Daily Republican., 1886-02-02

Tnor0 ID always more or less Difficult
~ whenever the Board Of Education
attempts to make re-arrangement Of
the teachers in our public schools. The
mature OF the circumstances make it
natural that there should be trouble.
Here LIS small army Of one hundred
and sixty teachers all engaged In the
noble calling OF teaching the youthful
mind. The teacher stands next to the
parents'infuence In shaping and mould
tng the minds Of children for future
usefulness, and fortunate would 1t be for
many children II they had no other
moral example than their teacher, no
other instruction than that the teacher
:1mparts.
Over one hundred and sixty teachers
are graded from the trial school, and
position Of monitor at the lowest salary
OF $500 mp TO principal of the girls
High School ut 81, 900. They are like
. little army marching on to the goal,
pressing from the lowest positions In
the primary departments up TO the
highest positions In the graduating de-
pArtment. The question that always
causes trouble is the promotion OF some
teacher from the lower grades who has
shown wonderful adaptab ility for the
work Of teaching over the heads Of
others longer In the service, and every
time q change in teachers is made, the
Board Of Education becomes divided
into what might be called regular pro-
motion men, and special promotion
men. In other terms conservative and
radical would not be Inappropriate to
designate the difference between the
two classes. The conservatives are
those who would keep up the regular
line OF promotion. That is, whenever
an energetic progressive teacher gets
sandwiched in between, not SO progress
sive and energetic, she is compelled &c
remain there until something ahea
gives way, when she can venture step
forward, but for years, probably large
portion OF her lifetime, she Ia kept in a
position where her talents and recog-
nized ability are partially rendered
q seless.
The radical wing Of the Board o
Education, while recognizing the rul,
OF promotion rs wise one,is not bouut
by 1t but will pick up o teacher @
recognized superior ability and NOV
her for ward, even over the heads O
others to positions where they weult
do more good than in the cramped DO
sition from which they were taken
Out Of one hundred and sixty teacher
there must be q number who will
naturally crowd forward to the front
where there are the most exalted posi-
tions and the best salaries, but the,
cannot be expected always to main
tain those positions even should the,
never grow too old for the service
When past the turning point and goin
down the western slope Of life, natura
causes takes away the efficiency an,
vigor of the other days, and change
are needed.
II is then that the attempt to brin
forward one Of bright promise from til
rear ranks to displace an old soldier /
the work causes trouble. We hardl
know which most to commend, til
conser natives who evince q determin
tion to stand by the old true and trie
teachers, or those more radical ~i
would break in upon the regular PR
motion process, and promote accordin
to ability to teach and an adaptation
the sork.
But after all we are led to IL
thought that it was General MeaC
who gained the battle of Gettysour,
shat broke the back Of the rebellion
and that 1t was General Grant this
finished up the rebellion at Appoma
tox, both having been promoted ov,
others higher in rank.