The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-09-14
AN OPEN LETTER.
Editor Booster Banner:

In last weeks issue of the Plain Dealer
was a communication written by a
"rusty hoosier school teacher" He set
up the claim to that distinction himself
and, Judging by the literary character Of
his production and the lack Of respect
for the rules of grammar, which he
shows, think he thoroughly establishes
his claim.
1t is hard to tell just what the r. h. s. t.
is driving at. There are three famous
expressions in English Literature that
come to my mind, either of which, or all
three, seem to me to apply to this case.
They are: "Who struck Billy Patter-
son?" next, "Where am at?" and last,
that old, homely and very expressive
thing about "the little boy who was run
over by the calf"
Now, something seems to have gone
wrong with this particular school
teacher, and he seems to think that he
can "make good" with his people by in
sinuating that the Board of Examiners
did not perform it's duties fairly, i'm
partially and according to law. He says
that "The Examiners wers to take an
oath before the teachers, vowing, to the
best of their ability, to be fair alike to
teachers and people," AS a matter of
fact, there is no law requiring the Board
of Examiners "to take an oath before
the teachers, vowing, to the best of their
ability" to do anything. The law does
require that "before the Examiners shall
begin their examination of applicants,
they shall take an oath that they will
faithfully discharge their duties" With
peculiar disregard of the rights of this
self-styled martyr school teacher, the
law goes on to say, ''They shall not give
to any person a certificate before exam
lining the candidate, touching his or her
qualifications to teach, and who is not
qualified to teach as required by the
public school law" just as though the
law was enacted to safeguard the rights
of the children, and completely forgot
that throughout a large portion Of the
perpendicular territory of North Louis
lana was scattered the attenuated form
of martyr, who stood-and yet stands
-sorely in need of the Jealous care and
sympathy and possibly the assistance
of the Board of Examiners.
For the benefit of this occasional
specimen OF the martyr, who is not a
"dumb, but an unruly sheep" and
seems determined to butt his brains out
against something, will cite the law
setting forth, or prescribing, the method
of conducting the examination:
"Sec. Al. That it shall be the duty OF
the Parish Superintendent to conduct, or
superintend in person, the examination
of all persons offering themselves as
candidates for positions of teachers OF
the common schools of the parish, in
regard to their moral character, learning
and ability to teach. For any violation
of this duty he shall be liable to fine Of
not less than $40 nor more than $50"
This same act provides that the School
Board shall appoint committee ito as
sist the superintendent in making these
examinations" Under the law, which
seems very clear to my mind, the worl
or duty of the committee appointed K
assist the Superintendent begins aftel
the teachers have completed their wori
and turned over their papers to tn.
Superintendent.
AS this rusty specimen of the hoosie
school teacher seems to be hungerinf
and thirsting after information, l viii
try to satisfy him on another very i'm
portant point, the worry over which ma!
have been responsible for many Of TIL
"bad expressions" and ''slight mis-
takes" in his papers-if there were any
In regard to the proxy, that seems t
harrass the mind of the 'unrul,
MARTYR" think it can be SATISFACTORY,
explained to the School Board, and, as
limited at above, the law did not seem t
4 be thinking specially of the rights of tn
applicants for teachers certificates whel
they provided SO many safeguards TO
the interests of the school children.
The Board of Examiners had no othe
evidence than that presented by the ap
plicants in their papers. However nue.
8 the sympathy of the Board, as individ
f uals, might extend to particular appli
: cants, it would have been beneath tn
' dignity of their position and a violatio
Of the trust placed in their keeping
have shown that sympathy by favoritisr
when passing on the papers.
That the work of the Examiners mus
: have been satisfactory to the Schot
Board is evidenced by the fact that the
7 approved of it. The report was unan
! imous report-each of the three Exam
]: liners marking every paper and maxim
/; up his individual tabulation. When tn
! three tables were compared, there wa
/; only one Change suggested-which wa
!: agreed to-and which did not effect tn
! grade of the r. h. 8. t.
!; Speaking for myself alone, ! wish
say that l do not, as member of tt