Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-05-02
A Teachers Strike.
From the Boston Herald.


In New England city, which is per-
haps, as we'll not to specify, a great
trouble has arisen. At recent meet
ing of the school committee a young
and cleared-eyed reformer, moved
thereto by the complaints of several Of
the young ladies who serve the city in
the capacity of schoolteachers, among
whom, on account OF his pleasing man
ners and comedy face, he has long been
favorite, introduced an order that the
compensation Of the teachers be in
creased all around. It was carried, and
the popularity of that young man among
the teachers had a veritable boom. In
vltatlOnS to teas were shOWered upon
him. A cyclone of embroidered slip
pers swept through his humble home.
Sixteen dressing-gowns arrived in one
day, and two pairs of dellcately-per-
fumed silk suspenders, as we'll as an
equal number of masculine garters-sent
onymously-greeted him one morn
ing at his Office.
His conscience began to trouble him.
Had his action been wholly Just
Were his benefciaries all worthy of the
increased emolument which his sugges-
ton had given them? AS reformer,
could he justify himself in his own clear
eyes The more he pondered, the
more he was troubled, and silk muf-
fer, accompanied by a pair of cuff but
tons, which came at about the same
time, only aggravated his difficulty.
The gratitude act was being overdone.
At length he resolved that, at the next
meeting of the board, he would intro
duce an order that all teachers in the
city's service should be required to pass
the same examination to which new
candidates were subjected, and that,
failing to pass, they should be dis
charged. The eventful day came, and
the order was introduced. A scene Of
wild confusion followed. Always except
ing the young reformer, every member
OF the board had a sister, a cousin. or
some dependent relative pensioned up
on the city. In vain did the young
man argue the justice of his demand.
In vain did he urge that if a teacher
could not pass the required examina
ton she was unfit to teach the youth of
the city. The order failed.
Never did popularity wane so sud-
denly. No more invitations to tea. The
slipper storm has ceased. The manu-
facture of smOking-jackets is over. So
claliy he is an outcast. The teachers
confide to one another that they never
could bear him. The chairman of the
board, clergyman, three of whose par
ishioners were long ago given positions in
the schools on condition that they would
sing gratis in his choir, has given out
that the victim is tainted with atheism
and holds revolutionary views, and has
privately warned his flock to shun him.
Another member, a merchant, who got a
position in the schools for venerable
spinster on condition that she would
keep his books and make out his
monthly bills with out compensation,
hints that the young mans antecedents
are not all that they should be, and
asks suggestive questions as to where he
gets the means to live. Ina word, this lit
tie inland city is getting too hot to hold
fit. All of which goes to show that public
office is unsuited to reformers, even
when young, clear-eyed and attractive,
and that logic is a disturber of the peace
when pushed to extremes