Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-25
In Defense of the Teacher

Dear Miss Thomas: VIII you permit announcer
happv farmers happy wife TO enter into your
charming circle OF Househoiders. this warm al
terDoon? have always enjoyed the letters writ
7 kDoST q SirI, have met her this year. who
has grown no be a very dear friend 10 me, and
Ernestine's letter made me think OF this friend
husband took leave Of her two years ago. be-
cause he didn't get the property be expected
would be given her when she married. Whep
first met her she professed TO be tired OF ire
and didn't care TO pursue life's pathway farther.
have tried TO show her that into all lives
some dark must come. and that iW no
other purpose. she should desire to live 30 as TO
train and protect the little girl God has In
trusted to her care. l certainly enjoyed Carrie
letter Of the 18th inst. think IL would oe
30 nice II girls would make "chums' OF their
mothers: mine died when was hardly -four
years old. but my step-mother was kind
Some one wrote letter recently about the
compulsory educational law, and signed the name
Justice" Juding from the letter. the name was
very unsuitable. II must have been man.
for what woman. who has the care OF even zen
one child could condemn another woman Tor
not giving a child work at school than
this persons child received. when. as he SAID
the teacher had ,, as many as n ES seven Tear.
old. and the distance to the school one mile ana
a half, I Judge the school you supported i've
weeks this year was the only one your boy ever
went to. How then, do you suppose that he
could even try 10 spell in five weeksl You seem
to think Il an unDardOnable offense that he
didn't have writing and spelling lessons reg {S
Won ever 20 to that school house to see the
work done and to also encourage the teacher
who had thirty pupils? 1 suspect IL you had
visited the school. you would have seen your
child printing the letters of the alphabet. The
time has passed when the first thing a child
did, when he entered the school, was 70 learn
his "a, b. c's." and then how 70 spell a-bab.
We now teach by the word and sentence method
and I find that the children learn much easier.
You say that your county school commissioner
hires these so-called Incompetent teachers aud
that you parents have 10 submit to them. Glad
TO say. II isn't that way IN our county. Here,
the patrons tell the commissioner how much they
can pay. Our commissioner then refers them
20 some one who will reach for that salary.
Then. II the person accepts the school. con-
tract is Pawn NJ between the teacher and
patrons and duplicate sent 70 Mr.. Howell.
Our teachers cannot receive orc penny from the
county unless the patrons have signed con
tract. before Mr.. Howell contracts with the
teacher.
And 50 your teacher sometimes opened school
after 3 O'Clock! Did you ever investigate TO
see IL the pupils got there before that time
Could the teacher open school with vacant seats
have you never. occasionally, been behind time
And 50 your little boy kept at home to
do chores. Did you know that was possibly
one reason why there many incompetent
teachers, and why your school was not opened
TIL late? The children were kept at home TO
90 chores. when they should have been in the
school room. trying 20 get something that could
never be taken form them.
How can first grade teacher afford TO work
for third grade pay? Be willing TO pay what II
: Is worth. then you can get first grade teach
er. Let the children be sent regularly 10 school.
have confidence in your teacher. and then the
compulsory law VIII not be needed. but until
then let have II.
There are quite a number Of other things
would like to put before you. but guess ! will
have TO desist. I am a teacher, and can't help
but say few words in our behalf.
Wishing Miss Thomas and all Householder
happiness. I viii sign my name as most all my
pupils call me. MRS. DAN"