The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-07-01
The Economic Spasm in the School
Board

Board.
There was painful. exhi bition in the school
board last Monday evening of the writing
of the economists under the popular indig-
nation. A petition signed by two thirds Tin
amount) of the tax payers of the city, was
presented, asking the board to reconsider its
action reducing the pay of the principals of
: the high school and Of the school in the I'd
ward. The petition was a sumner, and the
only way its force could be parred was by
the absurd assumption that the signers must
have labored under apprehension, or
been deceived. 7. r. Courtney had the i'm
pudence to say that B. c. Cook, j. r. Came
ron, S. B. Gridley, G. w. Jackson, John Man.
ley, S. w. Cheever, j. d. Cation, &C., &C., did
not know what they were doing when they
signed that petition. The most comical gy-
ration, however, was performed by the Di-
rector from the It'll ward, who, unable to rest
under the imputation of degrading the
schools in everybody elses ward but his own,
heroically proposed and carried a reduction
of 800 in the pay of the principal of the
school in his own ward
BY this stupendous reduction, the econom-
lcal flourish thus far, after allowing for the
contemplated increase in the 4th ward, will
have reached the enormous figure of $500 for
coming school year--eXactly the cost of
the recent "lung tester extravaganza.
The revenue of the board for last year was
about $4,000, and the expenditure less than
$4,000. The tax payers of Ottawa cannot fail
to see what tremendous figure this saving of
5000 in the years expenditure will cut {!
Closely cyphered down, it will amount to
nearly the thousandth part of mill on the
dollar in the general levy for the year 1871.
The economic" branch of the Board of
Education ought to understand, (if it is sup
possible that brains so surcharged with eco
nomic ideas have room for few others smack.
ing OF common senseD that the people of o.
tawa are not Directing to their action on the
ground that they are disposed to figure close
ly and be economical, in legitimate way
but our people know very well that this talk
OF economy is miserable pretext Head
center Courtney has sense enough to know
that his argumentthatS $3.50 now are as good as
Sl25O were during the war, is sheer blather.
The reduction OF the salary of the principal
OF the high school is objected to, not so much
because $3.50 is, under any circumstances.
too little pay Tor the grade of talent REQUIRED.
though such Is palpably the fact,-but be.
cause the effect and intention of the reduction
are felt and known to be, to reduce the grade
and standing of the school. Is Mr. Courtney
or Col. Hit either, fool enough to suppose
that any teacher, from any quarter of the
globe, equally competent equally unexcep-
tlonable, and OF equal grade in all respects
with Mr.. Clark, will take his place at $3.50
year, alter Mr.. Clark has resigned rather than
submit to Il reduction, brought about through
personal spite and pique, to $3.50 from S15OOa
year! The man who would take his place at
the reduced pay under such circumstances
must be poltroon and exactly such man
as the people of Ottawa are unwilling to. and
Will not have in that position. The Beard of
Education have the power to discharge anv
teacher they please and hire another in his
place, and thus, if they have good reason for
dong SO, they can discharge Mr.. Clark and
hire better man in his place and in the act
be entitled to public applause; but when
they discharge Mr.. Clark, or any other teach.
er, IN such way that no teacher of proper
notions OF honor or selfrespect can take his
or her place, then the school board do that
Which they have no right to do, and deserve
what the present board is rapidly bringing
upon Itself, the popular indignation
The people of Ottawa, for the last half
dozen OF years, since they have been placed
unuer the management of able and efficient
teachers, have been proud of their public
SCHOOLS, and thousands of dollars have been
annually saved to our people in the expense
OF sending Their children abroad to beTduca.
TED, on account of the high grade of orr
schools at home Wealthy families from the
country around, it is well known. have moved
into the city and bought property here to en-.
JOY the advantages Of our schools In the
face OF such facts, has the littlc quartet m the
present board the nerve Ia lower their trade
and present high reputation We warn them
tha' the experiment Will be Dangerous.
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