The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-08-30
DEFENDS CRAIG
COUNTY TEACHERS
Editor Chieftain;


the caption, "The Shame of the Pub
lie Schools" your correspondent
Spectator" uses the following lang
guage, There are not three teachers
in this county who could tell you the
number of gallons in cistern with the
dimensions before them, unless they
had books to refer too"
The writer wishes to ask "Specta-
tor" where the information as to the
dense ignorance of the one-hundred-
twenty teachers of Craig county was
obtained? Did Spectator get this in
formation from County Superintendent
Shelton and his examining board, Rog-
ers and Smith? If not where was the
information obtained? Did Spectator
make this serious charge without any
information whatever? Is it not a
fact that the wages and the qualifica-
tions fall the teachers of the state
Of Oklahoma are practically the same,
and that the charge of ignorance
against the teachers Of one county
would hold against the whole state?
Really, Mr.. Spectator, is it not fact
that Oklahoma by her liberal wages
TO teachers and her fine equipment for
the comfort Of her children claims a
large number of the very best teach
ers from many of the states?
- Again, Spectator in charging the
teachers of the county with this great
ignorance that you use charge the peo-
pie of the county, and especially the
school directors with greater ignor-
ance than the teachers? Who but a
fool or knave would want fool for
a teacher?
Again, you say: THE SYSTEM OF
TEACHING is ENTIRELY WRONG"
Does Spectator" not know that the
system OF teaching in Craig county is
the same that is in practice in every
county of the state Of Oklahoma, and
also in every state in the Union, as
we'll as every civilized country Of Eu-
rope and Asia? Then if the system
now in practice is so wrong as you so
earnestly and positively declare, do
you not think that you are under moral
obligation to give the word better
one, and thus save the children much
worry and labor and bring to yourself
the just plaudits of the whole world
for your great benefits to the human
race?
Now "Mr. Spectator" you know that
the system now in practice has brought
greater progress in fifty years in the
way of inventions and scientific dis
coveries than the five hundred years
previous to that time? Then if this
system of education which is all wrong
brings these results, just think of the
results under your system which is
all right?
MAgain, you say AT least four-fifths
of the money expended for the public
schools in this county, both in the city
and county, is worse than wasted
Now Mr.. Spectator, if this state
ment is true CD don't you think that
the people of the county ought to have
a guardian appointed for them? VIII
you not just think for one minute of
the great savings to the people of Big
Cabin, Vinita, Bluejacket, Welch, Cen
tralia, and the seventy-five other dis
tricts in the county had you spent the |
money for them instead of letting |
them spend it for themselves? AS the /
people of the county are laboring un-
der the delusion that they have re-
ceived one-hundred cents for every I
dollar spent, and that they are salts I
fled with the result of their bargains
just think of the nice little sum you I
could have made all for yourself by
contracting for the construction of
these. buildings, and that the silly peo-
pie of.-the Kingdom of Craig" would
have parted with their dollars so will
ingly?
Also, do you not know that the silly
teachers OF Craig county would refuse
to receive and would spurn their sal
aries If offered as a sinecue, and also
do you not know that the school boards
of the county would give sinecures to
such ignoramuses would be distaste-
ful to the boards in the highest de-
gree, and would be sad commentary
on their intelligence and honesty?
Now, Mr.. Spectator you describe a /
teacher of Craig county as being half
baked with a half ounce of brains in
the back of his head" and with long /
list of rules written on the board,
which rules he claims to be God given,
and above the said rule a seven foot |
"gada.' Now will you not please give
the name of fhie teacher. with ithaca