The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-02-23
Written for The Spirit of Democracy i'H
Are Our schools Accompiis hing
8ei savVhat Ehey Should? a}

3 ass9a1' 4sa ~ FEBRUARY 10, 1875 !
& Ed, SPIRIT: / see that number OF
your correspondents speak well Of the
schools in their respective townships or
Immediate neighborhoods. We are az
ways glad to hear encouraging words
from, the schools 'rhe prosperity Of
the future depends largely on; the schools
of the present, though 7 fear very many
in our midst, have not q realizing sense
of that fact. 4.zs 2.Al hsis 3ili~l.fissl z
"a was not able to decide from the let
ters of your correspondents, that they
had visited any. of the schools them
seves; but was led to believe that they
spoke moro from. hearsay. or general REL
port, than from observation or personal
knowledge. / know that our schools
1ra acc0np nptistfngs q great deal ahuss q
very much fear, not nearly so much as
they should and if / were asked aohy
they are not as efficient as they should
be, | should certainly give as one rea-
son, that they are mot risited as they
should be. Neither parents nor school
officers visit the schools to give word
OF encouragement or friendly advice;
nor to suggest to the teacher any chan
ges which might lead to improvement in
any part of the school work. Nor do
they take the, trouble orpains to, inform
themselves as,the households should be
organized governed, cor taught. Many
of the teachers, perhaps ] might say the
great majorityof them, have never had
anyspecial training with reference to the
how itshould bedones Each new teacher
isIbnt adater. edition of fsthe old one,a in,
eliuing aoitenerb to lssOld Fogypfs than
-Yodng American and as cur wise lleg-
Fislators peraistensly refuse, to makeypro-
visions ofor dudicious supervision, the
teachers seem to have it. all their own
way, aud while no one complains every
thing goes son swimmingly. and tour
schools are in a very prosperous condir
tion. "Ii9al cta ii5I3las Sg&gfiFs .tsffd
LIDO not wish TO be understood, as. cal
ling in1question the prosperity Or eli
cheney of the schools. Oh teachers so
highly commended 10 personally ,Iiknow
nothing OF their progress or advance
ment, hutI have looked into 80, many
schools that were said to be getting along
firstrate, and found so very few that
really acre advancing as they should,
and have, observed the mode of opera.
tion of 30 many from different parts Of
the county, and found 50 very few that
were doing anything near the thorough
work which teachers should do in this
day and age,that I fear I am becoming q
little skeptical. + ] do wish. the teachers
had enough real life in them to lead them
to yisit,not only the schools in their own
townships, but, far enough away from
home to find some schools that, are or
ganized, governed, and taught BY teach.
e-s that have life enough in them, to lead
them to kno,c and do what's for the best
interests Of those committed to their
caresn There. are a few such teachers 10
the land, and there seems to be no good
reason why their number may not
be largely increased. But will it be done
while 50 many are perfectly satisfied on
| the lower round of the ladder? so much
so that they will spend neither time,
money, nor study, more than is necessa-
ry to enable them to get a low grade Ger
|tifcate and draw their wages? Hardly.
There's room higher, but many are not
ready to climb. $50. E. D. j.