Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-02-21
School Supervision.


cause any one even with an ordina
ry wish for the prosperity of these
schools, cannot but feel that what
ever he may say on the subject o
education comes from high stand
point; and whether the result o
experience, prejudice, Or disappoint
ed ambition, is worthy of some re
gard.
Writers on every subject of re
form may have two sources from
which they can freely draw, viz
lively imagination, or from cxpe
ricnce.
In view of the relation he ha.
sustained to the cause of educa
ton for five years in this city, anC
claiming as he does, still to belong
"to the numerous family Of teacher.
in the county," it is fair to presume
that he wishes to DC understood az
speaking from his own experience
and has drawn from that, when he
portrays "the glaring faults tina,
now exist in Supervisory boards,'
and adds, elf it happens, as it sure
ly does, that we have those who
have no fitness for the position, be
head them as soon as possible, how
ever unpleasant the operation."-
There is a broad degree of AFRO.
ganee in this that is quite amusing
when we consider that he is writing
mostly to teachers, and that the
main point he makes in his article
is, that the supervisors fail to appre.
ciate educational talent and AIDE.
quatcly compensate it; adding 81
repeat what | have already hinteo
at, that we teacherS take the field
and fight long and severely over
this subject pay of general super
vision until the victory Shall be
ours, and none but honest and brace
men shall dore submit their names
to the public for this important Of.
flee" And right here l want to in
sert the names of the citizens of
independence who have dared sub.
nit their names as candidates for
the important Office of Supervisor
or Director, and with whom Mr..
Palmer had to do in his experience
with our schools: the late Albert
Clarke, Judge Roszell, Mr.. Dcerlng,
Henshaw, Cobb, ALB. Clarke, Purdy,
Main, and others, all Of whom sls-
tain at least fair reputation for
HONESTY and the fact that they are
willing to face the fiery darts that
are launched at them, ought to be
good guarantee of their brucery.-
The expense of our public schools
in the city under the existing rates
of wages to teachers, if not oppres-
sive, is at least burdensome, amount
ing annually to over $4,000; but if
it is 4 fact that the salaries paid do
not command the first class of
teachers, then certainly they should
be raised, as no pecuniary consid-
Grafton would justify the employ
ment of sccond-rate; nor can anv
one who has heard his mot to say
exlravagant) enconiums Of our teach
ers on public occasions, believe that
any of them are.
Bat what have the facts been in
relation to the teachers here EN-.
ploycd? With one or two excep-
tons, there have not any left their
positions in these schools to receive
y higher compensation, and with
them other motives operated large
ly, such as being nearer home,
friends, Sc. There may have been
some intimation of leaving from in
adequacy of the pay from others,
but it has not generally been from
those who held either the highest
position in the schools, or in the
estimation Of the public, and {. wise
with them has been the
better part of valor, possibly influ-
enccd by the well known fact (al-
though to repeat it may betray one
to be "full of ignorance of y matter
SO vital'' that there have always
been goodly number of applicants
for the places equally competent
with those employed, and anxious
for them at the present prices paid.
But what other field of female labor
is there that is so well compensated
as teaching, if any? Then certainly
it is strange that we do not see
scarcity of teachers.
Mr.. Palmer, in his letter, makes
fling at the Directors that is almost
too contemplate for notice, by say
ing shat mujority of the Board
not a.freq"entW" are actuated by
personal considerations, "such as
being able to board at home, or with
friends, or beiEg in great need of
the salary, thus giving u friend the
contrary to the better
and oaths that should be
held sacred" This overt gibe is
no less contemplate when applied
to thos. who are now, or have been
teachers who have homes with pa-
rents, or friends in the city,
His allusion to "the persistent
begging and entreaty of an appl.-
cant known to be incompetent" is
well understood, and the motives
that prompted it, and are false alike
as it regards 'the applicants" or the
implicated result, "being an out
growth either of ignorance or co.c-
ardice, or BOTH" Certain it is that
the teacher to whom he evidently
alludes has done more to establish
a high standard of education in our
city, and to render it operative, than
any one among us.
81 have already written too much;"
but there is one point in his letter
in regard to Directors on which |
wish to touch; that is the needed
ability ola Board "to give a posi-
tive yes or no, as the case may re-
quire." Mr.. Palmer cannot have
forgotten that one year ago this
community was agitatcd from cen
ter to circumference in relation to
his connection with the schools;-
that that was the issue made indi.
rectly at tho polls, and that his
friends were largely in the manori-
~; that there was violent pres
sure brought to bear upon the SUI
pervisory board for his dismissal
sun,mariiy; that they withstood