The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1891-05-08
What is the Matter with our
Schools?

Under the law of our Stats the public
school teacher becomes the agent of the
free school system for disseminating
knowledge among the people; but bis
capacity is more that of q sower, where
the land must be prepared by other
agents. The people mnet be held re-
sponsible for the establishment Of
schools, the building Of houses and the
furnishing Of school apparatus. The
teacher should not be held responsible
for the attendance Of the children or for
their natural defects or want of previous
training. The duties and obligations of
the people and patrons towards sustain
ing good schools are fully a. binding aud
Just as obvious as are those of the
teachers. and il is surprising that fathers
and mothers, with such promising sons
aud daughters, find 81 little time and
give so little attention to the mental
training Of their offspring, when to. edu-
cate their children is undoubtedly the
paramount duty of all arents.
The board of education, in the special
Interest aud for the common GO d Of ali
.he people, nave adopted a curriculum
!, studies. aud designated q series of
l. xt.bouks 10 b.. used in the county, and
authorized rek u ar system OF grading,
and they with propriefy hold tns teach
ers responsible for the execution oftheir
plans; bul some patrons seem unwilling
to submit TO the legal authority of their
chosen representatives in these matters.
Teachers arc interrupted in the dis
charge of their suties, the board OF edu-
cation is constantly hsrassed by dissat,s-
fed "a rons who do not know their oNn
wants, and the whole system Ia so Grip.
pied and perves'ed from its trEe puF-
pose that ii is not surprising that men in
their encouragement and disgust have
given utteTance to their feelings and
said down with the whole system /; it
in failure and useless eXpense on the
people"
But there is another side, another
view of this matter. The law of cur
State authorizes the election or appoint
ment of certain school officers 10 repre-
sent the people In all matters pertaining
to the schools. In the county, there are
the three members Of the school bDeId,
she county superintendent and the local
supervisor Therefore, under the law,
each and every school in the county is
operated by board Of Ave men chosen
from among the people, one Of whom at
least is always 4 local resident OF the
district in which the school Is situated.
This arrangement, Il seems, would insure
impartial dealings with all concerned
and 10 these officers and legal represen-
tatives Of the people the whole matter
of operating tho schools o? the county
should be turned over. Let this beard
operate snd control every school in the
county, appoint the teachers, regulate
their salaries. establish o uniform eys.
tenn Of Etndips and q uniform eystem oil
grading, and require the teachers to fol
low ont their plans and inside Of year
the schools will improve a hundred per
cent.
{" Zoo many cooks spoil the BROTH" as
well in the management Of the schoOl a.
in the culinary DEPARTMENT. While il is
proper and right for the teacher 10 have
the cooperation Of his patrons, II is
simply presumption for any patron 90
undertake 10 dictate TO the teacher what
his dutirs or plans should be, and any
teacher, with the proper confidence in
himself and tight views Of the RESPONSE
biiity Of his calling, will resent it and
despise the spirit Of the dictator. Az q
rule, tiOse patrons who would dictate TO
the teacher are among the very poorest
teachers in their own families They do
net even by example teach their chill.
dren to attend to their own business.
The point is this: Our schools are suf-
tprinv f,r want OF method, system and
classification and our teachers are fail
ing for wat Of authority to execute aud
enforce the plans laid down by the board
Of education. Teachers, co operate with
Your county board, authorize yosr
leachers to control their respective
schools. More anon. PETER GRAY.