The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-03-29
For the Democratic Advocate.
Book Fees.
"A TEACHER" CLAIMS TO HAVE BEEN MIsREP-
REsENTED-MoRAL OBLIGATIONS, ETC.

"A TEACHER" CLAIMS TO HAVE BEEN MIsREP-
RESENTED-MoRAL OBLIGATIONS, ETC.
am sorry not to have seen Mr.. NJ S. reply
until Monday week after it was published.
hasten to pay my respects.
de claims to be very sensitive on the point
of morals. A preacher once made remark
to this effect: "lf ever you tell man the
truth touching his morals, get ont of his way;
he will hit you"
My opponents morals might be straight as
far as collecting the book fee is concerned;
but this L know: No mans morals are pure
when he deliberately misrepresents his fellow
teacher as my opponent has me. 1t has al
ways been admitted that want of strength in
argument is the only excuse an opponent can
show for disappearing the writings of the
one opposed. The idea of any one being con-
ceited enough to think of binding the intelli-
gent public of Carroll in such manner!
did not make the unqualified admission
he says | made. The admission is as follows:
81 admit that charging and collecting book
fees Is embarrassing to teachers, and SOME
TIMES burden to hard working, honest men. :"
Sometimes means ''now and then'-not fire.
quently. In my limited understanding
thought the average reader would understand
that wished to say it is only now and then
we find a man whose circumstances make the
book-fee bill burden to him. do not think
the publishers of the ADVOCATE changed my
protest to say anything about the rich. 1 did
not say the rich fuss about the book fees.
Neither do believe that many of the poor
wish the book fee abolished on the terms sug-
gested by the petition, else there would have
been more signers to the petition. Every
teacher, so far as have heard, sent the petit
ton out among their patrons, both the poor
and fh, Il fhn cir,
They knew they had the liberty, and if they
wished it abolished according to the petition,
they certainly would have availed themselves
of the opportunity. The ''ifs'' used so fire.
quently by Mr.. NJ. are well placed.
| did not intend to accuse any teacher of
immoral conduct by moral obligations. l
merely meant the practice of duties. i teach
by the public-school law, collect my salary by
the pubie-school law, and | expect to be gov
erned by the same law that protects me.
am under moral end legal obligations to carry
out the contract with my employers, and if [
fail to do so, it is moral and legal failure,
and Mr.. NJ. may say it is immoral, if he
chooses to use so strong term. | will not
be ''ungentlemanly'' or Immoral enough
to contradict. | believe Mr.. NJ. to be the
only one who will try to dodge or dispute the
assertion. believe every teacher will admit
that he ought to have taken the books from
those who were able to pay the fees but re-
fused to do so; and if man ought to do so,
that shows moral obligation, and those
teachers admit the neglect of moral obliga-
ton without waiting to be accused of it.
| am not opposed to abolishing the book
fee system, if it can be replaced by better
system.
If the petition had made way for patrons
(who were able to do so) to buy their own
books, providing free books for those who
may be unable to buy their books, no one
could have advocated it more freely or ener-
getically than your humble servant.
1t is amusing to think of the train of labo-
rious reasoning deducted from my awkward
composing that led to the conclusion that
am an opulent taxpayer. 81 kinder wish
were;" but am poorer than Job turkey"
She had physical strength to shoe her own
row. with her fellows; but financial circum-
stances compel me to teach and i'll health
confines me to Carroll, and imagination has
to overlook deal to expect woman to be-
come San opulent taxpayer by the lucrative
business of teaching in this county. When |
wrote it was not from selfish motives. l think
it looks small to accuse me so.
l hope if Mr.. NJ. writes again that he will
refrain from disappearing, either inten-
tionally or unintentionally.
We all know how easy it is to build a weak
argument and then knock it down. | smile
to think of the pleasure it afforded Mr.. NJ
to take out the standing ground of my admis-
sion and then bring out his feather and blow
it over.
| will have to put on my cap and answer
ian Ex-Teacher" next week. A TEACHER.