The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-06-14
Our School System.

f'N'sN~-'1
relative to our city schools which many OF
your readers would be pleased to have you
answer through the columns of THE TIMES.
What we want is enlightenment, and know
ing you to have been engaged directly in
school work, and indirectly in educational
work generally for many years, we ask you
to give us such information upon the follow
ing questions as will enable us to form hon
est and correct opinions.
1st. Are not our schools costing us too
much, could not cheaper and less num-
Der of teachers be profitably engaged?
End. Is there not too much red tape about
the grading, management and discipline of
the school?
Sd. Would it not be to the interest of our
citizens, especially the laboring classes, to
abolish the High School?
Anxiously awaiting your reply, am
Yours Respectfully,
TAXPAYER
|. 1t is true that our schools cost large
sums of money, but there does not seem to
be amy extravagant expenditures, and GER
tainly cheaper teachers would not be for the
public good, while it is almost impossible
to do full justice to each scholar with the
number of teachers now employed. The
experience Of the best educators teaches that
no more than thirty pupils, in the primary
departments of our public schools, should
ever be placed under one teacher. If there
is all excess of that number the best results
will not be attained, and individuals not so
quick, though often with stronger minds,
will be left behind in the race. Most of our
teachers are in charge of much larger
number of pupils, and if a change is to be
made in the interest of economy more teach
ers rather than a less number should be EN-
plOyed. Any public school that sends out
its pupils properly prepared for the battle of
life is cheap at any necessary cost, and
every school to he a success must be presid-
ed over by efficient, educated, practical in
structors, and where this class of teachers
can be obtained the question of cOmpensa-
tiea il of no moment to the taxpayer, the
results are rich compensation to the ind-
viduals and to the State. for all necessary
expenditures. We are fully convinced that
our schools in Owosso are not, for the work
done, costing lis too much money, and that
for the public veal, there should be more
and better teachers employed, rather than
fewer and cheaper, because cheaper teachers
means the employment of those with infe.
rior qualifications.
9. To be efficient and successful Oul
schools must be properly graded, and there
must be thorough discipline. There does
not seem to be any ''red tape' about thu
grading. Each and every scholar takes pc
sition according to qualifications and il
pushed forward in the several department.
as rapidly as possible with the work to b'
done, and the work well done. And Ger
tainly the children of our wage workers VIII,
are, in most cases, to receive their educa
ton in our public school, are the ones VIII,
should demand that the instruction in then
should be of the highest order. We do no
believe that in the interest of the classe
most interested in our public schools Their
should be any relaxing of the present grad
ing system, or that the discipline should b.
relaxed. Order is Heavens first law, an,
must be observed in them, or our school
will not he success.
8. Abolish the High School, the peoples
college, in the interest of the laborin
classes? No, never. These classes ar
the very ones to whom the Higl
School is of the utmost value. In it, if any
where, in nine cases out of ten, their child
rem are to be educated, and under our al
most blessed system, educated free of cos
of tuition, and under the new law to be pro
vided with text books free of expense Ii
this school the daughters of taxpayer ant
other working men can be fitted for teacher
in the schools, and for the best positions il
society, and their sons for any position t
which they may aspire. FROM these children
in the interest of the working classes, shall
the High School be taken?-G God forbid. Tn
rich classes alone would be benefited, /
any class would be(which we most emphati
Those classes can, with no Inconvenience
to themselves, educate their sons and daugh
tiers in the academys and colleges of tn
land; but not so with the wage workin
classes, their children must be educated /,
z the public schools or the most of them will
enter the race of life without such literar
qualifications as are essential to success
This they can and should obtain i'm on
High Schools, and in their interest, which i
interests of the vast majority of the peopl
of our city, we answer it would not be |,
the interest of our citizens of any class 3
abolish the High School, or in any way t
lower the standard of our educational sys
TEN. To improve and elevate it is i'm tn
interest of taxpayer and his associates
and they should never falter in defence @
that system which insures to their SONS an
daughters the advantages in life to be dc
rived from high mental culture.
-
THE Land of the Midnight Sun" mus
indeed be an interesting portion of tn
earth's surface to visit If we may Judge fror
the extremely interesting and beautiful