The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-14
Ignorance in school Committees.


Ignorance ia school Committees.
The squabble-it deserves no more dig
nIfed name-Bhich has been going on in
Connecticut town. between teacher and
the school committeeman, has an IN
terest for the public for TWO reasons. One
IS that the details of it are rather anus
ing. and the other is that 1t reveals the
conditions which govern the education of
youth il a good many country towns A
German would probably view these with
horror and anlazement, for in Germany
they consider school teaching TO be
serious business
The teacher is a girl of twenty. with an
ordinary public school education The
committeeman, apparently, are merely
citizens of the town, without even that
amount Of learning as qualification for
their duties The teacher claims that her
health was broken down by their persecu-
ton and Islander Of her. and she has
brought suit for damages. They give enc
reason for their enmity toward her, and
she gives others, ard possibly both sides
are partly in the right 4 girl CT twenty
is a girl, and not a staid and severe spin
ster. and it is quite possible that the
teacher in question may have done some
things which TO the scandaiized commit
teemen appeared frivolous. On the other
hand, here IS little tale which the
teacher has TO tell, and which IS not CON
tradicted by the opposition.
She was teaching a geography class che
morning when committeeman walked in
and sat down 10 listen to the proceedings.
Il was his habit to pick up a newspaper
and pretend 70 be intensely interes ed in
the contents, while really listening with
fixed and intent interest TO The recita-
tons; aad, Of course, his pretence Of ab-
sOrpJion IN the paper did not IN the least
deceive the children. After about Ave
minutes Of this anna teur acting, he sud
denly broke into the reInarks which the
teacher was making On Cairo. Egypt. with
The objection
That's wrong in pronunciation You should
ssy haTo. not hIro-
Then he said that he ought 10 know,
because he mad been there. The teacher
consEa tulated him On his opportuui, les in
having Travelled 50 far, and he began tc
get Indignant. He explained that he
meant Cairo. Illinois. BY that time the
q
gust committeeman did not know what he
was talking about, and suppressed CYCLES
abCunded- From that ti.ae. the teacher
declares. The gentleman in question has
RANKED IS q hostile This is quite like
y any man with the egotlsu, bad man
ner- eaa ance 70 break into q recFfa-
.aloa would probably blame
1he consequences.
which presents itself 10
Ing. after considering this
ia al its bearings, IS
1th Of America are getting
..-- s.i,- syvu mat they might out Of our
uEegJaled public school system. The
committeeman who figures 70 the Cairo
episode IS not an exceptionally ilI-bred
ara ignorant person, 40 committeeman 20
There are great many villages in which
the schools are in the hands Of just such
as.Dsae in1iyiduals-nien who. even when
sLey have the education requisite for The
duties CT their positions. have not the
sense 70 see that it is not proper 10 cor
rect j young teacher before the school Of
which she is in charge, even if the correc-
TioU Is deserved. IN this particular case
tho critic made himself ridiculous, but he
Eaigbt have made the teacher ridiculous.
thing which. in the interests Of the chill
dren, he Lad 20 right TO do. If teacher
Is net competent Tor her duties, her case
should be discussed IN the private session
OF the committee not before the pupils.
II this simple rule Of good manners and
common sense were followed. the teachers
Of cur public schools would have less