Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-08-19
PLEASANT PLACES.
EASY TIMES ENJOYED BY HIGH OFFICIAL
BIG PAY AND LITTLE WORK


! EASY TIMES ENJOYED BY HIGH OFFICIALS
BIG PAY AND LITTLE WORK.
WASHINGTON, August 1S-In popular es-
| timation heads OF departments and bureaus
have about as muchso do as they can we'll
| attend to. The trush is they have very little
| to do beyond hearing and deciding applica-
| lions for office. Old and well-trained clerks
| look after the business affairs Of the depart
meuts and see that they are properly cared
for. AT the present time the postmaster
general and the first and second assistars
postmssters general are off on pleasure trips
which indicates that their duties cannot be
very burdensome when all three OF them can
be away for weeks at the same time. The
secretaries do not always know what is being
done in their several departments. A case
in the interior department shows how COM
plete is the dependence of the secretaries
Gu their subordlnates. Soon after Teller
became secretary OF that depart
ment one of his waImest friends,
who held a prominent place in that
department, was dismissed from his place.
The NJ an was from Colorado, and when Tel
Ter was a senator he and Belford, the Colo
rado member of the Hou.e, almost sawed
their legs off to get this man appointed. As
soon as the man was dismissed Beiford went
10 Teller and asked him what he meant by
dismissing the Colorado friend. Teller re-
piled that he had not dismissed him. Bel
ford showed him the order of dismissal, aud
asked him it that was his signature attached
to it. He said that it was, but he had no
recollection of signing any such paper. 1t
seems that the secretary is in the habit of
signing papers laid before him without
taking the trouble 10 read them. He lost no
time in reinstating his friend.
EDUCATIONAL.
REMARKABLE GROWTH OF TEACHERS INsTI-
TUTEs IN THE SOUTH. 4
WASHINGTON, August 1S.-Genersl Eaton,
commissioner OF education, speaking OF the
condition of educational matters in the
Soutb, said that while everything was true
which had recently been said by gentlemen
who are trying to promote the educational
interests of that section in regard 10 the
necessity for earnest and immediate effort
upon large scale, there was one feature to
which attention had been called in the edu-
cational bureau which promised excellent
results. He referred to the rapid growth of |
The first Of these was held three years ago
in South Caroiins, the expense being paid |
from the Peabody fund. So much good was |
effected, and such a spirit of enthusiasm was |
awakened that the State Legislature made an |
appropriation to defray the expenses of two |
institutes in the following year, and repeated |
the act at lis last session, making provision |
Tor tN0 Inc present se2eOp. One OF IGSSs ln-
stitutes is for white and the other for colored i
teachers. he fashion is spreading with re- !
markable rspidity 10 other Southern States. |
Summer institutes are now held in Virginia. |
Georgia and Tennessee; bat the mos;
u markable development Is in Texas, no less |
than eighteen asssmOlsgss Of this kind being |
in progress the present season. They are |
similar IN general arrangements and puT-
poses to the teachers institutes in the North
ern States, but cover more extended terms,
varying from two to six weeks. An expert
,nced educator, a man of emineDce in his |
if the services of such an one can
De obtained, is secured as a superintendent
In some instances superintendent takes
control of two or mere institutes, taking two
,r three subjects for his own specialties and
exercising a general supervision over the
york of his assistants, who are usually o! the
lest and most experienced local teachers and
uperintendents. Lecturers upon special
opies are secured as frequently ss possible.
Tue services OF the superintendents and lee
ureFs are paid for, largely from the Peabody
uud, except HheFe the State defrays expenses.
The teachers bear their own expenses,
,ut secure reduced fares upon tbs railroads
md reduced boarding rates. The change Of
ointment within few years, General Eaton /
ays Is remarkable. In some States, notably |
q South Carolina, il is evident that the
eachers for common schools are drawn from |
he best and highly-cultured classes people
Tho only short time held common schools
o be an aboninatiou. The publications OF
he bureau are IN sqch demand that the sup
ly of several OF the most important Is
eaTly exhausted, and the issues are neces-
arily restricted.