Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-03-31
LETTERS TO THB EDITOR.
To the Editor of Telegraph:
Teachers Examination.

To the Editor Of Telegraph:
Teaehers' Examination.
Our common schools afford the best and
almost the only practical means of eduea-
ton to large portion of our children, and
should receive the hearty support and en-
couragement of all good citizens.
Much Of the efficiency and usefulness Of
our common schools depends upon the
earnest cooperation Of the whole people,
with the intelligent labors of competent,
faithful teachers. I believe we do not suf-
fieiently appreciate the influence upon the
prosperity of our schools, that viii be pro-
NOTED by lively interest on the part ofthe
patrons in all that relates to their vel
fare and success. 1t lacks but few months
of half centennial since l came into the
State of Ohio, to make for myself home.
At that time, more than one-haH of the
schools in Ohio were kept in log cabins
Since that time our present school system
has grown from small beginning of pub
lie aid from the State, to system of free
schools to all the children of the State.
The wisdom of those large hearted men,
like Samuel Lewis and others. who labored
so earnestly for the cause Of education in
our State, is now apparent in the degree OF
education and general intelligence Of oul
citizens.
1t was a great advance in the cause Of
education to make the Peoples schools
free. Our schools are infinitely better thar
they were fifty years ago. They can bt
made still better, and more useful There
is no reason why our free schools should
not afford the means of education to quail
fy our citizens for all the common pursuit:
of industry, and even prepare them for en-
tering upon more scientific branches Of
study. If properly fostered and eneour
aged, they viii attain to this; but the cold
breath of neglect may ruin their usefulness
for ever. To keep our free school system
in progress with the advance of civilization
we need better and still better qualified
teachers, and l am pleased to notice thI
efforts of our County Board of examiner
to encourage teachers to higher erattainment
and better qualification for their labors
And this brings me to the subject hat
in mind when sat down to write, and
hardly know how have been so far divert
ed from it--a good understanding aat
grammatical use of the English Language
l regard this as the first essential in tn
qualification of teacher. Without this
the rendering of Greek or the ginggling o
Latin should pass for nought.
To test the knowledge of our teacher
who are so soon to appear before the Boar,
of School Examiners, l ask their friendl,
criticism on some words used by the exam
liners in their ''Rules for perusal ofteach
ers." As teachers are invited to perus
these rules, of course they are openit
friendly criticism.
Now, to say nothing about what kind Q
a certificate the 'sno certificate" is, which j
is so frequently said applicants shall re
ceiye," and admitting that expression a
one Of the allowable absurdities of ou
language, pass on to the third rule an
at the end of the third line, find the wor
'they." Well, what of it? Why nothing
only l don't know what to do with it!
tried to think over Lindley Murray, wit
his two ponderous quarto volumes, and hi
exercises and key; and those of Green an
Greenleaf and Kirkham and Pineo and th
critical Brown, and all the other author
whose works had never read, and still
could not reconcile the use of the wor
''they" as it there stands with any gran
matical rules of our language.
viii some Of our teachers before the
come to the examination tell me what the
would do with this word ''they'' if the
were teaching class? II this article sha
interest our teachers, and stimulate thel
to thorough and critical study of Il
English language, shall have accomplish
ed all designed. EAST AsHTABULA.
March. "a. 1875.