Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1878-09-12
Educational.

Most respectfully submitted,
J. P. Patterson,
Vice President 9th Cong. Dist.
OHIO TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
UNGRADED SCHOOL SECTION.
COLUMBUS, o., August 18th, 1873.
At the last session of the Teachers As |
sociation, new section was formed and |
added to the above-named body, called |
the Ungraded School section.
The object of this new organization, as |
its name indicates, is to furnish head to
schools of the country districts, in which
are gathered large portion of the youth
of school age.
The assertion that these schools are not,
as whole, doing all that they should do
in the vital work for which they were or
ganized, is not likely to be controverted
by any one who comprehends their pur-
pose, and has observed with care their
present condition.
One-sided courses of study, or, more
frequently, no course at all; each teach
er taking charge of his school as limited
portion of chaos, with no record of his
predecessors work, with little or no profit
able experience to guide him, and little or
no help from his official superiors; a short
term of a few months under the eye of no
competent advisor or UtSitor; then next
term another teacher go through the same
melancholy round. This is not fancy
sketch, but rather as expressing the con-
| dition of vast numbers of schools in Ohio,
the sad truth.
The district schools of each county need
| a head-a man of sense, education and ex-
perience, to correct the faults mentioned,
| by keeping all the schools in his jurisdic-
| ton under intelligent supervision. In
| this way they may and will be organized
companies ready to do battle in the vital
| cause of popular education.
| A competent officer to advise in the very
| important matter of laying off districts,
selecting sites and plans for school build
| ings, would surely be promoter of econo-
my, while his power as an examiner of
schools, as well as of teachers; his au-
| thOrity to remove the incompetent and un-
worthy; the performance of his duty to
advise and assist those under his control,
after viewing the situation with the eye of
a kind but responsible critic, would with
out doubt, greatly increase the efficiency
of our schools.
We ask for the district or township
schools, kindred rights and opportunities
with those enjoyed by the schools of our
cities. The wide gap between these in
| stitutiOns-and that it is wide, needs no
array of professional be filled up by
raising the present status of affairs in the
rural districts. We have heard it init
mated, that in theory, men, and the chill
dren of men are equal, before the law. It
would be well to realize this theory.
The pressing need of county superVis-
| ion has been discussed, and the adoption
of some judicious plan therefor, urged in
| almost every State Report upon education
al affairs in Ohio. 1t has been proved to be
a matter of economy, of equal rights;
thing demanded by the condition of our
| schools as a work of wise craftsmanship,
and conducive in the highest degree to the
public good.
1t is not doubted that the safety of our
free institutions depends upon the proper
training of our youth, upon their charac-
ters being based upon the solid founda-
tions of religion, morality and knowledge.
1t is not doubted that the present is time
of peril. Our already too large number
of uneducated persons receives yearly
large accessions from abroad, comprising
regiments of yet unOrganiZed sOldiery,
determined to fight, Unnecessary, for some
solution to the problem, how to ease the
pangs of hunger in some easier way than
| by hard work. AS a conclusion from these
admitted facts, now, if ever, is the time
for the strengthening of every cOnserva-
tive principle of our social and political
organization, and for one of these we
honestly plead.
afOFenamed, it was proposed, and the plan
met with warm approval, to hold the first
meeting next Winter, in the CiGy of Co
lumbus.
It's desired that this be an educational
convention, and not merely a teachers
association. That gentlemen-why not
ladies ?-Of other professions and voca-
tions be urged to come together and dis
cuss with us various topics relating to our
educational system.
The Vice-Presidents, each in his district,
and in his own way, are committee to
work up the question, to call attention of
influential men to the defects in our
| school system, and the remedies: and to
give practical turn to their efforts by
: bringing to the attention of Members Of
the General Assembly, the need and de-
sire of the people for proper legislation.
Let us come and reason together.
j. j. BURNS,
r. W. STEVENSON,
Committee.