The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-06-26

| to be great friend of education, but still Is
opposed to free schools according to her own
statements. Very consistent indeed. Some
people are like the dog in the mapger. that
would neither eat nor allow any one else"
There are many things connected with our
common school system that need some altera-
ton. but teachers and superintendents are not
all in the fault. Athea attacks the sword
method" All have to say about the word
method is, If it be used IN connection with spell
ing the words and pronouncing them 1t can be
used to good advantage, and is approved Of by
our best educators in the State.
In concluding what l have to say about the
Alithea family, my advice is. get little better
posted on school matters before writing again.
What would become Of the people, in general,
were it not for those horrible teachers The
rising generation would be in utter darkness,
the Alithea family not excepted.
Much has been said about females getting as
much pay as males for teaching according to
the labor performed. We agree that they
ought and claim they get better wages. on an
average, than males according to the labor
performed, and believe that we can convince
any unprejudiced person OF fair attainments.
Some have talked as though there ought to be
moro certificates granted, so as to make the
supply greater than the demand and thereby
reduce wages. There are already many per-
sons holding certificates that their qualifica-
tons do not meet the demands Of the law, nor
the demands Of the rising generation. We
say poor school is worse for the public than
no school. We had better have less number
OF months school in year taught by really
qualified teachers, than to have from eight to
ten months conducted as many schools have
been. There are persons who are teaching
that 80 far as their education in the sciences
is concerned. I have known children twelve
years old who are great deal better qualified.
l have heard it stated that there ls not sutfi
Gent quantity of teachers in the county well
qualified to fill all the schools. II this be the
case, then we had better import some. But
we believe there is a sufficient quantity Of in
tellect in the county to meet the demands of
the different departments of schools, provid-
ing 1t is brought out.
There has been 80 much fault found about
high wages and the number of DAYS taught for
. month, ETC., that often the better intellect
has become disguised with teaching school, and
consequently have turned their attention to
some other business.
One writer says, farmers :eel deep In
terest in schools" Now, whatever q person
feels deep interest in he Is very apt to look
after pretty sharply and visit often. How Is
it. teachers, throughout the county, do the
patrons Of your school visit you pretty often,
once in four or five years
/ have sometimes tho ught, from experience
that districts are more to blame for poor
schools than any one else. From the way
schools are generally neg elected by the patrons
of the schools, children are led to imagine that
school is a sort of machinery where so many
lessons are to be ground out daily and the
grist to be entirely neglected by their parents.
We say. patrons OF schools, if you want better
schools visit them and look after them as sharply
as you do your money, and we will warrant
that you will see an improvement 1t Will en-
courage the teachers as well as the scholars
Don't imagine that teachers must be some
thing else besides human beings they are
liable to err as well as yourself.
Considerable has been said about the office
OF county superintendent, but we fail to notice
I anything that anyone has said whereby We may
( learn TO better It. We will state our views con-
corning the subject Of that Office with the hope
that some one better able, will give Their
views.
We believe, in theory. probably, it is good
thing, but in practice We fail to see any better
results from 1t than from the old system OF
township school inspection. One thing is GER
tain, that the standard Of qualification Is nc
higher than 1t was under the old system. II
seems 10 Us that il we could have man elected
70 examine teachers as to their qualifications IL
regard to learning, and then the board OF school
inspectors, in each township. to appoint one OF
thsir number to visit each school at the COM
mencement of the term and then again towards
the close, would be good arrangement. We
would have two days in each township in the
spring, and two IN the fall for the examination
Of teachers. We would have the school in
spectors report to the county superintendent
such matter as would be thought to be advisable
Some plan similar to the above seems to be de-
ihohuou Wy sho pCoPAo, eno iibhsAui AuASAo VI
the land Very often something may arrive in
school that requires the attention OF suit
able officer. and II we must depend upon the
county superintendent he may be so far of
that it is not practicable to have him attend &c
it. and 80 it passes unnotlced. We have known
instances OF the kind.
Furthermore 1t is a fact that We ali have
more interest in our own country than IN any
other, and we have mole interest in our owl
state than any other, and we have more IN
terest in our own county than in any other, and
We all take more interest in our own township
than in other townships, therefore, it is self
evident that township officer will look after
the interest of his own township closer than &
county officer. A school visited by suitable
person close at home has better influence
than from some person whom the scholars ma!
have never heard Of The argument which
we have heard that 1t is difficult to find suit
able person in each township to attend to schoo
duties is all nonsense. No doubt but wha
there are suitable persons in every township
and then they are close at hand in case o.
emergency. What particular good Is it to Z
school to receive a visit when the school ter n