Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-04-02
.eTeaeher.s Examination"

An article signed "a Teacher" appeared
in the TELEoRAPn Of March 18th The
article embodied such q wholesale slander
Of the teachers Of our county that, In JUS
tice 10 them, cannot suffer II 70 pass un
noticed If the facts were as your CORES
pondent states, any honest person might
well consider II disgrace to belong to
such a profession. The name Of teacher,
instead of being an honorable one, would
suggest the probability that the person
bearing II was a swlndler. | am happy
in being able TO say, from information far
more extensive and reliable than that of
your correspondent that the statement is
gross exaggeration. For over five years
have come into intimate contact with
the teachers Of our county and | have
learned, with each year to respect them
more. There are, ofcourse, unworthy per-
sons among them; but the large majority
of them do honor 10 the profession.
Your correspondent gives two examples
of the manner in which the fraud, Of
which he accuses them, Is carried out.
The first involves such violation Of hon
or that it is difficult to understand how a
person, with any reputation Of being a
lady or gentleman, could stoop to practice
It. It is with deep regret that state that
two instances of this class, within FIVE
years, have come to the notice Of the
Board. But apart from the improbable
ty that any number ofour teachers are so
utterly devoid of all sense Of honor, those
permitted to speak to the applicants at
our examinations are watched too closely
to allow much opportunity for such dis
graceful conduct.
The second example of fraud is one,
which under present management is i'm
possible, as visitors are no longer allowed
to sit with applicants.
Strangely enough, your correspondent
has failed TO notica the manner in which
most of the dishonesty has been practiced.
The arrangement of our school houses, in
general, is such that two persons must sit
at one desk, and when the attendance is
large, sometimes five or six around one
table. That this furnishes opportunity
for dishonest practice cannot be question
ed. But the examiners watch the appli.
cants much more closely than your cor
respondent imagines; and, with few ex
eeptions, their manner at the time or the
character of their papers betrays the
fraud attempted And in no case, is a
certificate granted when fraud is discover
ed The rules as to communication mean
what they say, and are enforced, as somt
rejected applicants could inform youl
correspondent, if they saw fit to do so.
But while human nature remains un
changed, there will always be some ap
plicants who are dishonest and in spit'
of all care, few of these will succeed IL
hiding their dishonesty; but if your cor
respondent will divide by 10 the per cent
age which he gives as that of certificates
fraudulently obtained, am confident tina
he will yet be above the facts in the case
will inform him that more than 500 Gel
tificates were granted in the past year
and that to substantiate his statement, hi
will be obliged to show that from 200 t.
$50 of these were obtained fraudulently
If he has any proofs of his charges, thu
Board Of Examiners are ready, at any
time to receive them, and to consider then
impartially.
While l do not, for a moment, thinl
your correspondent capable Of doing, in
tentionally, dishonorable thing, woulC
say to him plainly, that there is but on
honorable way of making such charg
as that which he has published, and tina
is giving the names of those whom he cal
prove to be dishonest; and not, by sucl
general statements, which, while they ex
cite suspicion against all, accuse no on
in particular, throwing slur upon an
entire profession.
The Examiners do not care for thei
own defense but in justice to the teacher
of the county, request that any papel
which may publish the articls of your col
respondent, publish also this answer
AN EXAMINER.