The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1895-07-24
m TERRELL TEACHERS.
PRESIDENT OF THEIR COUN-
rv ASSOCIATION ADDR ESSES
o,, Concerning the Rulings of State
commissioner Glenn--A Document
That Is Interesting.

-ond ! met the county OOard or educa-
.iop and. to the best of my ability, pre-
sonted your petition, viz: THAT the
.oIaries of teachers be made contingent
mon the faithful discharge of duty. and
not mon the average attendance of the
rnpils.'' Ipointed out to them that this
average was influenced by circumstances
aver which the teachers had no control
such as sickness of pupils, rainy days,
the caprice of patrons, etc. that although
contracts were made with teachers for a
simulated sum yet they were so worded
Is TO make these sums simply basis for
4bp distribution of what school fund may
he left on hand after other expenses are
met hence if a teacher salary should be
forfeited on account of small average the
vroney thus saved would be distributed
+o otherl teachers and that we did not
want money which by every principle of
law and justice should belong to another
and not to us. l also call attention to
the fact that there are not half dozen
schools in the county which are at all
likely to fail to make the average of %
pupils; that the position of The unfortu-
nate teacher to whose lot these fall is
already hard enough; that to make the
Oitiful sum doled out to them so preca-
rous as to depend upon such providen-
tial circumstances as the state of the
weather and the health of the children
is placing an additional burden upon
these poor women already sufficiently
burdened in all conscience; that it was
not only unjust to the teacher but un
generous towards these sparsely settled
neighbOrhOods because it would natural
" tend to secure for them the teachers
who can find no better places and who
are forced by dire necessity to accept
these places; that it would utterly pre-
clude any idea of uniform discipline In
these schools, because the teacher
would be a mere football for each patron
of the school, as her salary would be for
feited by the withdrawal of any one pat
ron.
These and other arguments present
ed no purpose. Now, what are we
going to do about it? To begin with, let
each of us get hold of this idea that our
county board is composed of men of high
character, and that however unaccount |
able Their action may seem to US they
have done right as they see it. They see
The thing from the standpoint of a school
officer and we from that of teacher;
hence, an honest difference ofsopinion.
Ii any teacher in the county who has
faithfully fulfilled his part of the con-
tract should be deprived of the whole or
any part of the amount Stipulated Il do |
not yet believe that any one will be- let
US promptly make up his loss to him out
of our own funds. Many of our fellow
citizens will be glad to help do this, and
certainly every individual in the neigh
6OThOOd where such teacher has per- |
formed this faithful service will help. If
not, let us do this alone. Let US do it
simply because it is right and because
whatever else we may loose we must re-
tain our own self-respect.
To the teachers of these schools l
would say get better places if you can
(any employment would be betteD. |
Whatever your work may be study every |
moment. Read the newspapers; read
the standard English authors; read
always with your dictionary at hand; do |
not pass over a single sentence without
getting its full meaning; study carefully
every word about which you have the
least doubt; study school methods care
fully, and don't try to adopt the vagaries
OF every book on education (many OF
them, like Hodger's razors, are made to
SeI9 use your judgment; adopt the good,
reject the foolish; try not to trouble so
much about what you are thought to be
as about what you are; make yourselves
worthy of better things and better things
VIII in all probability come to you.
You can never hope by any amount of
study to answer some of Commissioner
Glenn's examination questions. For in
stance, (which is worth the most,
Per cent. Georgia state bond of one thou
sand dollars, or stock to the amount OF
l9O dollars bearing Z per cent INTEREST,""
NO man or woman in the state, or out OF
IT, can answer that question. But you
can become worthy of the respect and
confidence of your patrons, and this is
NE mn nj I'LL