Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-12-05
4 Few Facts,

Inc detcrmlnauon ON my part Ia
take lively interest in school
matters has not been suddenly
formed, nor has il been without ad-
vice, l should not however, have
taken this course 10 make known
the result of Investigations had
and the other ladies who have visit
ed the school with me been treated
with common courtesy; but So cool
and indifferent has been our rcccp-
ton by the principal, that these
ladies have felt disinclined to con-
tinue their visits; yet knowing |
have n right and laudihlc object in
view, shall not, in that way, be de-
tered from visiting the school. In
the address of the principal, Mr., !,
IL. Terry, to the patrons Of the pub
lie school, i'll the DEMocRAr of Sept,
10th, they were urged to visit, in
vestigatc and scrutinize the man
agement of the school, Did he
mean only the male portion of this
community? II would seem SO
from the reception he has given the
ladies, and acted in more than Il
single instance as though they had
no rights or requests that he was
bound to respect When merely II
suggestion was made To visit the
school Systematically, twas rcceiv-
ed III the principals room with rid
icule, and lie even allowed himself
to read aloud i scurrilous and bur
lesque composition by pupil con-
cerning this proposition; and when
asked by the writer if il was n fact
that he did SO he could not deny
it; and when again asked, "Do you
wish to cooperate with the ladies
i'll their effort to take an interest in
the SCHOOL," his answer was 81
will not listen to your gossip" "
Would he have dared To answer in
that manner ifa man had asked
him the same question: In the adj
drot before referred to, he speaks
of teachers rs servants Of the pub
lie. Would it not be better tc
have them advisors, instructors, la
dies and gentlemen? would here
say the lady teachers of our school
have invariably been polite and
ladylike.
Now, it is all over the land be-
coming acknowledged that women
may, without incurring the risk Of
being accused of going out of their
sphere" " take an active interest in
the education of their children, and
of young people generally, and
judge for themselves if this matter
is properly attended to. claim
this privilege, and for n while, il
necessary, am willing to stand
alone, knowing that sooner or later
this wave of popular feeling will
reach even Mineral Point. 1t If
conceded, as may be noticed i'll an
article on Education, in Harpers
Magazine, not long since, that
women are the most successful
teachers in all schools during all
the earlier period of n pupils life
Why should not mothers be proper
judges Of progress i'll schools, and
not be treated with ridicule in ihC
school room where their children
are seated? This must all pass
away in the behavior of the princi,
pal before we can claim 10 be up tc
the standard Of the best schools.
shall visit the school until ] am
recognized 70 be just what ! ana
patron, friend and supporter Of th'
school, no matter who is at thu
head Of it-with as much righ
and as deep n interest there, as any
one can possibly have a right u
examine the operations of th'
school, and compare with others
also to ask a question, if in har.
mony with the lesson.
! have before me the report o.
the Superintendent Of the Oshkosh
schools for this year. After saying
much about the duty Of looking af
ter the schools, he says: "My oh
| iect il to impress the city authori