The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-16
Prejudice Against scho Dis.
EDITOR of The Times:

Prejudice Against Schools.
Editor of The Times:
sir.-I am truly glad to find the sub
ject of education is attracting so much
attention. Some of your correspondents
claim that there is and always has ex-
listed in this State a prejudice against
public schools.
Having been teacher of public schools
for thirty years, and for two-thrds Of
that time having had charge Of country
schools in this State, l ought to%be com
potent to say something upon the subject
of their condition ana management.
do not believe that any prejudice eX-
ISIS against the system of public schools,
but against their management. There is
room for complaint and justice In the OBJ
iections which educated and refined par
cnta have to sending their children to
school to persons wholly unfit by nature
4, d education for their position as guido
to the youth of our State. I know where
of write L know of several cases where
women who had no higher aspirations
than to teach q second grade school nave
rter kept in the same school for eight
CT ten years, never rising higher tina
second grade, despite the protests OIL the
patrons, purely for personal or political
LIZ. IL racer SeiE S1SSOusiC VI q >'1AS -
n country school where there was TO
teaching. If he could visit the country
schools generally I dare say he would
find Il number Of such Instances. He
would find other things as shocking as
the unfitness of the teacher. l think l
Shall not miss the truth when say ne
would find at least sevcnty-tiVe per cent.
G, the so-called sclool-houses nothing but
mere huts with an old stove In the center
C.: the room, around which from fifteen
tc thirty children arc crowded on rough
benches, willie the teacher has to squeeze
in among them or walk around with her
1u,aps on to keep from freezing.
know farmers whose stables are more
comfortable than many OF the School-
iFCuses provided for their children. have
taught, or tried to teach. in ten different
houses in this county, and only two con-
tanned desks for tho pupils and desk
ara a chair for the teacher, and but two
had a blackboard upon which a straight
ne could be drawn; several had none at
I'll. Truly we are like the children of
Is1ael in Egypt required to make brick
without straw.
Thousands, yes, millions. of dollars have
zen given to endow colleges. to furnish
libraries and to other institutions in the
cites and towns of the South, but Moth
ing is done for the country schools.
N formal SCnOOlS SeIlG out every HettI eIi-
thusiastic young teachers, full Of new
ideas which they soon find they cannot
carry out, with nothing to work with,
They soon become discouraged and leave
their county to seek a, field more con-
genial and remunerative.
We have five months terms, with sal
airy of twenty-five dollars a month, the
maximum for first grade. One hundred
and twenty-five dollars to board and
ciCtlle us, pay our doctors b!lls,l and all
other necessary expenses for year. Can
any reasonable person think that we can
afford to attend schools Of methods. or
pun chase books and periodicals to aid us
in our profession? The idea. of saving up
anything for old age or for "a rainy day
is toe preposterous to be entertained. The
faithful teacher who does the best his or
her circumstances allow has hard time.
I love my profession, and have studied to
make a success of it. Though years spent
in uncomfortable and badly lighted school,
rooms have injured my health and so Sc
riously impaired my vision as to unfit me
70. further usefulness, still find pleas
ure in the retrospect.
Ny mind goes out to a dear bright girl,
now a missionary to the heather; to sew
eral boys who left my school to attend
colleges to prepare for the duties OF life;
some for the ministry of tina gospel, some
for professorships in schools and colleges,
some for other professions, and one is a
bright Young member Of the State Consti-
tutional Convention. I watch. their ca
reer with pride and pleasure.
I will close with some extracts from
."rhe Worlds Work. of February on
"Tea chers' Wages I wish our school
officers could read it all.
A wealthy man, a large giver to educa-
tional work, in a public speech, SAID: On
the teacher depends the training OF the
chi.dren of free people. She rocks the
cradle Of the State. What profession is
SO noble and SO sacred? All honor to the
to. cher On the same evening he en-
tertained at dinner the designer OF his
va chit. while the teacher of his children
5d!neC with them, as always, III the SER
wants ordinary. This same gentleman,
who is a trustee of a great schooi. and
has n deciding voice on the salary OF the
women teachers, said: I'VE want the best
teachers, but we don't propose to pay TWO
dollars where one will do.
+ Here is what prominent speakers IN po-
litical campaigns say:
1.-THE school teacher controls what the
rest of us do not control-the future of
r.ankind and womankind which must
make up the rich fruitage of our whole
civilizatiou.'' EDWARD NJ. SHEPARD.
1.-THE work of the teacher branches out
like the pines of the CarolinaS; 1t reaches
the family, exalts the home, pervades So
ciety with it's enrolling influences.
strengthening the foundations of the
State, and adds to the glory and magni-
licences Of the nation
CHARLES e ROBERTSON.
Here is what you do,
NEARLY al classes. old and young, look
down upon school teachers as upon unfor-
tunates who have adopted teaching be-
cause there is no other way of livelihood
open to them
JOHN 5GILN1ER SPEED.
."rhe community does not tempt the
highest tyne of mind toward this calling
because of the inadequacy of rewards and
the uncertainty of advancement In the
teaching profession.
RICHARD WATSON GLIDER
1--WE commit our educational machinery
to the unfit and inexperienced. We need
able men and women of mature ability.
but we. do not pay the price that attracts
such services"
Buckingham. Va, March 9Th.
Teachers Not to Blame.
5yrs,-, - 49,