Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-06
Teaching Is a Serious and Important
Business
NEWMAN. Ca. Mar. .. 1909.

NEWMAN, Ga mar. - 49,
Dear Mrs. FELTON,:
Seeing OF late some remarks IN our
current newspapers concerning the con-
tI1red Ignorance in the south. and hav-
fnr investigated the situation here IN
this Immediate section. and judging II
10 be an average section. so far as ecu
cation is concerned. for there has oeen
4 school here for over 90 years. ana
since schools were supported oy puoll0
money or school taxes. IL has been sup
ported BY the state and county.
Being in 100 yards OF a church, OF course
there has always been a community OF
uoeple who prefer country NE 10 toNh
life and who are anxious TO SEND ihelt
children to school and have the aoNAi-
tage OF church, too -.
Finding that my own children were not
learning, 1 decided 70 teach myself. as
I had taught when a girl. and having at
tended a state normal school IN my
youth. / applied for and obtained IL
cenEe. OWN I have thoroughly eNarnih-
ed twenty pupils OF from 10 70 10 year
az age. who have attended school rom
: 40 Z terms. and not one OF them had
ever been taught one single thing con-
corning the sounds OF the letters none
Of them knew that there was such
division OF the alphabet as voWes anu
eonsonants So. OF course. none OF tnen
-onla pronounce one-half the words they
,,,a.rtoolr m pronounce. Some Of them
w,era half through the fourth reader.
None OF them knew what the pauses
we're for definitely, nor did they know
thern nv name. And when 1 gave out the
nrst words IN spelling such a spittins
ont OF q tumble Of letters was
perfectly amazing. Not a syllable pro-
nounced nor a division Of any KIND nor
aid one OF them pronounce the word ell
Their before or after he spelled IL. When
/ begun TO try TO find what the most
advanced OF them knew Of arithmetic l
wish you could have seen the look OF
anaxemeut with which my questions
we're received. 1 found some in COM
mound quantities who could not write
number OF three orders Of units. II one
order was omitted. None Of them knew
why a problem was in addition or sub
traction nor anything about IT, They
would try addition. then subtraction and
40 on until they found the answer given
in the book
All OF them called problems sums. :
when a sum is the result obtained oy
the process OF addition, and while prob
lem is a statement requiring solu-
ton" and there should never be any
confounding the two
And so on in each and all Of the differ
ent studies. Just a dim far away idea of
the real facts OF the case vase could
obtain. Now what is the cause OF this
OF this in this day OF great advance?
some OF these children had attended to
SIX different teachers. None Of them had
gone TO the same teacher two terms IN
succession. Nearly all Of them are chill
dren OF average ability.
what parent will give a child 10 or II
years old, money TO buy itself pair Of
shoes. to use its own (the child's) judg-
ment as TO fit. durability or style, with
out the privilege OF an exchange II the
parent Is not pleased with the purchase
And stu these same parents will send
their innocent children TO a teacher they
do not know personally or otherwise,
for the teacher 10 install anything, all
or nothing. Just as he is competent. And
who can exchange that purchaser
So, II our parents will go TO our schools
often enough to know just what their
children are doing and how. I am sure
come OF the continued illiteracy" would
cease. Then on the other hand who
would hire a young doctor just fresh
from college with a diploma and license
to doctor a critical case without watch
ing him closely2 Still at the same time
we win all send our children TO a teacher
Is or II years old. with q license, whom
We do not know anything Of. as TO abili-
u, earnestness. sincerity or experience.
Is a person fit TO train others. inspire
others. lead others. or set an example
20 Others who has had no experience?
And how many girls OF this day and time
are serious enough at IT to set them
selves up as leaders OF those younger
than themselves, much less undertake
the responsibility OF training the finest
part OF human to make a success In
Hfeg
II Is a big problem and think one
that should be seen into before so much
damage can be done, this trif1ing with
drilling the human brain for the trials
and problems is too sad TO be allowed
10 continus.
Now. dear Mrs. FELTON,. am sure ]
DO not want to bother you. but I think
this situation too serious 10 just accept
II and let Il 20. And know from COM
pairing notes with others there is great
Dissatisfaction concerning the slipshOd
careless teaching a great many teachers
are doing and IL Is too serious for jok-
ing. I've been sick nearly ever since
cot the fine white Holland turkeys from
you, and so I did not write about them
= raised a fine lot OF them but by get
ting sick caused ne to have to sell them
all
With best wishes for you and hoping
you may be spared many years yet tC
counsel and advise the many who love
and admire your sound sense.
Please excuse the many mistakes
have made IN this letter. can tell any
thing better than I can write fl. SO dc
not condemn me too severely. II you
think this fit you can use IL, for I'm this
part OF the country a great many ar,
worried over the matter and do not un
derstand. so there is much worry ovel
the situation. Most respectfully,