Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-03-16
OUR EXAMINERS
Upheld in Their Course by Teachers
OF Experience.

ROCKVILLE CORNERS, March IA
After reading the comment from the
ex-teacher of Randall Hill In last
weeKs's Signal, thoughts on county
examinations for the present and COM
ing generations saunter through the
Uranium of the writer. During twelve
years of teaching, / have many times
realized how much more knowledge
l might impart If had 1t along with
me.
AT a recent examination a teacher
asked If Rays Higher Arithmetic and
Algebra were the same book; another
uses such grammar as ii" for the pro.
noun; another says Notation Is a
short method of addition, numeration
Is short method of subtraction;"
another when asked what foreigner
assisted this country during the Revo-
luton, answered "God." Last Fall
answers were given that made one
blush to think he went by the appel
lation of school teacher.
The gentleman adds, "There are al
so schools in our county that do not
require high school graduate for a
teacher, and few of them need good
solid muscular power to control
them"
If the dear ex-teacher will stop a
minute he would never write such a
sentence again. Admitting one need
not be graduate, will insist that
he needs a good fair amount of stuff,
termed in English, common sense.n
We have In school at present two
young men who are bright, but are
plain cases of mental starvation.
They hail from q locality where they
seldom hire teacher who has an ed
ucation, thinking they would have to
pay more than "dollar per day and
three meals" Some of them are be-
ginning to awaken and demand good
teachers. And our examiners are
Joining in the good work by causing
applicants to ask themselves "My
drowsy powers, why sleep We so ?"
If a teacher has been in the field
twenty-five years and cannot meet the
requirements of the examiners, he has
made but a feeble effort to keep apace
the times, and he should step aside for
a teacher of to-day.
In regard to the present grade being
too high, I will say that the lists, on
an average have been very reasonable.
have pupils fifteen years of age who
do not complain of the lists while re-
viewing. The present system will, no
doubt, develope the qualities of a
teacher, and when dishonest dealing
is eschewed, the examiners will be
more lenient.
Touching on the muscular power"
If were the board of education, l
would not consider teacher from an
avoirdupois standpoint. If a teacher
will create the interest in his school
that he should, there need he no use
for physical combat, as all the pupils
will be engaged in a combat against
ignorance, which will occupy their
spare time both in and out of school.
And such a teacher will ask respec-
table salary and he will receiveit.
am certainly glad that a reforma-
tion has taken place in this county,
as it may stop them from coming by
the dozen from other counties, as they
have done in the past. If our teach
ers are worthy, they will receive the
necessary papers.
write this not in spirit of coatro-
versy, but to tell what 1 sincerely be-
lieve. five teachers have helped or
received help, in times past, let by
cones be bygones and ne'er do the like
again. 5. u. MCCoRD.