Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-03-14
ALL ABOUT A TEACHER.
An Argus Correspondent Talks
PlainIy...A Question OF Honor.

The Enterprise school Imbroglio
An Argus Correspondent Talks
PlainIy...A Question OF Honor.
Editor ARGUS:
the gentleman who wrote the article
headed Defending a School Teacher
from Cordova, dated February II. and
which was published In last weeks ARGUS,
I will say that l have thoroughly in>
formed myself Of the facts regarding the
difficulty between the Enterprise school
and Mr.. r. q. Simpson, the late teacher.
Gas the writer suggested in that article)
and l also desire to say before l proceed
farther that the particulars give herein
are word for word. just as have received
them from the parties of whom l shall
speak farther on. The party who wrote
the article has had the matter grossly
misrepresented to him, or is speaking with
out foundation. After saying lone Of
your correspondents informs US that the
said teacher was unable to preserve order
In the school and that there was consid-
cradle fault finding by the parents and
children with him as teacher" the
the correspondent says that 1--WE believe
this assertion to have been made without
foundation" Now in order to prove that
l was correct in my item of several
weeks ago. quote what Mr.. s. himself
said to two of the directors the night he
resigned; Il see can not govern this
school, as 1t has too exaulted an opinion
Of itself and will resign" The above
was told to me by Messrs. j. T. Walker
and c. D. Trowbridge. two of the direc-
tors, and their truthfullness has never
been questioned. AS to the faults finding,
ask any person residing in this district
and you will see my assertions are based
upon good foundation.
The correspondent also says that the
ill-wil of the scholars was obtained be-
cause of his turning them back IN their
books. This is true as far as it goes, but
that was not all. He obtained the ILL
will of them partly by calling some of
them ungentlemsnly names, such rs
baby" cutie" "frisky," cattle, "
'back>woodsmen," renegade" etc, for
these names we're used, and if anyone de-
sires any better proof l can give it. AS
to turning the scholars back in their
books. this was done the first day of
school without any examination as to the
ability of the school. In order to show
to the general public what the school ac-
tually was, give the following
which was furnished at my request by
Mr.. G. H. Wheelock. and is exactly as he
composed it. II wish to say in regard to
the standing of the Enterprise scho d.
that 1, as teacher, for the winter OF 1887,
hot ho 10 oh
in its work and as we'll advanced as any
! have taught. Regarding department,
the students were well behaved and very
respectful to me-" Mr.. Wheelock has
had six years experience as teacher and
believe his opinion TO be as good as
that of anyone. The following | have
received from MIR. F. f. Bittinger, the
present teacher, who has three years ex
perience and is just as composed by him:
Much having been said about the school
at this place, many have formed wrong
opinion of it, l find the school to be
easily governed, and | have not found ii
necessary to resort to severe punishment
since taking charge. In point of ad
vsncement, l consider the school far
above the average ungraded school.
While believe in thorough YORK, l also
believe in the American characteristic,
push. l have not found it necessary to
turn the pupils back; the more advanced
have taken up and are rapidly and thor
oughly mastering some of the higher
mathematics and few other studies not
usually taught in the ungraded schools
That they understood fully the common
branches was proven in the mastery way
the regular county examination was
passed, Feb. 10, 1889. Although | am
crowded with classes, find this true in
all ungraded schools l consider Enter>
prise school one of which the patrons
may be justly proud" The limited
amount OF time only has prevented me
from getting the opinion of several more
Of the teachers who have recently taught
the school, and in every case have told
the scholars not to allow the next teacher
TO turn them back, as they had done the
work thoroughly. Of these, however. /
take the liberty to name: Mr.. G. B. Mar,
shall. of Cordova; Mr.. II. M. Reynolds,
of Port Byron; Miss Grace E. Kenworthy
(now Mrs. o. M. Healy,) of Bedford.
Iowa; Mr.. j. s. Fuller, of Colons; Miss
Lima Chamberlain. OF Erie, and Mr.. G
Fl. Wheelock, of Hillsdale. Any person
having any doubts regarding the truth
fulness or this assertion can test the
same by writing or calling upon any of
the above named.
The correspondent further saws
eve are also informed that those of the
directors who did visit the school repor.
ted it running in good condition, and Mr..
Simpsons methods of teaching good.
Upon being interviewed upon this sub.
ject. Messrs. Trowbridge and Walker
said that was an absolute falsehood.
as they had never expressed themselves
in any such way. but on the contrary
that they were not pleased either with
the condition of the school nor the meth
DDS of teaching then employed. But the
correspondent next says, your cores
pendent also informs US that he refused
to teach some of the studies which he
agreed to; we understand that there was
no particular studies agreed upon TO
teach" etc. Mr.. J. F. Walker. who made
the bargain with Mr.. g., says "At the
time / engaged Mr.. s. to teach the school
! mentioned the higher studies that had
been taught in the school previously, and
told him that we wanted teacher that
would teach them, and he said, I will be
pleased to teach them, as then / can re-
view on them myself The extra studies
he did teach were civil government and
physiology each day; elocution and alge.
bra evary alternate day and said Il have
no use for that book upon being pre-
sented geometry Mr.. Wheelock taught
all Of those each day during the term.
and Mr.. Bittinger is teaching them now,
aud has five more classes per day than
Mr.. 8. had. refer you to his commu'
nication as to the progress OF the school.
Now as to his inability to teach the
school, / can prove that examples were
taken to him for explanation that were