Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-19
Circular Letter Containing Per.
tinent Advice, Sent Out to
Hamilton Teachers
WARNING AGAINST THE FAklRs
L. NJ. Gerber Not Afraid
to Speak Plainly About Some Matters
Affecting the Teachers of His County
Jolly Tongued Canvassers" Enti-
tied LAND Sharks" Are. Subjects of
Sharp Sarcasm.
Special to Times-Republican.


Webster City, Dec. 19.-At least one
county superintendent in Iowa has the
courage to rise up and speak out plain
| ly about some matters which affect the
teachers of his county. In a circular
| letter sent to the teachers of his county
Superintendent L. NJ. Gerber of Ham
| ilton county, offers the following advice
which is as pertinent in every county
of the state as in the one in which be
has Jurisdiction:
"The gay and festive book agent and
other oily tongued canvassers are again
In the land and no doubt will be pleased
to share your time during the winter
Indeed, some of these land sharks have
already manifested their intentions by
calling at his office endeavoring to
get your name and address in order to
have you properly located. None OF
them have received any satisfaction OF
aid here, but they Will find you never
theless. Each one will tell you the
same threadbare old story, will sing
you the same old song to the same old
tune: have interviewed your county
superintendent and have called on you
expressly because of the request etc.
They will offer you the same or some
similarly wretched reprint of a cyclope-
dia, worth from 81 to IS. at price of
from s12 to s27 as they have in the past,
and doubtless few of you will be vic
timiZed.
"a jewelry fiend Is now canvassing
this county for the purpose of properly
equipping the young and inexperienced
schoolrna am with the first part of her
professional paraphernalia a gold
watch. For his pains, no doubt, he ex-
poets to receive lien upon the lions
share of her winters salary. Should he
visit you and find that you are using
new nickel alarm clock for time
piece, he will be sure to allude to it as
being very unbecoming and beneath the
dignity of your calling. II, perchance,
you have temporarily accepted of your
big brothers nickel -cased, Americana
made cronometer to aid you in dividing
your time into the proper recitation Pc
RODS he will endeavor to belittle 1t and
appeal to your professional pride in
that way. Or If, perhaps, your grand
fathers old English key-wind, with
bulrs-eye crystal and tick like trip
hammer but endeared as an heirloom
to the family, and because of its age
and quaintness alone worth more than
his entire stock in trade, IL 1t should
grace your body or your desk he might
even insult you by offering to take 1t as
part pay for one of his. He will try
syery means to leave one Of his imita-
tons with you.
Nearly all these sharks are good
looking, well perfumed, and much given
10 coauetry and flirting. They may not
Ill follow the same method of landing a
victim, but they are generally quite
sure of success If any time is granted
hem by the unwary schoolma'am.
an addition to those of the Jeweiry
lend and book agent you will receive
solicitations from life insurance men
who will present to your already math-
,matically worried mind long and Wis
onary problems of annuities, dividends
md other pecuniary results, deriving
,nly from old line company policies.
You will be interviewed by land agents
who will give you the untnistakable
evidence that a small investment In a
piece of old mother EARTH located of
course in some heretofore unknown
paradise, will make you everlastingly
You will be asked to give
/ part of your time to stock invest
nent schemes, having for sale stocks in
rold mines silver mines. copper mines,
etc. Oil well stocks, represented as
in value every hour during the
lay, will be offered you, water, in milk,
raw or upon the half she'll
"Now 1t may be possible that you
wish to invest in some of these ven-
lures. 1t may be possible that you
1aye natural desire of patronizing
'akirs without giving the matter much |
thought, but what wish to have dis
.inctly understood is that l do not care
% have my name nor this office used In
connection with this nefarious business
,r as leverage to effect sales of this
Sind.n