The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-04-03
Reply to ,.FrIendIy Criticism.

To tbs Editors Of the Herald end Nail:
In your issue of March 18th we find a
very friendly ~ article with reference to
the Tennessee School Journal and the
State Teachers Association, which we
think deserves brief notice in your col
umns at least The author assures us
that he is a school man, known lat any
rate throughout Kaury County as such,
that he is a School Journal man. DC,
and yet he is mot happy" Now, why
this thusness"? Has he had an Ak to
grind for himself or some friend, and
found no one to turn tor him? Why, is
he so sore that he has to rush thus pre-
cIpitately into print, and in such pathetic
and so very polite terms, make known his
great disappointment? We hope that he
will pardon the friendly suggestion that 1t
would have been in better taste if he had
gone forward and done his part as a
school man" and made at least one hon
est effort to remove any Objectionable
features in the establishment of the jour
nal, instead of making such an illtem-
pered attack upon gentlemen who have
gratuitously undertaken the labor of ed
iting it. He certainly should have at
least informed himself better as to their
antecedents and motives. He would have
learned that two Of them are as widely
known as practical teachers of large ex
perience, as any that he could have
| suggested, one Of them having been Pres
ldent of two of our best colleges, and the
| other a successful instructor Of youth for
the last twenty years, and an accomplish
ed and cultivated gentleman, held in the
| highest esteem by all who know him. 1t
is true that two of them belong to other
| professions, but both have been identified
with the present State School law ever
since the first popular movement which
| resulted finally in its enactment by the
| Legislature, He would have learned, too,
that all OF these gentlemen were repeat
| eddy solicited to assume such duty, and
| yielded only after the best efforts to Sc
| cure other editors had failed. Two of the
| distinguished gentlemen whom he names,
| Gen. E. KIRBY SMITH and DR.. j. B.
LINDsLEY, are officers of the Executive
| Board of the Association, and took an &C
tive part in starting the enterprise, both of
| them finding it impossible to undertake
any part of the editorial work. in conse-
quence Of previous pressing engagements.
1t he, or any other of the able techers,
whom he would have placed in charge,
will relieve the present editors. of the task
whichhas been assigned them, tehywill be
greatly obliged to him for so doing.
As for his fling at the composition OF
the late conventions of the State Associa-
ton, we have only to say that many OF
| the best educational men of the State at
tended them, and as many probably as
will ever find the time and means at their
disposal 10 assemble for such purposes.
Their efforts have effected greater good
in promoting the cause of public instruc-
ton in our State than perhaps all other
causes combined. If Teacher and 9th
ers like him had been as jealous in per
forming, as he is in making uEkind and
unjust structures upon those who have
honestly tried to do their duty, there
would have been a better attendance, and
if they had any better views they might
have been impressed upon the action o!
the body. As they neglected their oppor-
tUnity for making legitimate suggestions,
they certainly should feel estOpped from
growing now. There are many things
that might be bettered, but it will not be
done in such spirit as he manifests.
We can assure him that DIR. Elliott
! and the other gentlemen whom he under
takes to champion in his UeT,y friendly at
| tempt to shield them from any imputa-
ton TO be cast upon them from being as
ISOLATED with book agents and niger
teachers, will by no means feel indebted
70 him for his unasked services in that
regard We can safely assume for them
hat they have no sympathy whatever with
-uch hide-bOund sectionaiism and old-fo
gyism as he represents. To him and such
as he, who for nearly nineteen hundred
years, at least, have been ever ready to
PROFOUND the question, Can any good
come out of NazerethF they would reply,
By their fruits We shall Judge them.
1t will not do for men labOring to promote
great benevoence, with but meagre
nope of success, to ley down too strictly
the conditions upon which they will &C
cept co operation from those who may
who may differ with them upon
other and less vital issues We
of the South, at any rate, should by this
time have had sufficient experience OF
his rule OF lSin' policy, to teach us that
time is the safest, ii not the best arbiter to
whom to refer many Of our differences.
Finally, as Teacher" is SO ready at
making suggestions, the wisdom of which
no one can dare question, will he please
develop plan for securing cooperation
among teachers, and making it, in his |
classic language, "onc of the greatest Ia |
cilitics for success in the profession