Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-04-03
Letters from the People,
W1LMISaroY, April |, ls1h


For the GAzgTTE.
Mr.. EDITOR 1t is not often that trouble
you with any thoughts OF mine, but as see In
your paper two communications in regard to the |
workings OF the Public Schools, one by Justice"
and this other by " Pro Bono Pubco, and as |
feel just much interested l suppose i'll this |
matter as they do, l don't think it will be ont OF
place for me to say something oil the subject. |
"Justice" thinks that We can get along without |
II Superintendent ia our Public School. SD do l. |
:" Pro Bono" says this to the educated, is absurd.
That is quite easy said, and don't take long TO
say 1t, anu any body else could have said as much.
But what are the facts OF the case' Was our
| Public Schools built up by superintendent
We're they held in their orbit after they were
built up by such an officer, or were they on the
decline and i'll danger OF falling to pieces aud the
appointment of a superintendent their only SAL
| vationI l do not appeal to the educated alone
l as the gentleman makes a great flourish OF do
ling; but | appeal to the whOlo community who
| Will testify to the contrary. "fTo Bono thinks
800 salary is quite little enough ior the services
| rendered by the Super intendent, and wonders
that any man can be 40 Ignorant as to think that
We could get along with the schools Without such
| an officer. Well the only apology 1 have TO oher
Tor my ignorance is that w did 40 IL for quarter
| of century, and it is admitted even Ey those
that have cnmcd the hail OF sC;euce that hat has
been may be dgan; but he intimlles that the
mechanic has no mental labor to perform, and
therefore, not deserviu, Of anything like the
tamouut OF wages that super tntehdcnt ot cur
Public School should have. lie says the mechan-
ic finishes his day work and tahts no more
thought OF 1t until tomorrow, and While he ls
Ienjoyng the sweets OF sleep the Superintendent
is toiling rn. This all looks well ON paper, but
| what are the facts III tins case; IN hundred OF
| instances they are Just the reverse. We lind the
mechanic beginning Ills lgbots III Llany cases, at
Is O'Clock in the morning, and cou nuc until 10
and l. O'Clock at night, and tAI, not only once IN
a while, but frequently He does not get eleven
or twelve weeks for recreation every year no,
his labors are inccs ssant rendering himl nm a III
subject for all manner Of dlsease, and so We hnd
In all cases OF cpidemics that portion OF the town
that is occupied by the mechanic IS always III the
Imcst danger. We see hlm even IN middle lie
i'll thousands OF cases completely broken down
kom tie result of ovor-worL; aud MT II 2hapics
alone but [ do not believe there is n farmer II
G New Castle county wEo has 10 rent "a iarm tina
, makes $500 per year, and the most OF the III no
the half CT il, and 90 more real thinking IN on
month than the Superintendent OF our fuoii
y schools do in three. The President Of the Del.Col
lege does net get 50 much anything near II, no
:, not Que OF the faculty OF that iustl ution does
" . Pro Bono" speaks OF the great duties OF th
Superintendent; we'll what ave they? lie say
to prevent each teacher ir, IN governing his or he
room after their own particular wh1, NJ" tii
lcauuot be 50, ii it is, the present incuiAbou {
does not know it, Tor had occasion to 90 to y.
A. School two different times and stated nv bus
l. ness TO the Superintendent, and he rIlerlCd IN
u MISS hOWlanu suylli, tlil h-'V nv Nu'i ~
DO all OF that ladys rooms, and gave me io uuderstan
H. that he had no charge OF any Of tie rooms, an
~ that If | wanted any information III regard
= wnat went ou i'll the school rooms must 50 TO u
!, teachers and not 10 him. 1t not his husinc
to know anything OF their matters, he could NJ
tell me what time the schools commenced .lu Il
morning, whether ut quarter OF nine, or quartz
after nine, but on asking little sir! he VAS tol
pt nine O'Clock. asked HIM il the schools opcnt
and closed BY the city time he said that they d
le not pay any regard 10 the city time. l asked HI
- | what time they were governed by he told II
s that he did not knew. asked hlm how was
rs know wheWto send my child to school, and W
=, told thai the workshops gave signals Ill one WI
or another when 1t was Twelve o'clock. j!
- schools used to bc opened and closed hY the ci
time like all ether public institutions but rs To
is not III. case now rs | have 1t from the Supe
iuteudent, We don't know when TO send our chill
rem TO- and expect them NOME from school; SO '
see hy the above. that tar having any charge
the rooms is concerned or knowing anything
what goes oa therein, Is no part OF the Snptrl
tcndent's duties. Now, Mr.. Editor, don't wa
l., be understood as making amy Charge aSai
the present incumbent, not ut all, but do me
tis | to say that IN my judgement We do not heet
10 Superintendent, or II We do, "fru Bono .
failed to produce the evidence, and il 1t could
:. shown that we did, still think that SlSOO Is {
Nd trely too much lior the amount OF services rend
ing ed for am satisiedithat a man could be got To
nd all that IL necessary to be done ior about one III
CO. that amount, Hoping that YOU may DO aele
es' find room in Your very valuable paper ior u
~ communicatlou, have the honor to be yours, y
' ONE OF THE lHorLE