The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1886-04-17

. the Editor Of The INV poxr.ox.

vanaervers'r nepsrs.
To the Editor Of the Nkw Doxn1ox.
After reading the final report OF
County Supt yandervort, in your
Issue of the 3rd inst, and weighing
the matter carefully, feel that a
great injustice has been done the
teachers of Battelle district. 1t may
not have been intentional. but the
fact stands out in bold relief, all the
same The more / think of it, the
more apparent it becomes, and the
friends of popular education all over
this district are surprised at the re-
port, from the fact that they were
under the apprehension of having
good schools the past winter but
from the superintendent report it
appears that Battelle has had but
one school, taught by Mr.. Eddy No
one who knows the reputation of Mr..
f. doubts his ability or his devoted
ness to his work. He has always
been success, in the school room,
but what we complain of is this :;
While Mr. L. has earned $50 per
month. we don't like for the readers
of the New DOMINION TO think that
the rest of us were virtually hangers
ON, waiting for the Almighty Dol
lar to pass our way.
Before any one can make such de-
auctions and arrive at such conclu-
sions he must know what the teach
ers have done, and what they have
not done.
How can he find out about the
working of the school in spending
from 80 to 20 minutes in each school
room, hearing no recitations except
a few primary readers, asking the
teacher few questions, making a
few remarks to the school and de-
parting?
What can man find out in that
time to justify such report?
And then, Mr. Editor, go back to
some of his previous reports and we
find that in Mr.. Eddy's school there
were but 25 pupils enrolled { a small
school) while in the rest of the
schools there were from 33 to 10 en-
rolled, with probably one excep-
ton.
A man must have great powers of
discrimination and comparison to
read such results merely by looking
at the pupils.
Now / am one of the teachers who
are after the almighty Dollar"
That is just what We are all after.
Nobody denies it. Take it away
and office seekers will be thing of
the past. But while the filthy lu-
cre' tempts me to teach l try to
give value received. However, since
the County Superintendent has com
PEELED me to be personal / must re-
mind him of his (non) devotion to
the public schools this winter He
took in" the almighty Dollar" for
looking after his own private affairs
and letting the schools of Battelle
''go to the dogs
Why did he not look after this
matter early in the winter instead of
waiting till the last week or ten days
of school, after which time it was
too late to correct any Of our mis-
takes?
Everybody likes to see the every
day work of the teacher, so do the
Trustees like to visit the school
with the County Superintendent.
They can generally supply informa-
ton to enable the Superintendent to
draw conclusions. Such was not
permitted this year. He slips in on
us and persons who are interested
in the educational work are surpris-
ed to see an account of his visit a
week or two afterward. Judges
should not be afraid to be judged.
The President of our Board of Ed
ucation is in a great dilemma. Ac-
cidentally he saw the County Super
intendent during his sojourn in this
district, and asked him about our
schools. Reply: schools are all
right, doing good work, with one or
two exceptions Said President
thought the matter could be arrang-
ed by retaining all the old teachers,
except 'this one or two" Now, he
says, "all must go but one (if he
can take the report as guide.
Now l don't want to be called a
''sore head because l did not see
my name in print, but think the
County Superintendent will see the
justice of this article and be willing
to admit us, again, into the frater-
nifty.
j. ID. RUSSELL.
WADEsTowN, w. VA, Apr 8, 1886.