The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1898-03-23

n. L StapletOn, principal OF the Bron-
wood High School, protesting against
the teachers being required to leave
thei: schools next week and attend an
institute at Albany, was intended
for publication last week, but owing to
the lateness Of the hour at which it
was received at The News office it was
necessary for it to be held over until
this issue.
PROFESSOR sTAPLEToN's ARTICLE.
BRoNwOOD, March 15th.-EDITOk
News | desire to say word to the cit
liens Of the county in reference TO the
teachers annual institute to be held III
Albany during the Chautauqua eXerCls-
es. beginning March 2Sth. | do not
like the idea of crushing into print,
but there are some things connected
with the subject that L think the citi-
zeps of the county ia general and the
patrons of the schools more particular
ly should know.
To begin with, not a single teacher in
the county, so far as | have been able to
find out, is IN favor of holding the in
sttute at this time. 1t is not the insti-
tute that we are Directing to, but the
time at which it is TO held. Now, there
must be reasons for these objections.
The fol owing are some | wish TO offer:
In the first place, it comes at one Of
the busiest periods Of the scholastic
year. Our attendance is now better
than it will again be during this term:
the pupils have been in school long
enough to be in the habit Of studying,
and are now dong good work. TO take
them out of school at this time means
a loss of several days to the pupils in
again getting down to work, and extra
work on the part Of the teacher in re-
organizing the school and COntending
with bad lessons when he or she again
begins, Is this right? ! ask the
farmers that if they were to have a
convention would they not walt until
cotton chOpping time or other busy
seasons were over and not select one
of their busiest seasons to throw down
their work and go off to learn how to
farm
In the second place, at Albany the
institute will be a secondary affair. |
know that our commissioner will deny
this by saying that the two will be indie
pendent, but also know that the in
stituUe will adjourn for every exercise
of the chautauqua.
The legislature appropriated $25 per
county to pay for the conductors. Is
that not sufficient to enable Us TO hold
the institute independently and to
make it the chief attraction at the
time? But let us see why the chau-
tauqua managers wish the institute to
be held with them. suppose that, ac-
cording to the least estimate, there
will be TWO hundred teachers present.
At even 9l.OO per day board they VIII
spend 81 400. Add to this 200 tickets
to the chautauqua exercises at Sl25
apiece, the special price to teachers,
aud we have tOCal of $3.50, which
Will not cover other necessary ex-
penses. Does it not seem that the in
sttute Is being held at this time to
further the interests Of the Chautau-
qua?
In the next place, it is unjust to the
patrons. The time is to be deducted
from the public term. Now the teach
ers possibly can afford to have a vaca-
ton and time of recreation while their
salaries continue, but is this fair to the
patrons, many of whom are farmers
and have made arrangements for their
ly have nothing for their children to
do at this time? There are others
who are pupils boarding and paving
their own tuition. Is it right for them
so have to stop a week with nothing to
do while their expenses continue? The
only argument commissioner uses
is that the patrons and pupils will be
repaid in the benefit the teachers will
receive. hold that they would receive
lust as r1uCn If we were to wait until
summer, and they would not lose the
time,
In the last place, ask was it ever in
tended by our lawmakers for the
county school commissioner to have
the authority to take the teachers
away from their work without con-
sultlng them or their patrons? Our
commissioner may say that the county
school board ordered us to go. | will
say that, by his own admission, he made
arrange ments ever month agU for
the teachers to go, while it was not
submitted to the board until one week
ago. The law says that the Institutes
shall be held in "June, July or August,
or such other time as may be selected"
From that would it not seem that our
lawmakers intended for them to be
held after the schools should have clos
ed? Or, if the time had to be changed,
ought not the commissioner consult
the convenience of the patrons and
teachers? Instead of this, so far as |
can find out he not only has not con-
suited the wishes of the teachers and
patrons. but is working in direct oppO-
ton to them and is making the instl-
tute further the interests Of another
affair.
Now, Mr.. Editor, close by saying
Mat the belief that the people general
~ shnnld know our nOsitiOn is my only