Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1905-06-23
Our Public Schools.
]. J. w. STARR

Redmon. Our people have right
to be proud of their educational
progress.
In this letter ! want to mention
q few things that hinder the etlici-
ency of our public schools. The
almost constant change of teachers
is one. This is not to be wonder
ed at when the average age of
those attending each annual lnsti.
tute is younger, each succeeding
year. And this will continue to
be so until we appropriate suili-
cient money for u nine or ten
months term annually and in
that way secure professional
teachers who will make teaching.
a life work, ard not rs now with
80 many, stepping stone to some
other more lucrative employment.
We can not tax ourselves for a
better purpose. 1t twill pay.
While there are so many young
teachers in our rural schools they
{. are often imposed on by arbitrary
Directors in being required in
making contracts to furnish water.
pals, dippers, brooms, crayuns,
erasers. etc, or do without,
Every teacher ought to resent
such requirements and refuse to
teach under such degrading con-
ditions. 1t is the dnty of the
patrons through the Directors to
see that these things are furnished
and paid for from the public funds
collected for the support of the
school. And if the right persors
were always chosen Directors ths
teachers would never even have to
ask for them. | want to enpha-
size the necessity of having broad
...fnded and intelligent men for
school officers,
While the fact remains that
many of our school buildings are
poor the black boards in them are
hot so good as the houses. A
school without a good blackboard
IS bound to be in large part a
failure. An earnest and faithful
teacher with first class black
board and plenty of crayons and
erasers can do pretty effective
work without book ia the house
of the many have used | have
found none better than the slated
10th. 1t is cheap and easily put
up. Several have come into the
county upon my recommendation
and are lasting well and giving
good satisfaction 1t is waste
IF money and Il wrong to the chill
dren to keep them working or
wooden boards full of crack,
when good ones are SO cheap
The Directors who neglect theil
duty in this important matter
should he relegated to private
life as soon as possible.
There is an old saying "A little
learning is q dangerous thing.
There are some communities con
trolled by families that feel them
selves to he little better ant
wiser than any teacher who can b
sent among them. They resen
and resist the introduction Of ney
ideas and methods of teaching aAc
want to cling TO the custoAlS o
long ago, In short they are jeal
Gus of any teacher who show
energy and ability in his worl
and tries to lift pupils and patron
out of ruts where they have slum
bered so long. In their own est
nation they are good and smar
enough, and this feeling is lntensi
fed when inhe, ited wealth la
come down a long ancestral lin
The earnest teacher in such con
munily is made to feel that he
away from home.
In many places tobacco is worl
ing havoc in our rural schools
Adults can use tobacco withou
much apparent harm, but | kno
from long experience and clos
observation as Il teacher that CHI
N.,,, g. a.