Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-11-27
THAT PROPOSED ASS sssMENr OF
TEACHERS.

rect but inasmuch as the Appeal of yes.
terday demanded, in the name of The
nublic. that another communication In
our possession be printed, here 1t is; 1t
is short and sweet:
To the Editor Of the Ledger:
feel it due myself to say that Mr..
Slaughter, principal Of the Linden street
school. one day last week called the
teachers together and said that he had
heep requested by Mr. Collier to ask Of
the teachers a contribution in money TO
he giyen to the Appeal for what it had
dome and would continue to do in behalf
Of the schools. Mr.. Slaughter further
stated that such contribution was to be
solicited from all the teachers; that Mr..
Collier had told him Mr.. Pickett was to
leach one day for Mr.. Collier, so that he
mr.. Collier) could go ronnd to the diff
terent schools and get up the contribu-
t;nns Not one word was said OF any
q article of value;" we we're expressly
eiyen TO understand money was the thing
wanted. / YES the one who gave the
;nfornatiou 10 your correspondent sign
ing herself Inquirer" We were natu-
rally indignant at being called OF tor
contributions when we had been PAID
but twenty dollars for our month work.
We thought those who received so much
higher nav from the School Board should
have scorned to call on us when we had
not enough to pay our months board.
We we're asked TO say nothing of this
aFa;r hnt 7 recognized no obligation Of
secrecy in this matter. Last Monday
Miss Higbee sent the following card TO
Linden street and requested the teachers
IN sign i. The teachers refused to sign
Il, believing they could not do so con.
sistently with truth. This Is the card
we refused TO sign:
1--WE. the undersigned, principals and
teachers in the Memphis City Schools,
having read with regret the communi-
cation which appeared in your col
umns over the signature Inquirer feel
called upon to denonnce the allegations
and ipueudos therein made against the
editors of the Memphis Appeal as false
and alike unjust and insulting to them
as Journalists and to ms as teachers.
We see no insult TO the teachers, IN.
tending none to the Appeal, but could
not deny facts. 1t may be proper to add,
we we're told the Appeal knew nothing
of the business.
A LINDEN STREET TEACHER
1t is clear that Mr. Slaughter, principal
at the Linden street school, Mr.. Pick
ett the Superintendent. and Mr. Collier
another teacher, were the prime movers
of this proposed assessment. Mr.. Pick
EFT was rather in the background, 1t is
true, but as he was to teacL day, some
thing out Of his usual line, to enable Mr..
Collier to 20 around to the different
schools and get up the contributions, it
is not a forced conclusion that he knew
all about it, if he was not the FIRST one
to suggest the assessment. MIR. Pickett
is paid $4,000 per annum for about nine
months easy work, and yet assists and
encourages a movement which would
have taken money from the low salaried
and ill.paid teachers, who can scarcely
nav their board now. No won
der Inquirer suggested that they
would have to teach extra hours to make
the money, and that the teachers we're
indignant at the proposed outrage. This
little circumstance which cams to light
through the plrck of one of the isdF
teachers will lead the public and at least
a portion of the press to SeTutinize the
management of our city schools closer
than ever before. We shall make it our
business to look into city school affairs
somewhat, and to approve or condemn
precisely in accordance with the facts
developed. A system or set Of men
seeking extraneous support by such
means betrsys symptoms of conscious
weakness, and will bear watching. The
school system is one thing; its internal
management something quite different.