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

HARTFORD, June 81, 1874.
EDITOR True NoRTHERNER IL have Just
finished reading an article printed IN your last
issue, and purporting to have been written by
one Shoudy, who, or what he is, have not the
least knowledge, save as | judge by the sound
OF his trumpet, which he blew long and some
what loud, and some OF its notes seemed to be
rather indicative Of his profession. AS the
drift of his essay seemed to be to give me ad-
vice and criticise and contradict short article
written by me and published some seven or
eight weeks ago. 1 thought perhaps it de-
manded some sort OF reply, but as | have
only few spare moments, and not seven or
eight weeks to devote to the subject, l trust L
will be excused if 1 do not instruct or edify the
people 30 profoundly as he has done, but sim
ply give passing notice to some Of its points
First. he tells us, 80 far but little has been
said to the point concerning this Common
School question, seemingly OF personal char
acter" SO he wishes through your columns to
instruct the public. How glad l nm that he
has spoken and thrown such . flood OF light
upon the subject. Hereafter l presume the
public will have no appetite for anything
new points and substantstei them with such
profound arguments, that all must be well sat
sfied as to the merits or demerits Of this free
school system. And then how grateful they
all must be that one writer has been 80 gen.
erous as to soar above personalities. scornlnS
to call names and fling sarcasm. / think all
who have read his article, will be ready with
,1o,n fhnr ~ "A
Jewell" but few there be that find thee.
The first subject he takes up, is the name
Althea," aud has great deal OF trouble to
find out to what gender it belongs. Indeed,
what profound scholar and yet would adj
wise HIM to study the back part Of hs spelling
much trouble in deciding to which gender GEL
tain given names are applied.
1 see but one thing worth noticing in what he
says with reference to rings, and that Is quo
taton which reads thus, ~ have talked with
number of teachers about this ring and they
mover pretended to deny but what it existed
When you quote from Others Mr.. Shoudy,
please quote correctly, do not substitute what
for that, as it does not sound we'll to sensitive
ears. Again, he says it may be that those
teachers who Althea talked to, thought Mthea
might attend teachers conventions and find out
for herself. or, il there be any teachers who
pretend or intimate that ring exist, they are
those who politicians call sore-headed,' etc
etc" Now this whole sentence sounds little
mixed. Perhaps though, it is owing to mis-
punctuation. together with the using OF the
word who will, where 1t should have been
whom.
Now when attended school in the old log
school house, in the days Of town superintend-
ents and those terrible rate-bills, our teachers
instructed us that such language was ungram-
NAUTICAL, and should not be used but in this
period Of progression and free Schools, almost
anything will do l suppose.
Again he SAYS: "She says they have run in
to all kinds Of prodigality, etc." meaning the
teachers / suppose; as though the teachers
were the majority and could do just as they
please. This is q misrepresentation, as no.
BODY could construe my language to mean any
4 such thing. SAID 1.-THE money furnished for
building school houses paying teachers, ETC.,
etc. has been raised with so little strain upon
the purses OF the masses, that they have gone
into all sorts of prodigaity. reckessness, ETC.,
etc" Now il "the masses" has reference On
Mr.. SIS mlnd) to teachers, then we will concede
: HIM to be innocent but very short sighted. Ny
y assertion ] stand ready to substantiate BY
: many sound arguments some Of which have
Q not time to present now. The fact is, man.
v people living in our towns and villages hav'
d heard the cry Free Schoolsl Free Schools
8 until they really think they are free to every
o BODY that there exists rich treasury from
= which we arc supplied. When alas, alas, 1t j
c ground ont OF many poor, Woodworking
3 farmer. who ~ straining every nerve to pa
for a small piece of land; many poor wido'
t who has nary Guild to look after. or to loo
d after her. n you cannot see the point, hay
c never had It brought before your notice, lie
me give you an instance. There used TO liv