The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-09-24
Advantages Of the Free School.

Advantages VI bL4O AOO SOAOSA'
For the CITIZEN
One of the first will be that it
will give us a good class of professional
teachers. Why? Because they will
have more regular and permanent
salaries. Their salaries being fixed
and assured they will spend more
time out Of school in self-improve
ment. They will be subjected to
more rigid examinations, and IN
worthy applicants will be rejected
They will be employed with refer
ence to their qualifications for
teaching. 1t must be admitted
hat this will be an improvement
upon the past. The uncertain in
come enjoyed by our teachers for
the past few years is not calcula-
ted TO attract the best talent,
whether we have had it or not.
Teachers need some time out of
school for study and reading if
they keep abreast Of the times, but
if they have to spend the most Of
that time in running around trying
to collect small monthly bills, to-
gether wi h all the attendant annoy
ances, they have little inducement
to study. Heretofore they have
taught without any or next to no
examination. Any one could teach
who had influence enough to get
the promise of few pupils and
then secure a part of the free school
fund. l must say that l don't
think the teachers have reason to
complain of their patrons for being
too critical in regard to their meth
DDS and teaching. The simple fact
that the school is crowded is all the
evidence required TO prove that it
is a good one. An old and eXpe-
riercsd teacher in Pulaski once
told me that one of the peculiarities
| of the town was that it took a big
school to fill the public eye and no
| other recommendations of the school
would be accepted as an offset to
numbers. Hence the temptation
of teachers has been to have mum
bers at any cost. This same temp
tation has always been in the way
of the trustees of those schools that
have trustees to employ teachers on
account of their drumming quail
ties instead of ability for their
proper work, teaching. l can't
say how well the school children OF
our town have been provided with
GOOD BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENTS.
l suppose better in some cases
than in others. In order to do no
injustice to anybody, l will assume
that they have good schools, well
heated and lighted, and furnished
with every modern appliance. Il
they don't have these the free
school proposes te furnish them.
1t can do so at less cost to the
town than they now have.
THE ATTENDANCE WILL BE BETTER
because the tuition will be free
Poor children who are now in the
habit of attending school at long
intervals will be regular attendants
after their vagrant habits are over
come by few months is school
1t is an objection by a great m any
that the free schools are overrur
ny so many unframed, undiscip
lined children that it makes it little
better than a mob. If you will
run the school ten months in The
year these children will become a.
orderly and well disciplined as YOU
own.
THE DISCIPLINE WILL BE BETTER
because the children will grow vi
in school instead Of on the streets
| There will be a well defined anC
unvarying plan of discipline tina
will be readily obeyed because i
will receive the sanction of th'
whole town and have the force o
law. How often do teachers o
private schools ruin their school:
by trying to make their discipline
| popular? How often do unreasOna
BILE parents require that their chill
dren shall enjoy immunity from re
slraint that amounts to license
am told that such parents are toe
numerous in this town; and | feal
their demands are too often yielded
to. The threat, expressed or i'm
piled, "If you don't do thus anG
so by my children l will take them
away" too often weighs against
good and wise regulations in prI-
vate school. The very organiza
tion of the free school will avoid
This trOuhle.