The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-05-15
Review of the School Journal
A Plan for Teachers ASsOcia-
tiOms-H umbuS i'm Ass0cia-

fiOns, etc.
To the Editors Of the Herald and Nal:
In my last | promised to submit Plan
for the establishment of Teachers Asso-
Citations upon proper and legitimate
basis.
There are two prominent reasons why
this should be done. The first is, that
it would improve the teachers in their
profession, and keep them posted in all
the approved methods of instruction
sanctioned by age and experience. The
second is, that it would show how much
humbuggery is now being practiced upon
the profession and public, by book-mak-
ers, book agents, spectators and polite
al tricksters generally, in the sO-cGlted
associations.
THE PLAH OF ORGANIZATION.
The Associations shall be ofthree three
kinds, County, State, and National Asso-
Citations. The County Associations shall
be composed of the regular teachers OF
each county; and shall be organized with
such officers as are necessary to consti
tute their organic existence.
No person shall be admitted as a mem
Der of the Association except those who
have been engaged in teaching or manag
ing schools, for at least three years next
preceding their admission. Persons en-
gagged in teaching for a less time, and
those intending to become teachers, and
students of schools, may be admitted TO
seats, inthe Associations, upon such terms
as may be prescribed by the County
Association and the payment of a rea-
sonable fee rs dues.
Members Of the Association who fail to
engage in the profession of teaching for at
least three months in twelve. unless ex
cused by the Association for inability
sickness, age or some other unavoidable
circumstances, will be dropped from the
Roll, ipsO facto There should be an
admission fee charged upon each mem
Der, sufficient to meet all necessary ex-
penses and for paying the expenses of
sending delegate to the State Associa-
ton.
All teachers having. the prescribed
qualifications are to be admitted upon
payment of the admission fee, and sign
ing the Constitution and By-LaaCS.
THE STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
Shall be composed of one delegate from
each County Association, and the Gov
ernor and State Superintendent er oDfcio,
| provided the present incumbents will
confess their sins, repeat the 5lst Psalm
in token Of their repentance and ask the
I forgiveness OF their past SINS.
The National Association shall be com
posed of one delegate from each of the
| State Associations, the United States Com
| missioner of Education and the President
| of the United States ca O6icio, provided
| known not 10 be drURkdrdS; 1. G., provided
they are educated gentlemen.
The County Association shall meet
| r,,,prtarlxr on 1hnps1ov Of tho .tipCf vyaoE
in January, April: July, and October
! The State Association shall meet annual
f. ly about the 18th of July. The National
| Association TO meet once in two years
about the 18th of August
ADVANTAGES.
Such an Association from its very Or
| ganization would protect and improve
| their Profession and secure it against
| imposition and Humbuggery. There
would be none bat americans on guard,
! of the highest trust, Sare one, ever com
| mitted to mortal mantle education OF
our children. In addition to all, what
ever improvements in the art of teaching,
| facilities in methods, of discipline, ad-
vancements in science and progress in
! the whole machinery of Education may
have been made, aud approved by time,
the tomb-builder of error, and TOnu-
ment of merit, would find their way into
this National Association; it not other
wise, it surely would through Gen. EATON,
the United States Commi ssioner of Educa-
ton, and would then be handed down to
each State Association; and from that
down to the county Associations, and from
them to the regular teachers throughout
the entire country.
When thus received, the teachers would
have the consolation TO know that the
Instructions had come from the proper
source aud through the proper channel,
and they would not be left to sift the
wheat from the chaf as they now must
do the Scientific Department of the Ten
nesSee School Journal, copied as 1t
says, from the columns ofthe Ne'c York
Tribune, or some other political Hetcs-
paper
DILADvANTAGEs OF THE PRESENT sYSTEM.
The School Journal says there arc
6 600 teachers in Tennessee, and that
they are noble band Of men and Ico-
men" As to the truth of this we neither
affirm nor deny, but take it for granted
that it is as stated by the Journal, al
though we have some reasons for believing
that they were counted without regard of
race, color, or previous condition of ser
vitude.
The Proceeding" of the meeting of
the so-cdlLed State Teachers Association.
held in Nashville in 1873, published in
pamphlet form, show that twelve counties
out Of ninety-three were accidentally repre-
scented, and that there were AZ mem
bers present, all told; and fifteen of these
were not teachers; leaving thirty-four
teachers out of G,000 as the accidental
representation of the teachers of Tennes-
see In that Mutual Admiration Society,
convened for edrioHs purposes, and which
meets annually at such times as render it
totally impracticable for the majority of
the regular teachers to attend on account
of their professional duties.
The last meeting was more neager
than the one above noticed, and no doult
would have been complete failure had
not oar efficient State Superintendent
supplemented it with a meeting of county
Snperintendeuts, and covered the retreat.
But eeeg he in charge of the meeting
on the last day vas troubled, and "sll
the Association with him And when