Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-12-26
A compIaInt from School Patrons.

DEW hEAOAs Gd.s NV. 4Glus
Dear Mrs. Felton,.
As the school question IS being agitated
now and / have just read on your page,
which 1 always enjoy, the needs of rural
schools, please allow me to say in your
page that our greatest and most urgent
need is good, progressive teachers. We
all wish to educate our children and are
willing to sacrifice almost anything to
obtain that end, but the present method
Is in its infancy. live within a hundred
and fifty yards OF a large school. yet
do not send, but teach my children as
best I can at home. We have q third
grade teacher elected by the trustees "a
relative OF theirs) and our children last
year went to him and II was time thrown
away. Better to have kept them at home
and tried to teach them 70 work or some
thing else useful. This same teacher was
elected again this year by his relatives,
the trustees (they are sure to always give
US their relatives). although the people
petitioned the board for his resignation.
Last year he received $50 a month and
his assistant $50. making a snug salary
OF SIS. for no value received by the peo-
ple-S575 paid for five months and the
people compelled to send or keep their
children from school.
some people are so poorly educated that
they cannot discern between a first grade
and third grade teacher, and think IL their
children can spell on sides their educa-
ton Is complete. Some think II the teach
er is in needy circumstances they are en-
titled to teach. The requirements OF a
teacher are never thought Of.
1 wish the public schools were wiped
out OF existence. or a better grade Of
teachers. 1 am a poor woman and do
all my work without help, but would
cheerfully pay tuition rather than to send
my children to such schools as are gen.
eral through the country. There are eX-
ceptions. Now and then we find rural
school ruled by yankee school marin
that fills the bill. They are familiar
with everything pertaining to public
schools. while our southern people are
only beginning to learn. The northern
teachers are better equipped for teaching.
While lOathe everything from yankee
land I must admit their superiority as
teachers. 1 do not like their doctrine,
and prefer our own people, but where
there is such fragrant Ignorance placed
upon US by those In power, our thoughts
turn to other states for teachers.
Our school is gradually going down. All
who are able are sending their children TO
Sparta. and some. like myself. keep them
at home. Our present teacher allows his
pupils to hear his lessons, and my little
girl went twelve days TO school and said
the same lesson lesson each day OF nine
words IN a WORD DOCK Ior week. IL
was heard by a child seven or eight years
old, a niece of the teacher. 1 always
teach my children their lessons at night,
and require them TO recite them perfect
before they go In the morning. Again
the teachers prefer to have the children
remain absent. as there is less work, and
frequently express themselves by remark
ing that they don't care. as the pay goes
on the same.
~ Won and anvfhinrr IN here worth
publishing. I am willing my name come
In full under IT, as I can substantlate
every word I have written. 1t is best
the people know what is done with their
taxes. Yours, very truly,
MRS. NJ. A. BAUGH.