The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-03-03
An Answer to "Old Fogy.'
Mr.. EDIToR;

MIR. EDITOR;
| am a reader of your valuable
paper and, / have recently had the
pleasure Of reading in your columns a
couple of excellent (D articles on the
School Question.
Now since the writer of the last ar
,icle has become very out spoken, not
to say abusive, l crave little space
in your paper for the purpose of ans
wering few Of his remarks. "The
Old Fogies' will begin to think that
they are quite philosophers and that
theirs is the only side this question
has if they are left alone much longer
"Old Fogy' says that he likes the
ring of the articles on Educational
Despotism. Yes, like it too (); and
l think the term despotism, applied to
our school system, has about as much
significance as the braying of donkey.
l do not maintain that our school
system is perfect. No one does.
Perhaps something's about it are not
as they should be; but to 60 into
frenzy and condeming the whole busi-
ness as an Educational despotism is
the last degree of pueiility.
"Old Fogy" appears to be very
much alarmed at the rapid strides in
education. He seems to be afraid
that the people are getting too smart.
He says ''even little learning is a
dangerous thing: and futher he says
'Forgers and defaulting cashiers and
many other smart rogues were not SO
abundant until the schoolmaster went
abroad throughout the land Whatwon-
derful arguments against long terms and
too much education. The adage about
the learning is an old, exploded theory,
and it has been out Of date tor many
years. / believe that the position Of its
author was somewhat similar to that
of the fox in the vinyard. He had no
learning and wished that he had. The
statement concerning the defaulters,
will not hesitate to pronounce the
most stricking piece of imbecility
that l have ever seen. No, Mr.. Fogy
men do not turn defaulters because
they have too much learning, but be-
cause they have not enough, and tina,
of the right kind.
Mr.. Fogy's next statement would be
gross insult to every man engaged
in the work of education, and tc
educated men in general, if there wa:
any reason to believe that it emanated
from a sound mind. He says "Nor,
NAL Schools, Colleges and Universities
attract large number of young men
too lazy to work.
Mr.. Fogy also speaks about the
teachers wages. l know that this
question Is a thorn in the side Of al
such men as "Fogy." He says, "the
teachers are now too big to accept the
wages that used to be paid, and they
can't even think of boarding around
Yes, Mr.. Fogy, that Is true, myself
am teacher, and l am decidedly toe
big to accept the wages that used tc
be paid, and am growing SO rapidly
, that l will soon be too big to accept
even the magnificent O stipend OF $aIe
per year. As for the boarding
around, man like "Old Fogy" woulc
find fault, if, when the teacher came te
his house, the vacuum in his (the
, teacher's) stomach were cubic incl
greater than it was at his neighbor's
In conclusion Mr.. Fogy yell'
"Down with educational despotism
Let us have shorter terms" Yes, Mr.
: Fogy, let us have three months
school in a year and treat our pupils
= to liberal does of Cobbs Spelling
Books and Dabold's Arithmetic, a.
you evidently have been.
EDUCATIONAL THEoRIsT.