The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-04-17

departments, from the lowest class in the
Primary to the highest in the High school. So
far as my knowledge goes the above charges
would not be true OF any well conducted graded
school in the State. Our schools are made for
the children, not the children for the schools.
Mr.. Rhodes thinks IL the teacher boarded
around in the district, and became acquainted
with the parents and scholars at home, he
would have more influence for good" Passin z
over the fact that very large portion OF our
teachers have always done and are still doing
this very thing, would it not be well to enquire
IL there is anything in the teachers contract
that requires her to sacrifice all opportunities
for study and mental training, and spend her
evenings in making acquaintance and visiting
Does not the very nature Of her business re-
qulre that she have her evenings for special
preparation for her work IN school? How
would 1t do for the parents to visit the school
room and become acquainted with te acher and
pupil, there?
81 J. Woodman thought the common school
system the pillar of the government, but the
idea Is abroad that our schools are retrograding.
That they are costing us too much Is true
Thinks the County superinte ndency has some
thing to. do with it. The expense Is much
greater than under the old system. Under the
present system RING Is FORMED CONTROLLING
THE WAGES TO BE PAID, THE NUMBER OF DAYS
FOR A MONTH, AND THE NUMBER OF CERTIFICATES
GRANTED. The ring is so formed that the will
OF the people Is entirely abrogated. Counter
petitions are sent out by the State Superlntend
ant r,,.tnl he IN
teacher in the State. and they are FILLED UP
WITH NAMES and food the House They appear
the ostensible will Of the people and 30 defeat
any measure OF repeal" 1 will not say that
such petitions are not sent out, but l have
taught IN this county before the system was
adopted, and every year since; | have the
pleasure of being personally acquainted with
the former State Supt. have had correspond
ence with the present one and have never
received such petition from the State Supt,
County Supt., or any other person whatever.
During the past week have had opportunity
to enquire OF another teacher, Principal of one
Of the leading graded schools OF this county,
and his experience is the same as my own. But
granting that such petitions are sent out. How
are they filed up? The signatures are either
genuine or they are not. Does Mr.. Woodman
say that they are forged by the teachers? If
they are genuine why should they not receive
attention !? Each OF the three items IN regard
to the ring" is absolutely untrue. They are
untrue first, because no such ring exists. Did
Mr.. Woodman make such charge? and if he
did does he understand the magnitude OF it 7
II 1t means ANYTHING it means that the County
Supt. and the teachers Of Van Buren, County
have entered intoa com bination to defraud the
people. They are untrue in the second place,
and can be so proven, in each separate point.
The subject OF wages l have already omitted
from the present paper. In regard to the
number Of days for month: Does not Mr..
Woodman know that the length Of the school
month has been settled by law II not let him
borrow copy OF the school law. perhaps some
member of the ling can lend him one) and read
up on that subject. He will find that school
month " shall consist OF four weeks of five
days in each week, unless otherwise specified
in the teachers contract" This is now the
universal custom throughout the State, and the
closing specification Of the definition will be too
small hole for a man Of Mr.. Woodlands size
to creep through. But Is the ring powerful
enough to control the legislature 1t is thought
Mr.. w. was in the legislature when the number
OF days was definitely fixed. II 80 he can tell
us what influences were brought to bear upon
that body by this ring OF country pedagogues,
who care for nothing but to pass the time
and draw the pay"
In regard to the certifcates-t is not true
that they are or have been controlled in any
way except by law. Is II charged that the Supt.
has not held examinations, or that he has re-
fused 10 examine teachers | think not, but
il it is, and he is guilty the law can be enforced
against him despite the "ring." Is it charged
that teachers passing the necessary thorough
and full examination" for which the law pro-
vides. have been refused certificates? have
heard nothing of the kind except from rejected
candidates themselves, and but very little of
that. II, however, there are any such let us
know who they are and where they live, and
then let Us see that justice is done them. II
will be some time before very large company
Of such are collected. On the contrary. we al
know that complaints are made continually
that the Supt. licenses unqualified teachers, and
WituOut uOupt ~ 10 tfue. udVe not tue uguIes
showing the number Of schools in the county
and the number OF teachers to whom certlf
Gates have been granted, so that it Is now Inn.
! possible to prove by figures that the statement
OF J. Kelley. and the implied statement of Mr.
Woodman are unfoun1ed, but any one DESTROYS
of getting at the truth OF the matter can OBJ
} tain them OF the Co. Supt. Mr.. Kelley stated
that only as many certificates are granted al
we have schools in the county, 30 that we are
obliged to pay the price to get teacher at all.
He said also that teachers we're required to pass
: an examination in the branches AS TAUGHT II
THE GRADED SCHOOLS. little evidence OF tina
fact would be very acceptable.
l. will do very well to charge corruption ant
fraud upon men and classes 80 far away as tn,
city OF Washington, especially where sucl
fraud undoubtedly exists, but for man lik,
Mr.. Woodman to charge the teachers of Val
I. Buren, County, part Of our own people, bav
ing the same interests, the same hopes, tn,
same welfare to consider, with forming bss,
ring" is another matter. II Mr.. Woodmal
did not make the charges credited to him W
shall be very ready to do him justice, but il HI
{ did make them we shall expect hum either &