The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-03-20
DUTY OF DISTRICT BOARDS
AND PARENTS; AND THE
TWENTY-FIVE DAYS
SYSTEM.

possible, and pay the money out that
is in their hands, according to law
and contract. Yet if we may draw
a conclusion from general usage, this
is. the common opinion that such
school boards have of their duty.
There is no other business where the
employer pays so little attention to
the merits or dement's of his employ
ee, as do district boards and parents
to the teacher; and yet, this lack of
: attention is in a direction, that has at
stake the highest interest, not only of
the employers but of his fellow man,
and the highest civilization of the
mass Of the common people. 1t has
been repeatedly stated, that teachers
feel this lack of personal interest; and
it cannot be denied that this is one
of the principal reasons of the entire
failure of so many teachers to inter
est, enliven, and advance the pupils
Of our common schools. There seems
to be tendency, on the part of en-
ployers of teachers,to grasp for teach
ers who will teach for little money,
and then not allow them to go outside
the school house premises from A.
NJ. to P. NJ, for fear they will cheat
the public of few hours time that
is their due(0. Alas! the error of
this practice is great. There is no
better way known among men, where
by you can gain their whole energy,
than to show them that you appreci-
ate their work. Then why is it, that
many Of our teachers, go on with
their schools from term to term and
never know their parents, and indeed,
the District Board if they do not
meet them in business or in some So
cial relations, aside from school mat
tiers?
hold that it is the duty of every
parent, and especially school boards,
to visit the school where their chill
dren attend, and thus show, though
they may offer neither words Of COM
ment, advice or complaint, that they
are interested and appreciate the
teachers work A teacher remarked
to me the other day, that one of the
patrons Of his school called to see the
school, and when asked to make some
remarks to the pupils, said he was
not speaker, but that che was pleas
ed enough to come every day if he
had time" That is the kind Of in
terest that encourages both teacher
and pupils. On the other hand there
is nothing that will discourage a
teacher so much as to have parents
and employers never come near the
school. Perchance a teacher is alb
sent from the school himself for a
couple of hours, though there may be
competent Eperson in his place; yet
some set up the terribly injured by
paying taxes to compensate a teacher
and not having their services" when
they have never been to see for them
selves, whether the teacher does his
duty, and thus do not know whether
he is damage or blessing to their
children. Let me inform you that
teachers are human. 1t is not their
business to cheatmen. There is no bet
ter way to draw out the best in a man
or woman, than to show them that
earnest an 1 well-directed work is ap-
preciated.
In regard to the % days system.
A law to be just must be founded on
equity and justice. That the teacher
should teach % days per month may
be right, provided he is allowed to
teach % days in one month; but is it
right? BY our law as it is now, a
teacheriis compelled to teach twenty
two days per month, only twenty of
which he can teach in one month. and