Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-02-09
The High School Question.
WEsTBURe, Feb 5, 1877

WEsTBURG, Feb 8, 1877
EDITOR BULLETIN-We have beer
looking for the report OF the County
Meeting of School Officers, with the ex
pectatim of finding something If imp ort
ance therein, hut after reading it through
we are somewhat dis ppointed.
The report that is published is not very
minute, but we should judge from read
ing it, that some five or six persons die
the most Of the talking.
Mr.. Lyman J. Curtis, it would SEEM
did his share of the wind work, and in
deed, made some very startling announce
ments.
Mr.. Curtis statement, that he "greatly
objects to paying second class teachers
first class wages thus insinuating tina,
such is the case IN our county, is certain
ly very heightened and noble sentiment
but we think under the present circum
stances that the statement is uncalled for
as thirty or thirty-fye dollars month
cannot be considered, by sensible persons
as being first class wages
At this meeting resolution was pass
ed to the effect that the School Officers
and the people should sustain the County
Superintendent in his efforts to secure a
a better class of teachers. This is very
good, but no resolution was passed stat
ing that this better class of teachers
should be paid u fair salary. To us this
case has the appearance of being some
what one sided.
Some years ago we were told: "You
must raise the grade and the wages will
be raised accordingly" but this we see is
not the case, as the grade of quallfica-
tons necessary to procure certificate
has been raised nearly fifty per cent
while the wages remain the same.
Before we support the Co. Superintend
ent in raising the grade much higher we
should like to see the School Officers
make move towards raising the grade
of teachers wages.
In looking over Mr.. Lakes speech we
are led to suppose that the average
school teacher is very ignorant person
In order to prove his assertion, Mr.. Lake
refers to the Mss. of some persons who
failed to get certificate.
Rather slim proof indeed. Yet, Mr..
Lake, being good lawyer, makes it very
plain, from this circumstantlal evidence
that the teachers of Buchanan County
have no knowledge of Arithmetic OF
Grammar.
In regard to the Co. High School, we
fail to see the great benefit to arise from
from such an institution, unless it be to
burden the poor with taxes to educate
the children of the rich. Those of oul
County who would be able to send thcil
children to independence to school
would be able to send them fifty ora hun
dred miles farther.
If the High School should prove to be
better than the present schools of lnde
pendence it of course would benefit those
living in close proximity to it. But the
poor people living in remote parts of the
County should not be taxed for the bene-
fit of few when it is not necessary,
Mr.. Lake would have us understand
that all who should attend this school
would acquire an excellent education
and immediately 60 out into the County
and teach, thus repaying the County
Bot, it occurs to US, that few of these
High School scholars might enter some
other profession, or, possibly, teach in
some other county Or state, where they
could procure better situations.
We think this amount of money could
be expended to better advantage in i'm
proving the schools we already have in
the County, and it would then benefit all
WILLIAM A. KELLEY