Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-07-17

grade teachers. 1 accord with that
sentiment entirely, but a stream
can never rise higher than it source
We ought to be willing TO educate
them il we want them.
At the last examination only
three candidates applied for second
grade certificates, and those three
were all pupils of the high school,
and they all passed. But for all
new teachers | would raise the
standard of examination still high
er. l would have it equivalent to
diploma from our high school.
In these few desultory remarks
concerning our high school, and
what we want Of it, and the wants
OF our schools in general, / have
endeovored to make my meaning
clear. do not wish to be under
stood as desiring to occupy any
middle ground. have always held
myself in readiness to teach any
and every subject prescribed in
your high school course. Any
teacher, rs ] believe, who crosses
that threshold should be able to do
the same thing, and do it from
perfect familiarity obtained as
student in the class room. 1t will
cost two or three times as much to
educate pupil for one year, ac-
cording to this plan. as it costs in
the lower schools. What il it does
Do they not learn ten or twelve
times as much ? A higher educa-
ton always costs, but if we could |
buy it by the pound it is the cheap
est Of all. Our University is one
OF the most economical Of the
higher institutions in the United
States, hut it costs there for each
student 1925 year. In orr school
It is a bare fraction over $40. AS
that the expense of run
ming the schools for the past year
s $1,000, number perhaps too
arge. and dividing this sum by
i47, the number Of pupils enrolled,
md we have S10.S1 rs the cost for
zach pupil. am as much in ia
'or of economy, ! presume, as
my one. and practice it, perhaps,
IS rigidly, but there is a kind Of
economy too costly for me to love.
n a former report I stated that
ur teachers were doing the high J
st work of which they were ca +
able. now desire to emphasize :
hat sentiment. In saying this | a
o not desire to speak disparaging- Il
of our teachers. They have been v
cry faithful in the discharge of q
heir duties, and there has not been 81
mong them single element of 7,
iscord. Their work as shown bv a. q,
ne closing examinations, has been ?,
ell done, and what ever OF sue 4
ess we have attained during the q
ear, is very largely attributable -,
} their meritorions work. m
Gentlemen, / have been with Dc
On now seven years. Many of er
'e pupils of our high school. | pa
I've seen every day of their school re-
g. Most Of orr pupils, now in pc pc
hool, have entered during that pm
ven years. Ihave seen the school en- en-
'arly double in size. or the y,
rps of teachers during my first vi
ar here, only one is left. Two foi
we gone to that bourne whence :
ere is no returning. The uni M
I'm kindness and courtesy which ior
s been extended to me by the an
'ard and the patrons of our school, pr pr
yes me much to be grateful for. VI
say that / have not met with r,S
ne opposition in dealing with t aS'
exceedingly diverse elements T
ongst us, would be equivalent to ~
ling that either the people or ~
self had no opinions or dared %,
maintain them.
Respectfully submitted, n
+. S. DEWEY, III