River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-10-30
THE sUPERINrRNDENoY AGAIN.

MxssRs. EpIroRs:-Pleass excuse me for again
infringing upon your generosity by asking you to
publish another article on this subject but pa per
last week deluged me with such a flood Of facts(O
feel as though must examine q few Of them and
see whether they are facts or mere pretensions in
geniously invented to mi.lead and deude
Listen to the first; I'VE believe(we don't know
that MIR. Baker ignorantly, or otherwise has by
indscriminate licensing. depressed the wages Of
other localities" What does this proye2 He
simply gives an opinion and admits it may be
wrong for he don't know it Is true. He assumes
that Dir b. has licensed Unfortunately. A ref
erence TO the records show the facts be quite to
the contrary. Only seventy certificates were grant
ed this fall including several who do reside in
the county and others who do not intend to teach
Don't this look exceedingly like depressing wages
and driving the ''best teachers" from the county
by "indiscriminate licensingl" To be sure Bat
is il a fact that teachers wages in Pierce comfy
Not bit OF it. Teachers are paid as well in this
county for doing the same grade OF work as they
they ought to be is true This Is true not only
of Pierce county but OF every county in the State
and Of nearly every state in the Union. This is
probably all owing to MIR. Bakers 'indiscrminate
licensing" Doubtless. After admitting that to
Supt. Baker belongs sthe credit Of establishing
and conducting the Teachers Association OF the
county, he asks: "How does the attendance upon
and interest in these meetings at the close of four
years OF MIR. Bakers administration compare with
that manifested at the beginning OF his admnstra-
tionF' II compares very fsvorably as the late
meetings at Ellsworth and Spring Valley plainly
show. II Ia well known that since Mr.. McCleary
SO signay failed in the presentation OF his topic at
the last association held at River Falls his inter-
est in the meetings has been very perceptibiy di.
minished until very recently it has for some reason
become quite active again. 1t is not strange that
an editor looking through Mr. McCleary's glasses
should think the teachers all becoming tired OF the
associations. Who wouldn't
In regard to the fact that teachers are reading
more professional literature than formerly the
Press says This may all be attributed 10 Mr.
Bakers influence or it may be attributable to 9TH
or influences equally potential working with the
SUPPLEMENTARY in this county" II some other
influence was potential in efecting this result
why didn't the editor mention it and tell what It
was and not leave us still in The dark9
The charge that the Supt. has only spent half a
day in the Prescott school is O remarkably econom
icsl use of the truth though just how economical
am not prepared to say. but the teachers know
AS TO Mr.. BIS acquaintance with the schools and
their needs, will only say You need net take nv
word for 1t, but select your school, question the
man, and satisfy yourself.
How wonderfully clear the Press is on the SUBJ
ject of printing! How nicely Merrick proves thai
he supports Nice. from pure principle. He does
this by referring to the Republican Convention of
two years ago and telling US he lMerrick) was sin
yited to name the proportion (of the printing! we
would take'' and support Baker. Let me state a
few facts At the time the Press claims the above
offer was made 1t was as positively known as any
future event can be known that MIR. McCieary
would be the nominee OF the convention and be
elected, and that the fall before the entire Republic
can ticket in this county elected by maiorties
ranging from 10 to Is hundred MIR. McCleary was
the man whose nomination the Press had all along
advocated.
strange to any one that Mr.. NJ Shout feel it his
duty to support Mr.. McCleary and decline to take
any part of the printing and support Baker when
he was supporting McGleary with such bright
prospects OF having the whole business to himself
am not convinced but what the matter of money
is the only thing the Press really cares about in
this election
What is said about Mr.. BIS gyrating between
parties is another illustration of the sparing man
ner In which some utilize trutL. The first time
MIR. Baker was "A candidate he was nominated and
elected by what was called the Reform party.
Two years ago Mr. Baker did not go
before any convention as candidate. He ran in
dependent and was endorsed by the Greenbackers
but was not present at any convention and did not
try to get the nomination from any party. -Four
years ago J. t. McCleary wanted to be the Demo-
critic nominee for Supt., but they had no use for
him Two years ago the Press took him up and
he was nominated by the Republican convention
and defeated at the polls. The people hardly be-
this fall full fedged Republican, and has been
one for years and is going to be long as the
issues remain rs they are now, that is as long as
the party dominates him for Supt.
This State certificate is wonderful affair isn't it?
Which requires the broader culture the more thor
orgh education,-ability to pass this examination
or to graduate from the classical course of Middle
bury College. Does the editor of the Press know
that the requirements for state certificate are not
sufficient to admit Person to the Freshman class
at Mlddlebury! If he dosen't it is time he did
Again quote from tie Press. "Neither the in
telectual productions Of the present Supt as found
in the column which he edits his reports to his
perors, or any other emanation from his pen, dis
play any broader culture" IN this connection /
desire TO mention two or three more facts. Frst
only one article ever published in the Educational
column of the Press was ever copied by any educa-
tional magazine, and that was the article on
"Qualifcations of Teachers and was written when
J. w. Gordon was conducting the column by II. s..
Baker. Time and again have articles been copied
from the Educational Column of the JOURNAL by
such as the PRACTICAL TEACHER Of Chicago; the
Educational Weekly, Wisconsin Journal of Educa-
ton, N. Y. Journal of Education, Educational News
Cleaner, etc. If this does not prove that MIR. Bak
ers opinions on matters of education held in
good repute by the educational fraternity what
does it prove? If Mr. McCleary possesses such
broad culture and enlightened views on education,
is it not little strange that OF the education
al papers copy any of his productions Mr.. Bak-
ers first report to the State Supt. edward Scar
ing) WOE from that official the following compli-
ment; ut is the most sensible document l have
read in a long time.'' Supt. Whitford has said he
was one of the best superintendets in the State
Are we to accept the evidence of these persons or
shall we believe the belchings of partisan paperl