Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-28
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Teachers and Directors, Viewed From
the Standpoint of Teacher.
To the Tobacco LoafChronlcle.l

10 lile IODhccO
Noticing in your valuable paper of
the 18th inst. an article on public
schools prompts me to write, heartily
indOrsing your suggestions, and ! am
glad to find the press so deeply in
sympathy with the educational inter-
ests of thecountry. And now, fellow
teachers, patrons and directors, if
parties disconnected with our profess
sion extend a willing, helping, SYM
pathizing hand to help us onward in
this great struggle for better educa-
ton, is it not high time that we
should try to help ourselves a little
more?
Let us see if we can't follow some
of the excellent suggestions and
Others that may be advanced, and do
something to advance the education
al interest during the year 1891. l
am personally acquainted with our
county superintendent, Mr.. Harmed,
and / know that he will put forth
every eXertiOn to promote the good
work, yea, he has already been visit
ing school rooms, giving suggestions
to teachers and encouraging the pu-
pills. Notwithstanding all this he
cannot do the work alone, and unless
he can have the co operation of the
different school officers, but little will
be accomplished.
found,
bound"
No teacher, l care not how well
qualified he may be, knows it all.
Even the poorest teacher may ad
vance an idea or thought from which
the expert may draw some profound
method or theory. You can learn
from fool; you can learn not to be
like him, hence | say educational as
sociatiOus are essential. The place
and time for holding our institutes
are Of minor importance. Perhaps
one Of the best ways of getting
teachers to attend institutes is: Let
the directors employing the teacher
have a contract that that teacher
must attend institutes or have $3.50
or more deducted from his salary.
This will bring them out try it.
Many of our teachers do not even
subscribe for an educational journal,
much less go to the trouble of attend
ing institutes.
The method by which we have
gotten such corps of teachers is
astonishing, yet plain. In the first
place the directors are often illiterate,
and what is Wolse, Indifferent to the
educational advancement of the
county. 1t would startIe any one to
find that not a few of our directors
do not know the name of the schools
in their respective district, or the
name of the teacher of the school
and Of far more importance, his char.
acter.
Not often is a schoOl-house door
darkened by director. No; he
hasn't time, but will spend twice as
much time as it would take to &C
and see in pumping" pupils-not
seldom his own children-abOuI
school matters to learn something OF
the conduct Of the school.
Now, to cap the climax, some ig
noramus, with his long sweeping
Prince Albert, dude hat and stand
ing collar, comes on a knock-kneed,
skcletOn-like mule to the residence oil
a director and introduces himself as
a professor and wants a position.
He agrees to teach for $25 a month
and is at once employed. He sits in
the school-room five months, draws
his money and is gone. The chill
dren, of course, have made wonder
full progress. They have learned to
fight, tear up books, curse and de
spise the srhool-rOom, and are i'm
bued with fools principles, forming
a vicious character that may nevcI
be eradicated. Who has done this
Your twenty five dollar school
(keeper) teacher. The director re-
joices to think he has used the school
fund in the best manner
to promote the interest of public
schools; but alas! his mistake
Any educator viii tell him a child
will learn more in three months go.
ing to a teacher than in whole year
going to school keeper.
The professional teacher will not,
cannot teach for $25. His profession
is worth something to him he has
made an investment and it must
draw interest.
A school teacher is a character
molder, who holds a position second
to no one, and they should be men
and women of education, character,
energy and zeal in their work.
A TEACHER.
For ladies fine shoes see Bloch
RrpS 90 a IF