The Green Forest tribune., 1902-06-14
CONFESSIONAL COURTESY.
sIt Should Be Practiced Among
 Our School Teachers.


 The following article is clipped from the educational column of a Kansas paper, and is republished in THE TRIBUNE with the hope
 that the good suggestions con-
 tained therein will be considered
 by the teachers of Carroll county.
 We heartily commend it:
 "Teachers show profession
 al spirit by never undermining a
 fellow teacher. Other profess
 sions give us splendid example
 in this regard. There are various
 ways in which one can undermine
 another. One may take a lower
 salary than an incumbent receives
 when the community is abundant
 ly able to pay. A young teacher who had formerly been my pupil came to me once for advice in re- gard to taking a neighboring school. "Why'' said l, MT. F. has been engaged for that school for another year" He replied, "Yes, P. was engaged, but there was no written contract, and the trustee is not bound by law to keep the contract" :" ''But per- sonally know that the contract was made in good faith between P. and the trustees, and that P. fully expects to have the school next year. l certainly hope that you will not be a party to the breaking of the contract, said ], with a good deal of earnestness. What salary are you oifered?'' I asked. ''Four hundred fifty dollars was his answer. "But the position has paid eight hun- dred dollars for years and there is not the slightest reason for that district to pay less, and you pro- pose to take it for half the sum. Don'tyou do it my young friend,'' appealed. "Don' do it for your sake and for the sake of our pro- fession. 1 need not further re- peat the conversation. 1 tried to show the young man that 1t was mean thing to do, that 1t was underhanded, that such actions could not prosper, but all of no avail. He took the position and utterly failed. They turned him out of the school after four or five months and what had seemed a very promising career as teach CT ended with that school. l can- not but rejoice that g man who would consent to be benefited at the expense of another was thus early debarred from the duty of shaping the lives of the young. Of course, do not say that no teacher should take a position at a smaller salary than may have been paid at sometime in a given district, but I do say that no teacher possessing the right pro- fessional spirit would ever con- sent to be candidate for place not vacant or where it has not been fully decided by the board that change is to be made.
 It makes one feel that we are gaining in professional spirit in this direction when one notes the events which have lately occurred. Very recently the superintendent of a school in New Jersey was in vited to become superintendent or the schools of an important city in Ohio. He visited the city, found that there was 8 valid contract with the incumbent, and sad substantially to the board of ed ucation: sGentlemen you are under obligations to your present superintendent, my services are notat command" and turned his back upon them. It will be glad day for our profession when this spirit pervades the rank and file of teachers. It will be of interest to know that others have apprecla- ted the character of this man and he has been called to and has ac- cepted one of the most important positions in the United States. It pays in the long run to recognize this spirit for which I am plead ing. It will ultimately advance the salaries, increase the useful ness, command greater respect and cultivate fraternal feeling