The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-07-17

some one to work il, or rented the land, 1t took
two-thirds OF her share 10 pay her taxes, and
10 has been obliged to leave her land. move
to town, take IN washing and ironing. anything
abe can turn her hand to, to make living.
although she is now over SIXTY years old
while the proceeds Of her farm must go to help
educate the children OF great stout able bodied !
men, men who would scarcely turn their hand
over to save her from the poor house, and
whose children would hardly turn out OF their
way to give her drink OF cold water, were she
dying OF thirst. Is this right? Is it just? ls
1t charity No one can gainsay 1t. 1t ls not
an isolated case, | know Of many Just such
in our town, and any one can find them all
over our county il they are not too much in
terested in self to take notice. 1t is not sys-
tenn as many think, by which the rich are made
to help educate the poor, but one by winch the
poor and provident are made to turn over their
hsrr earned dollars for the benefit Of the we'll
to-do but improvident. To substantiate this
statement, would call your attention to Just
such a thriving little town as Hartford, in
every such town there are multitudes OF men,
mechanics agents, day laborers. They com
mand good wages, earn lots OF money, but
spend it freely, live well. dress their children
nicely and send them to q free school, and to
them 1t is free. but the money that pays thear
school bill was ground out by somebody's hard
work, il may be the poor widows; it may be
that toil-worn farmer, who is obliged to work
early and late. keep his own children out OF
school to help him, live spanngly and dress
poorly, In order that he may be able to pay his
heavy school tax. Again l ASK, is this justice
or Is 1t robbery? Shall we be called little pen
ny gizzards because We are not all self but can
see that the burden often falls upon those who
are least able to bear 1t {? Shall We call our
free school system the pink OF perfection, or
shall we have some provisos IN it. or else re-
turn to the old system which made ample pro-
vision, for the truly needy?
And now listen to Shoudy's concluding re-
marks to me: my advice is, get little posted
on school matters before writing again"
Many thanks to you, O, generous shoudy, for
your kid advice, l am Just a. grateful as
though had waited six or eight weeks in Or
der to study up the case. | thought I must
reply to your article while my attention was
called to it, or it might slip my mind entirely,
| and besides, long ago concluded that these
common school matters were " 80 plain that
wayfaring man, though fool, need not err
ignorant, as have attended good many COM
mon schools in my day, taught not few, and
visited good many more, and claim to be ac-
quainted with the inside and outside workings
Of the different modes and systems since the
year 1845, to the present time. Neither am
q sore-head, as | was never offered anything
but first grade certificate; and this is not
Of ared in boasting spirit, l am able to prove
my statements by many living witnesses. Out
Of the sixteen different terms which ! taught,
never had failure because my patrons failed
to come and keep up the interest OF the school
/ supposed they employed me to interest and
instruct their children, and went at it with o
conscientious and determined WILL thinking far
more Of the interest and advancement Of my
pupils. than Of my three dollars week. and
never missed OF success. My schools always
increased in numbers, in those days Of terri
BILE -ate-bills, instead Of dwindhng out to al
most nothing, as many Of them do in these
glorious free school times. So much has been
said about the parents visiting the schools and
thus making them success, that it would
seem that the teachers have come TO the con-
ciuslon tnat it il the parents duty instead Of
theirs, 10 keep up the interest OF the school.
But ia it so z 1t is true IL is right. and per-
haps 1t has good influence for parents to
visit schools il they have the time and can
but when they hire those who claim to be
teachers aud pay them from ten TO twenty
dollars week and then pay superintendent
four dollars day to oversee and help in
terest; 1t is about all the most Of them can
do. II teachers have the natural ability they
ought to possess, accompanied by the proper
amount Of energy, they will themselves be-
come interested in their schools and will have
no trouble to interest Others; il they have
not, they should be snubbed at once and set
afoat to engage in some other business.
perfectly agree with Shoudy, that . poor
school is worse than none. such bad habits
are cultivated that 1t takes one or two terms
Of good teaching to overcome them. Again.
speaking Of poor teachers he attributes the
fault all to lack Of knowledge in the sciences,
when the truth rs, there are a plenty OF well
educated teachers as well as those that ART
not, who fail for lack OF will, Lack OF energy
lack OF interest. In short they have any
ability, any tact for teaching the young idea
how to shoot" they are too lazy 20 make the
effort, and then they whine round about the
patrons and try 70 throw the blame all Oh
them.
Next Shoudy claims that females get a:
much pay for the amount OF labor performed
az males. Now there are quite number OF
persons this way, claiming 70 have fair at
tainments, that would like TO be convinced
OF that fact. We shall hook FOR his argu
ments soon.
Then he gives us his views concerning tn,
County superintendency. Says I'VE fail Il
see any better results from il than from TIA,
old system of township school inspection.
l would go farther and say, not rs good il
our part OF the county. Then he gives ii
his mode OF improvement upon the presen
, system. which is that we retain the Count,
> superintendent, then have an extra man IL
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