The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-03-31
fUBLIc SCHOOL SYSTEM
Aao.hr V,w Of this Subject Answer 10 Mr..
RaesIs.

N A'AAies
/ rihincc Is.cN Co.. Va, March p 1906.
/ To The frrr Lance
/ w. have read Withcurous interest and
immcnsumblc camusrmcnt Mr.. James l..
Rogers random scoring OF the public
school system, aud We indeed wuudcr
what could have impcllcd sucha ilagrInt
and ~wc ping dcnurciation. oar philo-
lh.cil poet. EmmerSun. has said.
a hnr only which we have within can
T u,c-r wIfiout. II Nr meet uo gods il
i- hcc;u-.. Wr harhor none. butnl course
We clurot question either the integrity
ur ability ot our esteemed critlc. Tor he
has rNrmp.Iii.i tine former 10y his dryo.
tiou t1 fhr rdur,tluml welfare of hi-
State. uui c'rai y demonstrated tlw lat
t.r hy suggesting pIhlIc scI1. ~ strn.
whirh hi- iryond rrpr0nrh Or criticism.
Then car- forced to th. conclusion
thlt ru, friend las ~ouc goOd reason. a.
trt ulrXpre..rl, Tor this sudden out
burst Di bis indignation. Evidently
SOMEONE connected with thrpublic school
system ll~ done him what h. considers
.u miu.tirr. " hl rau Do bc' Can IL bo
chat il. higher huni officials have iaii-
cd t1 reindeer tbat position which hc
.l..ms due. or ,au % b' that ht has been
i... looked iu tAr ".inc up ui sisters.
cousins und auu~. or j. II perchunce
that tho Sweet, giddy girl WAS not 80
aitiy u~ supposed and Tor once preferred
NOT to<mlk. thr suggested "trOusScau'
Now % would ba a~ tedious as it l. Use
F l.-- .1r mrto discuss all Of the imaginary
|cyI.~ VS. hirh my friend intimatc-. How
eyer. / mukra ltN observations
A. fu what De- says of the Ignorance,
+ corruption. etc.. oi our leading school OIL
nriui ana eiUrntufs. -uiiire 1t To say
tney have tfr confidence ot their cOn-tlt-
ucucy. As to his fDmai A~ about the di
vision superintendent. whose only rea-
i -.u to be- Is to shake upaud pass around
+ ~ puzzle hos. once % year why that
I is 70 ha1o iuac, characteristic oi H. DIS
inguisAc'i author
Vow lust ,,h, hc should have been 50
dimfOry 300 settling with th' hOul trus
| f., ,auu1t imagine for according to Il
p--.cpvrr-d precedent. Wr settle with
f this pubHc.-p.fitcd officer every FALL. We
need not take time t0 defend SlnhO. iOr
t.r peas lufrt. "uur c1untry'S pride.
u.r.l uO drrl-r nor luyc We the space
i tu ln mlir l0r johnny llaysced than
+ SOY. w hrrrr your authority 10 speak
| iDr mr. Mr Rogers, But We cannot ~
+ frain from making "a lew remarks about
F the term sweet giIdy gill. Had the
\ writer bus reelected. would he have used
that phrase Cndiiing it, Application.
} how greatly are We deceived, for when
Wr enter tle schoorrO0m. far from see
iuy our schools under suci. supervision,
ur -.r them directed by highly educated
wogau-women. tie truly adorniug pill.
laf Of the public school system.
Now wr have never claimed that the
present school system was immaculate,
although o. iicctiOn is our aim. and while
Tan oi u- may favor the adoption of our
friend X ucw school plan II Will hardly be
adopted ans time soon. iOr il comes too
4 late for Che r. gular session oi the legisla-
urp aud question that the governor
would call an extra session Just 10 meet
this ISSUE. And since there Wi be- umpl'
tiu. between now and its next session
for the consideration and perfection OF
this new plan. ! wish to- call the writer :
attention 10 just few good points IN
our present school system which be- Il Ci
cours. not ignorant OF. but has unques-
tionablv overlooked Upon eXamina
,ion he will readily SOC that great effort
has been made 10 remedy every evil
which he suggests. both real and lmagl-
nary. Ills hobby, "nepotism, Is special
| Is guarded against although he is una
| ware OF the fact refer him 10 Acts of
Assembly OF 1904, section 1866, p. l14.
| give latter part of clause second rela-
tive to powers and duties of trustees,
which reads thus: Provided further,
that no district school board shall en-
ploy or pay any teacher from the public
/ iunds ii said teacher Is the brother, sister,
/ wife or daughter OF any member OF said
| board. Any member Of any district
/ board who shall violate any Ol these pro
visions shall be personally responsible to
such teacher for his salary ! might go
ON and point numerous inconsistencies
and oversights in the writer's letter, but
/ refrain from 50 doing. ! have over
| looked many Of his slurs and inslnua-
/ tiOns. and considering his ultra letter, !
have been extremely lenient, too much
so. in fact. To be just; bnt have two rea-
sons ior being thus charitable. In the
first place. our public school system,
with it's train OF trustworthy officials,
has suffered nothing from our critics re-
cent advertisement and needs no defense;
and secondly, il there is anyone ON this
earth !0r whom | crave the smiles ol
nature and the sympathy OF humanity
| il is for the choleric pessimist.
Edgar NJ. Terrell.