Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-04-07
IN BEHALF OF TEACHERS.
\ Fort Worth Teacher Defends His Co.
L2borers Against Certain Accusations.
FORT WORTH. TEX, April S, 1891.
Editor Gazette.

OLsA W cAkA1tg ILL, - pm D. 4osis
! Editor Gazette.
Probably there is no other man whom
! everybody feels SO much at liberty 70 abuse
! as the school teacher. It is little singu-
! lar, but true, nevertheless. that almost
! every man you meet thinks he knows
| pretty much everything to be known about
/ schools and school teaching, and that the
| MN who IS engaged in the business, the
| school teacher himself knows exceedingly
! little, if anything, about il. No man ever
gets 50 low IN his own estimation that he
has not j right 10 abuse and Insult the
teacher who fails TO conduct the school
anu manage his child according to his
peculiar IDEAS. Teachers have submitted
to these things III due humility as an in
I evitable feature of the business until his
| meekness has come to be as proverbial as
that Of Moses and his patience is expected
to SurpasS Jobs beyond comparison.
The disposition of the public thus to
brow beat the school teachers of this
country finds no Justification in the char
ac,er of men engaged in this business,
their attainments, their methods of work,
nor their general bearing and behavior.
And the time is coming when they will as
Sert their right to the respect and consider
alton due gentlemen of all pursuits, in a
manner that will surprise the man who
thinks it his special duty to bully around
the pedagogue and keep him duly meek
and humble.
Just yesterday The GAZETTE published
an interview with Judge +. E. Piner of
Denton in which that gentleman goes out
of his way and mis-states the truth of very
recent history in order TO make an IN
provoked attack upon the school teachers of
Texas. Speaking IN opposition to the uni
form text book bill, he is reported as de-
livering himself Of the following profound
observation:
Thus while few school teachers who
think they are the embodiment Of wisdom
and learning are attempting to manipulate
legislation in the interest OF trust the
great state of Texas should consider the in
terests of the pupils, etc.
OF course the ledge knows all about
running the public schools of this state
Everybody but the teachers know that But
when the distinguished gentleman seeks to
place the odium of this textbook bill upon
the teachers of Texas it is time to give him
q little information. With the profoundest
submission, therefore, l beg to inform our
sarcastic critic that the school teachers of
this state are on record against this meas
ure. They did not wait. either till it was
too late 10 do anything before they dis
played their colors. They have an organi-
cation in this state called the Texas state
teachers association.
Two years ago the executive committee
Of that body prepared q formal memorial
touching the legislation desired in the in
terest of the public schools. That memo
rial is addressed to the members of the
house of representatives. Upon the uni
form text book issue it speaks in unequiyo-
cal terms. II says I'VE do not favor the
adoption of uniform series of text books
for the schools of the state, for the follow
ing reasons:
/. 1t is species of paternalism of the
most despotic type. and not in accord with
the democratic principles of local self-gov-
eminent.
2. The price Of books would not be cheap
ened to the people.
8. Such uniformity is opposed to educa-
tional progress.
4. Experiments madei in other states to in
troduce uniformity have all been failures"
That memorial was signed by the follow
ing gentlemen composing the executive
committee Of the Texas state teachers asso-
citation: James NJ. Carlisle. superintendent
Corsicana, now superintendent OF this city,
w. s. Sutton, superintendent Houston T.
]. Witt, county superintendent OF Bell
county: E. +. Comigys, superintendent Of
Denton; j. E Rogers, superintendent of
Palestine. now editor Of the School Jour
nal. Dallas.
Certainly these gentlemen, by the esteem
in which they are held among the teachers
everywhere, by the positions they then
filled, and are now filing, and BY their
official relation to the state organization
were competent TO speak for the teaches