Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-27
Prof. Crago'> Response to Mr.. Hennig.
WHEELING. Nav 10th. 1890.

" uLEIiNifs MAY lNlttf AnFNs
10 PIE EEt0r ofhs Register:
II the implications in Mr. Geo Il. Hen
uie's article published In YOUR issue of yes
terday referred % myself alone, / wOdld
not notice it, but when il is directed
against our system of public instruction,
and through il against the profession OF
teaching and every one engaged in the
work of teaching think il time that those
interested should say word; and at the
very outset I would say that Mr.. Hennig's
article I'm itself, or rather the spirit that
prompted its writing, is one very great lca-
son why our schools are not doing all they
should DO. Too many are opposed 20 the
system. and hence do all in their power,
either directly on indirectly, 10 hinder
the entire success of the same. As to
Mr.. Heunig's proposition that the motto
of the system is 80 him that hath
shall be given, and 10 him that hath not
shall Doe taken away. even that Whlcu ne
hath" / simply take issue with him, ana
say his proposition is false-false IN every
particular. Our public school system is
intended 20 give 20 every boy and girl IN
the city a good fair business education.
Provision is made for this, and claim that
every boy and girl who finishes well the
course. is prepared for business Now, do
not understand me go say that every gIadu-
ate of our schools is well prepared for bus
iness-this will not be SO until all who
graduate do So determined 10 know all that
can be learned I'm the course. Many OF the
graduates of our best colleges are not lifted
for amy life work, from the fact that IN their
studies they did not aim 10 prepare them
selves for anything. But / do say
tina, the boys and girls who finish
the course i'm our public schools
are doing well i'm whatever they have UNI
dertakeu As proof l could refer 10 at
least score of BOYS i'm the city, and the
majority of the teachers of our city are
girls who have graduated from our schools.
That So many of our boys leave schOOi be-
fore graduating. or even reaching the
Grammar grade / claim. is not the fault of
the system 10 NAV In some special cases
be the fault of the teachers, but in nine
cases out of ten IN is entirely outside iniiu-
euccs that cause the small comparative at
tendance of boys ia the higher departments
of our public schools Parents think that
bows do not need much education. and
am sorry to say that many of them only
permit their girls 20 graduate i'm cNpecta-
tiou of their becoming teachers. Boys are
not restrained az home as they should be.
and their street education soon UNI
fits them for sch0Ol-rOOm training
These things ought not so 20 be, but they
rr, nevertheless. Let me suggest that If
Mr. Heuuig and every other good citizen
of our growing city would DO their part i'm
TRYING 20 remedy this growing evil in our
schools. as we'll as the faithful teacher is
trying 90 DO her duty. IL would soon cease
to exist Mr. Hennig says ~ natural
system of education would make the recep-
tiou OF knowledge "a pleasure, etc This
is very nice 10 read and in one sense IL is
true There are many pleasures IN this
life. and one OF the greatest perhaps is
learning lust what we wish 20 know and
lust as we want 20 know il. but | have
found ont that i'm this road 20 learning
there are many things that are not So pleas
ant. and that 90 Doe fully developed we must
take the bitter with the swect-there must
[ be hard brain work along with the pleas
ant pastlme that does not tax Us M all.
I There is no royal road Ia learning is a
trliism. and he who attempts 10 find one
I finds himself sadly mistaken.
But the closing sentence of the article.
III ignorance begetS ignorance and vice
begetS vice, then surely the devil himself
begat our public school system caps the
climax. Mr. Editor. / think if Mr.. Hen
uig will carefully consider that sentence he
will see in IL an insult 10 every lady teach
/ er i'm the city. 10 is for him 10 say whether
| he So intends I will take the charitable
view, aud hope at least the sentence was
not wen considered before it was used. y
system all right in itself may become "a
curse through the fault of its agents. The
| teachers are surely the agents who carry
ont the school system. Now. does the gen
I tldman mean 20 say that the honest, earnest
teachers are but begctting ignorance.
/ Are they ignorant themselves and thus be
getting the same I'm the minds of the pU-
ipils. Are they vicious, and thus bcgettug
! vice I'm their pupils. Does the gentleman
speak knowingly when ne uses language
/ that might bear this Interpretation Are
/ all these teachers. who are spending the
/ very best years of their lives i'm the school
room. but the agents of the devil. and are
| they deceived as 10 what they are really