Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-10-08
a DIALOGUE.
WEsTEnypoRT Md, Oct. 4, 1881.

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The following conv ersation, which
took place between two of our citizens
the other day, may be interesting to
some OF the readers of the MINING
JOURNAL
John-"Hello, Mike, what has been
| going on here? Has the county been
appropriating money to clean out the
rocks and stumps around the Frank
In sehool-house Well, I am glad of
it, for there was never a day last
winter but what my wife and were
uneasy about the children while they
were at school such looking place
as it was l hardly know how the
children escaped without broken
limbs; indeed, they were lucky to get
off with few cut heads and sprained
ankles; and those little girls, l don't
see how they ever got around among
those big boulders and sharp stumps;
there must have been a great respon-
sibility and dread on the teachers
when the children were out Of their
Psight; but now it looks like a differ
ent place altogether. Now, while
they were at it, I wonder why they
didn't take those high steps away and
build platform with banister and
steps down each side; the steps are
really dangerous as they now stand :
the slightest push in coming out the
door might send child head first
down the steps and kill or cripple it.
There should be something done
about those steps.
Mike-Why, John, am surprised
TO hear you talk so / think We
should be glad we have school
house. Don't you remember when
we used to send our children to school
in Mrs. Doyles old bar-room, oooped
up like bees in a hive? You must
not think that because you pay few
dollars taxes that the county is going
to clean up yards and fx steps just
for the benefit of children oh, no,
not when they have gone to all the
trouble and expense of building such
a nice school as this is. Not
much, John, when they are retrench-
ing, reducing the teachers wages and
giving longer term of school; but,
l am surprised that you did not know
about it-why the county did not do
this or have it done; cold uncle" Joe
| gathered up lot Of those big, brawny
miners with crowbars, picks and
shovels, and you should have seen
them turn up those large rocks-there
is one over there that would weigh
two tons-besides all those big stumps
and logs were chopped up and wheeled
out of the way they put in gravel,
and you now see what an improve
ment they have made to cave the life
and limbs of their children. At the
same time look what d saving to the
county. So you see, John, we are in
for retrenchment no matter what it
costs in the end"
John-"Well, Mike, that may be
all very well, but I cannot see the
good to come from re luciug the
teachers wages and giving us longer
term of school. In my opinion it will
have a bad effect in the end. Every
man knows that good men won't
work for low wages, and I suppose
that teachers like a living wage as
well as other laboring men. l was
always under the impression that the
future prosperity of our free and in
dependent government was depend
ing on the education and training of
the rising generation, but if what you
say is true it will have tendency to
degrade the present system, and we
will retrograde in place of advance
but, surely, things ere not SO bad as
that. l was talking to a friend Of
mine in Westernport the other day
and he said that there was $40 ap-
propriated for the repairing of tho
school in that town and | understand
that the principals wages have not
been reduced. Now, how is it that
they cut some and not others ?"
Mile--"Well, John, I'll answer your
question if you'll answer mine. Why
is it, that, as you said awhile ago,
they gave $40 TO repair the Western
port school building and would not
give one cent to clean the rocks and
stumps out Of the Franklin school
yard, or build a decent platform in
place of those steps on stills, to save
acme of the children from getting
their necks broke2 If you answer
me that question Ill answer yours"
Jahn-"Well, Mike, ! suppose that's
query we'll have to answer zone
other day"
Not wishing to be caught caves
dropping, l retired behind the corner
Of the school-house. A.P.
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