Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-28
WORTH TEXAS SUNDAY JUNE 2a 18s-sIxTEEN PAGES

touching on such matters. but were more
self-contained that the solons aforesaid.
Said one of them to the writer: Just
think of it. Here was the Democratic plat
form of last summer voicing the demands of
the teachers for six months school, and
pledging the party to that manifest duty.
Not word did the platform say about uni
form text books. That was not thought of
in the convention. The Republicans, who
met soon after in convention, putsa text
book plank in their platform. Now what
did the Democrats do when they met in leg
islative session last winterl Instead Of
carrying out the party pledge as laid down
in their platform, of providing for six
months school, they ignored it entirely.
and took up instead the Republican idea of
uniform text books and wrangled over it
the entire session. They showed far more
liking for the Republican platform in this
particular, than they did for their own, or
these are the men that call the teachers
venal and purchasable. BY the same
process of reasoning, what should we call
them2"
1t was clearly evident that the pedagogues
did not have an exalted opinion of legisla-
tive wisdom when it came to consider the
needs of the schools or the requirements of
our educational affairs. They don't like
the idea of being snubbed and despitefully
used by men who are but ill-informed in
matters wherein they hold themselves to be
experts. Either they know but little, as
one of them said, about their profession,
and are therefore unworthy members, or
they are fitted by their knowledge, special
knowledge, to speak for it, and voice its
wishes, its demands. They should be cred
tied with a knowledge of its requirements
at least equal to that of the average law
maker.
From such sentiments as those that es-
capped at odd times during the session, the
reader can see that the pedagogues did not
fear to stand upon and maintain their
rights and the dignity of their calling.
When struck upon one cheek, they did not
turn the other. Not much. They used to
do so few years ago, when, as one Of them
said, they took whatever was vouchsafed
them, with thanks, and were afraid to say
that their souls were their own. But not
so now. They are learning to be courage
Gus and self-reliant; to feel the spirit of
independence that should accompany every
honorable calling. They are protiting by
the organized movements set on foot few
years back, and feel new accession of
strength every time they hold meeting.
There was nothing old-fogyish about the
men and women that read papers or aired
their views on pedagogical or educational
matters at the Austin meeting. There
were no moss backs among them. They
Pestalozzi and the methods of F'rebel as
the most thorough paced Bostonian would
do. Most of them perhaps teach in town
or city schools, and are as modern in their
ideas and culture as their brethren and sis
tiers of the North. They have caught the
spirit of progress and evolution abroad, and
know that to succeed, they must advance.
Hence their meetings and friendly discus
sions which can not but be beneficial and
improving.
Another thing that can be said of this
Austin meeting is the entire absence of any
even the slightest friction that, t. some ex-
tent, marred the work of other meetings.
Everything passed of smoothly and harmo-
niously, and nothing but the best of feeling
animated the entire membership. The state
meeting is growing in interest, numbers.
and Importance, and before many years it
will be said of Texas that her teachers and
her schools are not inferior to those of
Kansas or any other state.