Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1889-08-30
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Communicated

I implied, that none but 100 per centers
i have any capacity to impalt instruction
4 Far be that from my purpose or intention
But, do not wish it to be UNDERSTOOD
that | would retract one iota from m,
| first proposition. have known gentle
men who made 100 per cent in their ex
|, animation, and yet, as Teachers, wer
total failures. | have also known gen
tlemen who could make but sixty odd pc
cent, whose faculty for imparting instru ,
. ton was equal to the most expert Teacher
! 50 tar as he ,ods able to 90; and rice versa
Now assuming that the examination wa,
fair one; enc by which the Examiner
was really and earnestly trying to get a
the candidates Practical Educationa
qualification for the position of Teacher
then, if 60 per .elt is all that he car
make, is it reasonable to believe that such
a Teacher, no matter what his capacity
to lmpart instruction, could impart more
than he himself was proven to be prof.
cient in by the low rate ma lie in his ex-
animation? To illustrate: If a man. in
taking an inventory ofhis assets, find that
he has but $3.50, aud his liabilities are
$1,000, is it not clear, that the uttermost
which he can pay, is $3.50, or IS per
cent of his Indebtedness? Are not these
examinations held for the very purpose of
asccrtaining the amount of educltion in
stock; and the rate per cent given, intend
ed to declare the dividend that can be
collected from such educational stock or
assets? If this is not the real object of
these examinations, then they are a farce.
and we are no longer surprised at some
OF the questions put at these examinations.
to candidates for Teachers Certificates.
Example. "What was the origin of the
dollar mark?" Almost as ridiculous rs
Que | heard Of being asked in the school
room by the County School Examiner
while examining a class in Geography.
1t was this; What two cities ia Frame.
are like sailors pants?' In one of these
Teachers Examinations, this question, or
sentence was sac only one given in Gram
mar, Il met my brother, him who lives
IN the West" The candidates we're re-
Iqftirrsfrn correct it il il needed corr ection.
The result was, that some made 30 per
cent, others, loo per cent How can that
be explained? The man who said it was
correct as it stood got 80 per sent, while
another who said It yas incorrest, 20! 1916
per cent Would any man call that
practical examination? What is the oh
ject OF such each questions" as they
are generally called? Ofientimcs tie ap-
plicants rate Of per ceutage is based upon
his readiness to answer these, or his fail
ure to DO so. While hate to Judge any
mau's motive. | will say openly, freely
and publicly that it looks as though the
object was no more nor less than this
That the examiner wished, either to re
ate the impression that he, himself, was
something to be grinned u, as an ex-
pert, or, that perchance, the candidate
would fa,l to see the point in such qucs-
tons; consequently reduction in his per
centage would be the result. And. 30
Que knows but what the grand object, at
last, is to make the Teachers think them
selves an inferior set of men and women
in point of education and intelligence in
comparison with tIsss s,. sM,asmsiners To
the best ofmy recollection, the gentleman
who claimed that the sentence quoted
above was correct as it stood, was no 9TH
err than the late John w. HALEY, whose
mastery atiainments as scholar, are
known throughout; the length and breadth
of this State. Yet, he was accredited
with so per cent in English Grammar,
and was awarded Second Grade Certi-
cate. | appeal to the intelligence of the
Teachers of this State, whether they will
not ber me out in the assertion, that
YOUR Brother Teacher, and CO worker in
the cause of education, John w. HALEY,
ought to have thrown such a certificate
to the ground and trmpled it beneath !
his feet. Teachers, you have rights,
dare maintain them; be tools no longer.
few words more, Mr.. Editor, and shall
llsy down my pen, ard leave you TO your med
I;tstions. VI hen Judge Stone appointed the
( Ro,rd Of School Commissioners for this coun-
d tv | think he acted conscientiously He
seemed to exercise great prudence for his ap-
continent was non-seetional, non-sectarian,
IA non-partisan. How stands the Sch1ol
PICARD to-day2 Clearly partizan. Why is this?
4 Whv was DR.. Mudd removed? Why WAS Dr.
. r,ry;co appoiuted? Why was Mr. Sasscer re-
snnointed after his defeat for Legislative hon
ors he having previously resigned his seat in
NE Board? Why was not some other gentle
man appointed instead2 WHY was Mfr Neale,
Iihe formel examiner removedS Why was Mr..
Maddox appointed upon the removal of Mr.. |
:. Vsale3 Why was not John w. HALEY, j. r |
r Mccarthy or some other Teacher appointed |
instead of either Mr.. Neaie or Mr.. Maddox |
There is no use in attempting to disguise the
=, ina. there is something rotten at the bot |
e - ~ This thing. When sHeA men as John /
e IN HALEY. j. r. r. Mccarthy and others, |
l,.,l.mer of superior qualifications, and who (
~ snent their time, their talents, their very /
. nv Il tba Public Schools, active educators I
w ,s,nst ASIDE for men, who doubtless hav,
80. dsrkened the door Of "a school-room since
@o' Aus Of their boy-hood, | say when such
non q these are hoRored and reVnrded by the
2 SOL BOARD, in preference TO like these
NJ sboye. repeat il, there IS something
rotten al the bottom o. a..
pa.an;tnlation.- Sixty-6ye per centers are
irsud or they are dupes.
T Iocai TRUSTEES, anuisance winked at by the
School Board. go
Teschers' examinations, farce
M School Board the tool OF Political
T Tu,ls' unqualified to be School Examiner.
as tsa;r REGISTERED grade of Scholarship will
prove o,rhore
S NJ Editor, | have about finished what ! set
ont W. o saw / think have dealt with facts
ali all no - wsy through; have intended no per-
sonaI rejection upon any one therefore hope
there will be 40 personal Iees'ngs q uhAiaa-
a, NE ar reflection, have accomplish
a "a sn0 u,srnase Please accept my thanks for
yar my Ps p,t orbearance, ana for the space
/ have Ia, orcnpied in your columns now bid
Won .at your readers aiiea! Your truly,
sEEe.