Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-03-07
W. J. KELSEY, EDITOR.

| JF(cUu lllat SltCu iACh do luC lslJC tAlUcE
Clarke, Judge Roszell, Mr.. Decring. Mr.
Henshaw, Mr.. Cobb, Mr.. Main, DR.
| House. Dr. Bryant, and others who have
previously served as school officers,
recognize as abundantly competent fol
school labor Their names have beer
| recognized. and are by the schools of In
| dependence, rs intelligent friends of edu
cation. | only wish that our Schoo
Boards would always be represented by
such men; then there would be no neeC
| OF any warfare against. or unfavOrablt
criticism upon them. 1t is a notorious
fact recognized by-cducational men, tina
| certain individuals will secure position.
| as school officers by means both hid leI
| and Legitimate, and who have no fitnes:
| whatever for the position. They only
seem to hinder and block the way-theil
object is more frequently than otherwise
to pull down rather than build up; ant
| Gle referred to feels himself classed will
just such disorganlZCrs
| repeat what have before said, thai
| it is the duty of us teachers to SO inteli
| gently and persistentlv fight this question
of incompetency that no one shall dar,
| be SO presuming or assuming as to le
his name go before the people for the of
| flee of School Supervisor who does no
understand l.is work
The writer strongly intimatcs that du
| ring MY entire connection with tho
| schools in Independence, ! never rec
commended the removal of single
| teacher He is either misinformcd, Oh
| else he cannot have served on the Board
did recommend the removal Of incom
potent teachers While Principal of the
| schools in Independence, and they were
removed; and no one knows this fact
better than the writer OF the unknown p
letter,
@. l.. believes he sees that l aim at
some individual teacher in my criticisms.
intended to have aimed at all indiyidu-
al teachers and Directors who are not
amply qualified for their work, and if
such took the criticisms, am content.
How wonderfully good and benevolent
the Board was with me, as the writer in
dicates, when it was SO closely pressed
that it should summarily dismiss me
from longer service. 1t is amusing and
ridiculous to hear the grieved one talk
No one understands the pressure
brought to bear upon The Board" better
than |, and no one understands better
than | do from whom the pressure came
1t is principle in Philosophy that the
lighter the medium the greater the
weight or pressure, and have no doubt
that it is on this very principle that the
writer judges of the pressure of which he
writes. There might have been, and doubt
less were individual members who felt this
outside influence, but know well it was
not felt or recognized by majority of
the Board.
The writer will remember that an at
tempt was to be made, n year since, in
the schools at Independence, to have one
Principal for each school, at a salary not
exceeding fifty dollars per month, and !
remember well Of being informed that one
individual, who now is officially connect
ed with the schools, said, and repeated,
that competent ability could DC secured
for thirty and forty dollars per month
This was the kind of pressure brought to
bear SO heavily upon the shoulders of
my unknown (?) friend But do not
care to follow longer the foolish and
childish statements made by the writer.
| can'assurc him, however, that if he in
dicates any desire in what he may here
after 60 cdrdrdly write, to dwell upon
and explain the causes that led me to re-
sign my position as Superintendent, he
will hear from me u full statement clearly
setting forth and explaining last springs
school election in Independence. am
sure no one knows more of it than my
self.
But enough Of this. Ny life has been,
and is, identified with our schools. /
have no wish concerning them but their
fullest success; and | am willing, and
more than willing, to take up arms and
do vigorous battle against everybody and
everything that oppose their most com.
plete and triumphant work. will no;
not cast a ballot for one whom | know
is not qualified for this Office of supervi.
sion of schools l have not done so for
the years past and | will not vote for
such in the future. l hope to see the
time come when teachers rs !, Class shall
know that they are to be consulted con-
corning those who shah make up our
SohoGi Boards. We are now greatly dis
regarded on this subject OF school Off.
eials, The writer definitely EXPRESSES
this fact when he says, there is i broad
degree of arrogance in this, tina. is Qi.sts
amusing wien we consider That he is
writing mostly to teachers" Let us fell
low teachers prove such power thu!
just such men as @. l.. may not hereafter
DC so greatly amused at the idea OF teach
ers being consulted concerning those with
whom they are to advise. @. l.. needs
educating on this matter. 1t may he I'm
pleasant for us even to occasionally find
ourselves IN open warfare with ndvidu-
al advisors; and yet for the sake of the
children under our instruction who are
soon to become citizens, and make and
rule the State, VIC should not hesitate to
engage in such q conflict
The glaring faults of which previous
ly wrote, relating both to School Direct
ors and teachers, erist in fact Let us
keep nothing back. but recognize the
faults, and then set ourselves in earnest
at work u correcting them. There is no
political caucus or meeting so important
as our school elections. The good sense
of every school district should sec that
mono but the most intelligen, and honest
men arc elected for school work,
The writer says be will pass over the
absurd question In my letter of an exam
nation of School Directors upon all mat
tiers pertaining to a well conducted school.
Absurd! and why, pray: Absurd in one
sense admit, that not even u respectable
minority could stand the test Of an eX-
animation. The majority would pass
such examination my friend passed the
absurd Questionable is, they would pass
over it and not through it. r
Ii we teachers arc faithful to our trust
and true to all the interests of our schools,
the very men who now so scnsitiyely teel
their inability to 10 official labor, for
which they have been unw;sclly elected,
will finally admit that our course is the
only true aud wise one.