more sympathy with their own race than
the generality Of white people can be expected
to have. As to the comparative efficiency pl
male and female teachers, / think that where
schools are rigidIy divided is ours are,
male teachers should always be employed
in schools for boys, at least in numbers sutll-
Gent to control them properly. We have been
able to secure the services OF ladies in our lower
grades who govern we'll but have 10 doubt
that boys too often suffer from the over indul-
renee Of female teachers, and while their en-
ployment in male schools has undoubtedly 4
refining influence, seriously doubt it, expo
dicncv as rule. On the other hand, think
girls arc alwas best taught by female teachers.
As to comparison between public and pri-
yatc schools, such comparison can Of course, IN
our c:,se be made only with primary schools,
and think those who have tried BOTH con-
slider our public schools better than those the
have heretofore patronzcd. Us to lmpror e
ment in the public schools, the City Sci 90
Board has adopted i plan whlchwiil raise: then
grade quite as rapidly as the wants ol oW: pco
Die shall demand, by adding new studies as tn,
pupils advance in aye and learning.
The pay Of our teachers Is iar TOO small
though it is as high as the present. condition
of our affairs will enable us to make it. Tc
secure good teachers, their salaries must be
made as great in amount as those paid for
equal labor in other professions; if this be not
done, they will, Of course, better themselves
when opportunity offers, and we will have to
be content with inferior instruction for oW
children We must not forget that good work
in all departments, commands good pay. Truly
economical people do not employ unskllltu
workmen, ignorant lawyers, or incompetent
physicians, SIMPLY DCcauSc llCD CLaISCS a!l
low, for they know that the worF. Of such pco
pie is very dear at any Price; yet many
seem to think that any man OF
woman who can read and write anu
has good moral charac' or, is fit to excr
else the most important Of all professions
They seem to forget that great natural quallfi
cations and many and osty attainments must
be united in good te acher, and that money
paid to an incompetent one is worse than
wasted. trust and believe however, that the
large majority Of our people entertain correct
opinions on this subject. and have no doubt
that shall be able to have salaries increased
as rapidly as the financial condition of Our city
will permit. :.
In accordance with Jour instruc lions. | held
4 Teachers Institute on the DIST and 22d OF
August, having previously informed myself as
to the manner Of conducting such meetings by
attending one at Staunton. Maj. Jed llotch
kiss of that city and DR.. Edward \; Stat'lcr Of
this place, kindly assisted INC b. delivering OK
ccllcnt lectures on the occasion: and all the city
teachers, with those of the county who rerld.