The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-09-01
FREDERICKSBURG, VA, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER l, 1906
ON EDUCATION
The Schools The Teachers The Trustees

DunnSyillc. Va Aug 29th 1906
To The Free Lance
Your correspondent does not belong Ia
the disappointed class, having already
three positions offered tO him and AL IN
the State. and two scarcely away from
the smoke of his chimney, and yet, | un.
hrsitntingl, state. We never Will have
schools In Virginia that Will awaken the
proper pride ol educated Nirglnlans un.
I'll merit is recognized and the whlm- and
capriccs OF lew are utterly ignored.
Nou had aS well put mp "a doctor before
the public for election To nrlghhOrhoud
practice when the iaNity east the telling
vote Medicine l- science ~ old n
Aesculapus. and teaching r. ns old ~
Socrates. I'm truth the average man
knows whether his child IL getting along
nicely at school, but equally true Is 1t
that the average man does not know
why or wherefore another child oi his
does not get along See? The same
Teacher. aud the same text book, the
same black board. the same taud in
many cases more energy exhausted 10y
the teacher. but there i- no progrrss
Friend. 20 10 that teacher, and ASK him
~ u friend To tell YOU the trouble. lie
will do il when properly approached re-
gardless of how the knile j. going to
hurt when il r. the knife oi truth, and re-
gardles- of how much he hates To tell
you that your child though ~ bright as
the noon-day suu IN your eyes, as deep
a. the sea. even Guam mare conlunrt,
uuam fluctu divrr-i. ln your Vile = eyes
lucks. sadly larks a certain substance
known ~ grey matter ION chn not put
that suhStau,p in piarr with all ui thr
methods from SOCRATES down e. brooks
and Baldwin. and all ni the experience
e,ottrn i'm nn average liie time II The
child Is fright and learns. then rume~ the
vcfdict OBJ good teacher Per contra. bet
the poor little sap head accomplish lust
what the experienced teacher >ee- he viii
nothing. try how hc may and then a.,
quickly comes the verdict mot worth "a
cent. let the di-gruutlcd one have Il
pull with the board. md goodbye To
that teacher II tina: knight .li-the quill
i'm King George reads This. Jet hlm SAY
whether or not am right. school
trustees must rise above their individual
prejudice. aud they must lay aside per
-onalitir~ in selecting their teachers. And
with long experience 800 theeduoatlnnal
work. am prepared tO SAY that there
ar lew more thanhlcs~ positions than
this tru-tecShip Men of the very best
Judgment, of the strongest tirmncs-. and
of excellent rducations-oi such should
the school board boz composed And
such men arr 20 he found Tell nc how
il il possible Tor "a trustee to choose "a
teacher when hr the trusted knows
nothing of what Is 90 be- taught ana less
nf how % teach 10 II does look iarcral
repeat. We must rise above such a
regime ii We wish 10 raise the tone oioui
schools \ summer Normal ln every
county in the State. and all of the police
forces turned into educational inspectors,
will not better conditions Trustee John
is inst going 10 vote iOr teacher Sally be-
rau-e Jim'S "chIlun told Jim they
learnt "a powerful lot at Miss Sally :
school induring the last year Those
who select must know what they are
soliciting They must be competent
Judges. 4 straight business proposition
But repeat that am not saying tins
through malice. II perchance, Ike my
King George friend, ! have suffered /
have forgiven. and it may be that those
who caused the suffering have long siEce
seen the error of their way and repented.
hope so al least always have some
hope for the fellow who becomes sorry
for what he has done cultivate that
fellow and try to find the man in him
even il it takes u strong glass to s''' 1t.
e.