The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1877-07-18
Ehc Institute.

That the teachers OF the common
schools of Kentucky have been selected
to bear the unequal burdens of legislation
is not to be disputed and why this
should be is a subject OF the greatest mo-
mcut. Teachers even OF the highest
qualifications are required by law TO at
tend three or four days institute, and, il
they fail to attend, are punished for tru>
ency, not by tlaEellation as yet, but by a
revocation of their certificates bv q school
commissioner. Nor ia this all. They
are informed that in case they forfeit
their certificates by non attendance, their
crime will he remembered and made n
point against them on presenting them
selves for new certificate This is fol-
lowing them up with vengeance, and
forcibly reminds me OF the man that beat
the dead skunk, to prove to it, rs he said,
that there is punishment after death
Why should the class OF teachers form
an ca ,eption to the general rule p
Preachers Of the gospel ao!d their assoc
CITATIONS, synods and conferences, At times
and places, and in a manner to suit them
selves. Physicians hold their conven-
/ tons At pleasure, aud take their seats in
the dignity of equality. But, the teaching
class alone is compelled to pass under
( tn" yoke, and, like iumping>iacks- with>
out any volition OF their own, to do the
/ bidding of n dictatorial superintendent
and his equally tyrannical satellites in
the shape OF boards Of education and
| school commissioners, who, on account
of the smalness OF their Office, are, like
vcnomous insects, the more pertinacious
TO infict their stings. The small pittsnce
OF pay, and the shOrtness OF the school
session that cause so many teachers TO
exc out livelihood 10y resorting to some
other business for the most OF the year,
perhaps raising field Of corn or patch
of tobacco, are not grievance enough for
them. but they must have an institute I'M.
posed on them with its proverbial sham
and fraud, and its uncallcd for expenses
which they are often ill>ahle TO bear. A
place where literary juggles and mounte
banks can, for more than congress
wages, display themselves to their hearts
content, and TO the inexprcssible ennui Of
their involuntary auditory. Nothing
speaks in such thunder tones against the
Institutes as the general opposition tc
them by the best teachers of the country
A great majority OF the teachers, young
aud old, aware Of their miserable qualii.
cations, gladly throng the road to tn,
Institute, because they reasonably ex'
pect their attendance there will almos
insure them a certificate. Such teacher
as they arc more accustomed to exhumin!
fish-worms from the creek bottoms thar
problems from Hutton or Pike"
E 1t is true certain class of teachers O
: more than usual prominence, some o
5 whom are exotics from other profession
= in which they have failed, seem to take
: great interest in the Institute. But thei
e motives are questionable, or, to say tn
;. least, they may only be afflicted by tn
y caeocthes loqlaldi, or prurience for max
s ing speeches. These persons swell then
t selves, like the frog in the fable, to enor
| "a
e burst. purhaps, as soon rs they enter til
o school room.
= A public fund is always surrounded
e covetous and speculative eyes. And
b has been only by the exercise of extrem
y vigilance that the school fund of the Sta,
II has been kept, thus far, from being d
II verted from its legitimate use and gobble
}. up by mercenary vampires. While il
: in the vaults o. the State it is sufficient
n safe; but it cannot always remain Their
1t must he annually distributed anon
z the teachers. And now, n new opportr
e nifty is presented 10 raid on it. Institut,
4. are established by law which thos
teachers are compelled to attend, and
Il which they are required to pay the bill
n Certain boards of education are create,
II the members Of which are, or will l.
made the conductors Of those Inslitut,
under the enormous pay of one hundrC
dollars per week-for the merest sugge
ton Of the Superintendent is, on the fir
q opportunity, chrystalized into law-ar
7 a sum not far from ten thousand dolla
~ yearly will go out Of the pockets OF Il
teachers into those Of a select few-tl
n lavorites OF the school Superintendent al
- the creatures OF his patronage. All til
money so unjustly taken from the teacl
-. ers will thus naturally tend towards Il
y headquarters of the school system, ar
- may, in time, hel p to make it a none,
70 power, perhaps OF no mean pretention
= ] ask those of our legislative candidat
=, who may be elected, to use their effor
=, to put a stop TO this iniquitous scho
IN legislation. and to give the teachers
IN Kentucky a chance, once more,
A. breathe little Of the atmosphere of fire.
>, dom. re.
y Internal Revenue.
NJ The following statement shows the co
g dition Of Internal Revenue Collectors @