University of South Carolina Libraries
Circular. oltick Cr STATK St^Kni.VTKMtKNT or Kkuc'atios. C.)LC.muia, S. Cm Juno Milli, I88d. The Normal Institute of 1881. for the While Teachers ofihe Stale, will assemble at Columbia. August 7th, nnd remain in session until August vlst, 18SU. Faculty. Prof. Henry K. Shepherd, M. A , Pres. Coll* Charleston, late sup. Public Instruct., Haitimore Md , 1'rincipal School Kcouomy, Methods of Instruction. Prof. Kil witr.l s "> " " - ?" ??;?vn, t II. i/., \j. College.) lMiilology of the Kuglish Language. Methods of Teaching. . ' Prof. !1. Moans Davis/fS. c. College.) History, Geography, Methodsyfr Teaching. l'rof. ? Arithmetic, Algebra, Methods of Tca^'jnjj. l'rof. J. J. Vfuicc,. LL D., l'rof. elocution, Methods nf teaching. l'rof. W. 'jr. Witberow, (Principal Chester Graded ^ohool,) Musio, Methods of Teaching. l'rof. B. Sloan, (S. C. College.) Lectures on Physics. l)r. A. N. Tallcy, (Columbia, S. C.,) Lectures on Physiology and School Hygiene. Prof. L. 1). Hnynes, (Columbia Female Colege.) Secretary. Ample facilities wi.l be provided for instuction tia the theory and practice of Teaching, and a conspicuous part will be assigned to actual illustration of the best and most approved methods. Tuition in all branches free. Hoard can l?c obtained in Columbia at.greatly reduced rates, and may he engaged in advance of the meeting of the Institute, by applying to the Secretary, l'rof. L. D. Hnynes. Itcduced rates have been offered by the Railroads of the State?one first class fare for the round trip; teachers to purchase round trip tickets at their respccttve stations, upon representing to the ticket agents that they are entitled to receive lli? Imnofii #>r 1 "> .?.I. Addresses on suhjcclsconntcted with education will be delivered during the session by distin gnished speakers. Certificates of qualification will be granted on examination at tlie close of tlie session., Tlicso Certificates of qualification will be of force in all Counties of the Stale.? Persons desiring to become teachers arc entitled to all tho privileges of the Institute, and to reduced fare on the Railroads. School Officers arc earnestly requested to use all diligence in communicating the contei'ts of this Circular to the teachers of their respective Counties. For further information relating to tlie Institute, teachers should address Professor L. H. llnyncs, Secretary, Columbia, S. C. AsilKttY CoWAItl), State Supt. Iviucation S. C. Attt.mi't to Wbkcic a I'assknokr Thais.? Tho Charlotte bound passenger trnin on the Air I.inc road narrowly escaped n had wrecking nccidcnt yesterday morning near Ayersville. at the 80 mile post.' It was about 8 o'clock in the morning, and Capt Ilcnry Daulap was coming down the Mt Ary grade at tho rale of thirty miles an hour, when he saw a short distance ahead of him a pile of railroad iron laid across tho track, lie reversed his < ngiiie and applied the brakes, but (lie speed of the train was loo yrcat to stop short of the obstruction. The pilot of tllC etlffino threw n 1-nnnl.i ?,f il.? l?' t lie othoi's were curled find twisted under the trucks of tlie engine. The train went nbout forty yards Itefore stopping. Capt Dunlup was jolted against the cnb and received severe injuries to his right arm, disabling him so badly as 1o prevent hint going out to-day on his regular trip. The scene of this attempted wrecking i-? in the big cut where the landslide occurred last October and into which Capt Dunlnp ran with bis engine. The track walker bad passed by tho spot fifteen minutes before the train arrived and the obstruction must have been placed on the track by parties in concealment, immediately after be passed tlic place. In this instance the pilot saved Ib'c train from a terrible wreck. The pilot was torn all to pieces. Notwithstanding the accident, the train nrrived here only a short while behind time.? Charlotte Observer, ll'J//.. A I'm:.tilt. AMI t'l?XKF.I?KU.\TK I'a.lNION*. Springfield, .Mo , July ?At a meeting of the committee last night arrangements were consummated for holding a reunion of surviving participants of hod- armies in the buttle of Wilson's ("reck or Oak llilt on August itlli, 1 Dili and I lib next. A fund of several thousand dollars lias been raised for the proper reception and entertainment of the soh)>?>?"<. The ?ecn sion promises <u cc successful i:; cvery way ami immense crowds arc expected to he present. II lltlllroila nT loHoro frnni ??11 ?.n?do ?l " try liave ulrcndy been received from survivors of the battle ami many have come from prominent officers of both armies. (Sens. Sicgel, Sturges, Scliofiebi ami other Union otlicers are expected to attend, also (lens I'cnrcc, Churchill. Herbert, Clark ami other Confederate officers of distinction. The reunion will last three days and all Southwest Missouri will join in welcoming the visitors. Onk Moio: llouuou Di r. to l)utxK.--l?rooklyn, duly 1. ? Mrs. Agues I.. Wynne,of'd- Myrtle avenue, was fatally shot to day by her husband, dames II. Wynne. Mrs. Wynne is I'd years old and Iter husband a year younger. 'I hey were manied eighteen months ago and have one child three mouths old. Wynne had been drinking heavily of late and when he went, home today a quarrel took place between himself ami his wife. He threatened to shoot her, ami she answered, '-1 dare you to do it." Khc was lying on the ocd with the baby beside her.? "Wynne drew a icvolver anJ final, the ball entering his wife's breast. He made no attempt to cscaj-o, but r.ent for a physician. Mrs Wynne was taken to the hospital, where her wound was pronounced fatal. The husband was locked up. Two former playmates of Mrs. Wynne were present when the shooting occurred. ? .?. Takinu iiis( \rroiis iiy Sritritist:. ? St. I.-mis, dune ?At Itlcnd City, Kasper county, Missouri, yesterday,{l.anc llritton was arrested on a charge : f murder committed sometime ago in Newton- Af:erhis arrest llritton was permitted to go into his house to got his coal. He reaptieared with a revolver and oni-ned tiro ? > i.w captors, instantly killing one of tlicin, eon-table A. N. Davis. am! mortally wounding the other <i. P. Davis, lie tlien mounted a horse and lied. A large party of citizens is in pursuit hot Dritioii has probably escaped into the Indian Territory. He is a desperate man and has once before been tried for murder. ? Cntixc Cmivku. ? in curing clover, the sun is only necessary to will it after cutting. When this is well done, the clover should be put in cocks, small at the base, but as high a they can well he made. The cocks may be tramped v >n?e in mak'yg. In a day or two they become hot within and must be opened out. but not until all dew and. rain has dried oil". Take the cocks down in Ibikes without shaking to pieces, and expose to the mm. After being thus exposed for an hour or tw >. the clover can be removed to the stock or irow Much layer in the stack should have a light snrinkling of salt. - . ? A Ilaii.noAD that t'ruvK*.?Tlic Sliepang railroad, running from (teihel to Litchfield, t'enn., has extraordinary curves, A conductor is reported as saying: "Speakiti' of curves, tho first engine Tom King took up on this road was the nine o'cl ck evening 'way,' ami when he got just heyond. llawleyville, he whistled down brakes and went ahead to see what train was stan&in' in front of liiin. Well, sir he homded the car and came right through the train to his own engine. ? Motion Ailverlitir. An incendiary gang of seven negro men were hi rested at Kicliburg on Wednesday off the charge of having bnriie 1 t lie cotton house of J . (?. Hardin, near that place on die night of the 'JHih February last. They were arrested ?ti suspicion and Till tiaston turned inl'ormef on the rest of the gang, rendering siillieicnl cvpli nee to lodge tlx tn in fi*j.:i'.r.i Il ia! in Uvluhe:. 1 ?hr (?u'hln alnion K. M. STOKES, Editor. UNION, FRIDAY, JULY 0, 188:1. SUBSCRIPTION- -$2 00 PER ANNUM. ADVERTISING. One ^uari1 or une inch, AM inmiion, - - Sl.oo Each auli6c<|iieiit insertion, ------- 7.5 l.ilirral discount lUjf'r to merchants and others advertising for six -.iiiths or by the year. OUIt>T.i > Notices of ton lines or less, inserted free. " " over ten lines, charged as Advertlscuients. TAKE NOTICE. Citations, Notices to Creditors and Notices of Final Discharge must bo paid for before they will appear in our columns. BiwjU Aunt Malindy iliis week gives some very sensible advice to young Ladi js who are hankering after the blessed state of matrimony." V&K. We in vile perusal of the article on our first page, headed "The Tax Exemption Act"' from the pen ol Kdn. II. Iloho, Esq., of Spartan. i?,,? ?,..i .1.1-1... i .i-~ i' ? - 1 "u,t? ??'* III IIIV / 17 I l"J < I US ( of several individuals, . o The following young men of Union County were of J lie grndut iug class of the South Carolina College, nt the examination last weok : \V. F. Benty and Macbeth Young. The following are artong those tnentioncl as distinguished students in their classes: .1. ID Liltlejoliu and IV. A. .MoUowan. These young gentleman are now at home for the vacation. Gents furnishing goods at reduced prices, at Mark & Kiu'el's. It. M W1NSTOCK, Manager. # Mr. Britton, the accomplished Teacher of the Male free school, at our request, has furnished us with the following list of the pupils who have taken position in their respective classes for tiic past session : Fist class. 1. John 1'. Bice ; 2. T. M. McNally, jr.; Daniel K. Smith. Second class. 1. Aubry llicc; 2. Thomas Johnson nnd William Mullitiax , 3. Daniel Mullinnx. mint class, i. wiiuam wauaco ; milium Powell; o. Lindsey MoNnlly. Fourth class. 1. lien. Johnson ; '2. Wallace Koon ami Claude Graham ; 15. Isaac Kison. Sickness ami oilier imperative causes of absence from school, prevented some of the scholars from taking positions in their classes. ? ? Sudden Call. Mrs, Leo received a letter from Atlanta last Saturday summoning her home, as her husband had suddenly teen taken very sick. Sho left on the night train. The nobbiest clothing at the lowest prices, at Mark & Model's. II. M. WIXSTOCK, Manager. 1#? Tho Charlotte Journal-Observer. Hou A N. Waddwell has sold his interest in this valuable journal and retired from its editorial management. The Journal-Oh?ervcr is an ably conducted journal, published by active, energetic young men, and Charlotte is one of the Iliuai I III JHJI I UII l V? HOIC^iUC IIIIU I CI.Ill UIIILM Uf I iwcon Baltimore ami Charleston. Mr. Britton Roolccted. We uvc pleased thai the Free School Trustee* hove reelected Mr. K. K. Britton Principal of the Mole school. They could not have done hotter. Mr. Britton has proved himself a most excellent r.nd popular teacher, und the patrons of the school are delighted with hiin. Wo intend dts- j cussing the school affairs of this town during the vacation and shall speak of him again. ? To Old Fogy. 11 is impossible lor us to insert your communication this week. It shall appear in our next.? You ate right, friend; we invite "honorable discussion on anysuhject before the people. "Let the people of Union speak through the Times ? its colums arc open to them for courteous discussing on all proper subj. cts. For SI?32 yards good calico, and all kind of goods at the lowest prices, at Mark & Kndel's. 11. M. WIN.STOCK, Man*ger. ' Pay Your Taxa3. Only a few days longer will the books ot the Town Treasurer be open for the payment of , I town Taxes. To-morrow week will be llic last | i day, and all who do not slop up to ('apt. Irritant's ollice liy that time will have to pay the ; penalty of 'JO per cent. The bio fish and little fish will be hauled into that net without nondiscrimination. - - ? - ? The R. R. Commi8sionar8' Work. The llailrotid Commissioners Itave completed the work of framing a schedule of passenger and freight charges and classifications to be observed by the roads in this State. They have published the results of their labors nrnl sent it to the officers ot the various roads. \Vc shall give it in our columns t ext week, excepting the table of figures. _ - . . ? All kinds of Hoots, Shoes and slippers at rock bottom prices at Mark & Kmlel's. 11. M. WINSTOCK, Manager. - ? - - ? Tho Cotton Plant. This is a new Agricultural monthly journal . published tit Marion ('. 11., by our good friend ; W. .1. McKerrall, at the low price of <10 cents a i year. The first number is before us, and if ' neatness in appearance, ability in its conduction an 1 a large amount of invaluable practical agri. 1 ...... .. :m ,t.? Cation I'hint is hound to become a welcome jourj nul in (lie home of every tiller of (lie soil in the Slate. We pronounce it the best agricultm&l | journal ever published in South Carolina, for ! general practical information, j i Tne nobbiest line of Spring ami Summer | < lothing in town. We oil! particular attention | to this department, ami can fit any one. Suits ! varying from 58 to ?"J(t. Also a fine slock of Spring lints ami fine hand sewed Shoes. Call and see us. J. C. HUNTKlt & CO. * R. W. Shand Esq., to Leave U3. With unfeigned regret we learn that It. W. ; Shand Esq., has determined to leave Union and j j reside in Columbia. At present we will only j say that Mr Shand's removal from our commitj nity will be seriously felt and sincerely regret1 o 1 by all. lie lias won his way to the hearts of the people of this county by a hightoncd honorable course of conduct, and no man more justly command* the respect and confidence of I his fellow citizens. Not until he has left us | will this community fully realize the true moral, social ami intellectual worth of the man. To us it is i.ad to think of b'-ii.g - > purr and I rue a < 'it Ulinii > ' /rti Ezibition of Clifford Seminary. I We Jo nol remember ever to have been more delighted nt a school cxhibilion than we jverc lust Thursday at the performances of the pupils of the Clifford tfcmiliary. It was quite a tiusiI cal tre.-t, nnd most creditnble to the thoMr*gh training of that institution as well as the pwrils themselves. We have heard from a numbfAflf j competent judges who were present, that it^jw undoubtedly the best exhibition of Mqft&l scholars ever given in Union, and they doubted much if any school outside the County could excel it, taking the performance of the w^ole rchool together. The Young Ladies of the vaticcd classes certainly exhibited uncommon skill and proficiency in music, while those oftho lower classes did themselves aud teachers gveat credit by the remarkable accuracy of lime and measure they observed iu the performance of each piece. y* ( We have never seen Nicholson's halV so crowded as it was that night, nor have we Iver i seen a more rcspeetablo, orderly or better pleased < a?sombly of Ladies and gentlemen. The Clifford Seminary is mainly comff^d i | of Young Ladies from the country, and it s a | peculiar, but we think very natural, fact, ' tint | the progress o! a scholar at each session i -so ( marked that one pupil from auy section oflhe \ county invariably brings one or two more to (be 1 Seminary at tlie next session. iMrs. Clifford is undoubtedly an.iii)camrr??l> < ' competent Teacher, an untiring worker in her school room duties and a thorough disciplinarian, ' and in all the branches of the Seminary she infuses among her pupils a laudablo spirit of i ambition to excel and a love of study. Mr. ' Clifford, who assists in the higher branches, is i one of the finest scholars in the State, and is t also a thorough wotking teacher, giviug the ' young Ladies of the Institution an advantage > for "higher education" that but few schools can 1 offer. 1 Misses Julia and Susie Schoficld have charge 1 of the classes in tho primary departments, and 1 they, too, are indefatigable in their efforts to lay t foundations upon which may bo built the high- I est character of education. In this Seminary, < each one, Teacher and pupil, is required to do her wholo duty in imparting and receiving in" ' (Unction. ' 1 Tho County Fair. With much pleasure we announccto the Fur- ^ incrsof Union that t lie new officers of the Coun- ( ty Agricultural and Mechanical Association of Union have determined to continue the old ^ organization and have an exhibition of Stock of ^ nil kinils, Farm Products, Farm Implements, ( Mechanics and all things that go to make up j home comforts, ho no luxuries, and the ele- , vation of our social and artistic tastes.- ( The owner of tho Fair grounds has very gene- , rously tendered the use of the property, free of ( charge, for the next Fair, and the officers of tho Society are now preparing a premium list, which will be liberal and attractive. Instead of the extra expenses proposed by the last meeting of the Association, the uew officers have concluded to curtail expenses and throw nil the means nl their command, with their ,:...? ?ii.A i ~ > ~r ii.. IIIUW ??M i , Jill'/ (IIU ?CUC1.H guvu Ul III U OU* cicty. Such a spirit of liberality and County pride should lie appreciated and we believe will comnmml the active cooperation of the whole people of tlie County. In particular, do we appeal to the young farmers of the County to come to the front in this organization. You should take prominent positions in it, hut if you take 110 interest in making it a success, but rather voluntarily stand aloof from it, how can you expect to he recognize'.", as a part of it? Come to the front, young Farmers of Union, ' and assist is cstahlishig a Farmer j Association that sh 'il oc a credit to yourselves and a benefit to the County at large. 1 The Ladies, of course, will require no appeal , in this matter. On the contrary, we expect the Ladies will volunteer 1 heir assistance iu every way possible. .? .? Severe Drought?Crops. This section of our county is now suffering from a severe drought. We havo had but one good rain since the lltli of May. Last Monday j week a good rain fell hero, hut none fell five ! miles on either side of us then, and from that j time to now the weather has been extremely hot. ' We are p'cascd to hear that iu almost every othj er part of the county they have not suffered for I rain and there the crops of cotton and corn are 1 1 .....n i?.. I?_I_ .. ., ,t.:? <1.. 1 ?ri|, 1 .1 I I ICII Ilk I T?il5 IIJJ1 IJIC UilUC J along the Paeolet, Tliickety au<l upper part of j Fairforest, until a few days ago. Now the corn throughout the County is wanting rain. Al j present the cotton, though stuall on rc<l land, ! is not suffering, ami if it gets rain in a few j days will he in fine condition, tut it has been ! well worked, generally, an l is very clear of grass. While cur farmers arc beginning to get anxious nbout the continuance of the drought they arc not despondent, as a general rain this week would set their crops booming. Gar* dens are about "gone up." Watermelons are looking very doubtful. Sweet Potatoes arc sadly in need of rain, but there is time enough yet tor them to "come out" j All things considered, it is tor soon to make ; any great ro:i?j laint of the condition of (lie corn ' and cotton crops, for they arc looking very fair ! ami the prospects for a good rain grow brighter j daily. It won't do to "slack up" in working j them. Froo School Picnic' The boys of tbo Free .School had a glorious picnic last Friday, ami not only did the hoys of the \ school enjoy it, but the girls aud boys, large | and small, who did not belong to the school, ami a number of us old boys and girls took a lively interest in the fun. We did uot engage in the races ov bng jumping, therefore we won none of the prizes, but wo took our full share of chicken, pie, cake ami lemonade, when they came round. Mr. Lritton, the very popular teacher of the school was as deep in all the sports as the boy9 were, and prove 1 his school discipline by the complete control he had of the boys out of tchool and the respect they evinced for him.? We saw some awful tall running that day, and 1 the boys didn't do all the running either. It seemed to us that the whole of the town and some ol the country had taken an interest [ in it aud sent their best things to cat, their 1 prettiest eirls and most gallant beaux to make' ! the day enjoyable. < A beautiful lot of new India l.inens, Figured I.inen l.awns, Persia lawn?, Victoria lawns, : bishop's lawns, Lace Muslins, Printed Muslins,4 ' i lc . cle .at P. lllfNTKK"& Co. Sudden Death of Col. W. J. T. Glenn. Tliia community was startled on Tuesday morning last by the announcement that Col. W. J. T. Olenn. n well known iuteliigent farmer of the upper part of this t'ounty, had died at his residence after only a few hours sickness, from apoplexy. On Mcnday morning he went into the field to hoe cotton. About noon be was seen feebly attempting to return to the house. He was then unable to speak, and after being placed qu his bed he motioned for materials to write with, but when they were brought ho was unable to use them. He nerer spoke, so as to ho w 'crstood, after he reached home, and lingerer uutil early the following moruing, when he died. Col. Glenn was a graduate of llmory and Henry College, Va., a gentleman of fiflt education, and highly respected for his moral and honorable character. He was a prominent member of the Pairforest Presbyterian church, and at the time of his death held the high position of a ruling" older. He had passed the 04th year of his age f f - * ? no w;i3 ji prominent .Mason, and his standing in that honorable fraternity was evidenced by the large assembly of his brother Masons al his funeral composed of members of Spartanburg, 31enn Sprins, I'acolet and Jonesvillc Lodges, who gathered around his grave and solemnly buried him with Masonic honors. lie leaves a devoted wife and a large circle of 1 4 ' ' * ' Jomobody HurtOur remark last week upon a communication lent to us by n lady ol this town, signed Matilda," have cnused much comment and nquiry from certain individuals. What ,hcy say about oursclf we caro not a jot for. knd we respectfully inform them that the inmc of the Editor of this paper is always at the lead of the editorial columns, and he can always re found during business hours, at his office, and ic monc is ino proper person to enquire ot ns 0 the authorship of any article that appears in dicso columns. The hands in the office are forbidden to give the names of our corresponIcnts even if they should know. Wc will further inform the young gentlemen who are "winged" that Matilda is a veritable Lady of this town, not in the least connected with the Timet, who lias of late frequently been otnpelled to hear more than modesty would permit her to tell, and from recognized voices, too. A word or two more to you, voung men : Your private affairs a newspaper ha3 no right to display before the public ; but when you make these affairs public by boisterous conduct and improper language, at all hours of the night, tnnoying and disgusting to the moral portion of the community you may rely upon it wc shall neither ask or grant favors in condemning your :onduct and the disgraceful source. Peraonal Mention. Mr. aud Mrs. Jus. Allen, of Charleston, have iiecu spending two weeks in our town, on a visit to their relatives, \V. A. Nicholson aud family. Miss. Marion Oerardeau ot Spartanburg is on 1 visit to Iter friend, Mrs. J. It. ltodger. Mr. Stephen Schoficld and family, of Davidson College, N. C., arc visiting their relatives, Rev It. O. Clifford aud family. Mr. and Mrs. U. F. Stokes and son of Charlotte, are spending a few duyt with their relatives here. MSaa 1.1a ~c v I !.. ? i? 1 .UI09 lUtt A. UIII, \Ji .>C? we llj, IB VlSlllllg licr relatives licrc. Gen. Jos. F. Gist has returned from his visit to Arkansas. Mr. Fulton Shell has arrived from Davidson College and is spending his vacation with his mother. Misses Julia and Susy Schofield have gone to Augusta to spend a few days with their relatives in that city. Col. A. G. ltice is recuperating at Glcun Springs. ? + Tribute of Bcspect. Mr.Rcu.vNTs & Plantkrs National Bask. Union S. C. 1 Khertas Governor Thomas B. Jeter, Vice President of this Bank from its organization, and one of its most liberal, sagacious and energetic supporters, has recently bccu removed from amongst us by death : Resolved, That this Board hereby expresses its sense of the heavy blow the Bank has sua tained in the loss of a zealous and cnliglited friend find a \vi?o nnd fitttltful r?flioor *a wIioqa foresight anil ability it has owed much of its prosperity. Resolved, that \vc feel that it is a privilege to pay this tribune of respect to the memory of a member of our Hoard whoso worthily tilled high positions of honor and trust, who was always scrupulous and exact in the rectitude ot his character and conduct, w 10 was ever ready with fidelity and judgment to aid this lizard in the discharge of its duties, and who stood foiemost in our fraternal love and esteem. Resolved, That a page in our minute book be inscribed to his memory, and that a copy of these resolutions be seri to his widow and family, in the earnest hope that such tokens of his good name, nobly earned and acknowledged by all, may soften the grief with which they mourn an irreparable loss. Extract from the minutes. K. K. WALLACE. 1'rcs't. and Secretary of Hoard. ? . l'or tlir Times. Have We a Town Council? Mb. Eii.tou : ?In riding through the Erects I am always inclined to ask if the town op Union lias a Town Council? If it has, do the streets come under their supervision. If they do, rhj don't they put them in decent orlcr? Oo which way 1 may I am in danger of break ing ine nuggy wnceis, or some oilier accmciii I have never seen the streets in such bad condition, in the summer time, as they are now; and I am afraid, if something is not dono to them at once, next winter we shall he completely mud-oound ? worse th in last winter. Not only our streets, hut for miles out the approaches to tho town are a disgrace to our civilization, and if something is not done to improve them by next winter we may confidently expect to fiud the farmers hauling their cotton to Santuc, Jonesvillc or some other market on tho railroad, to escape the had roads to and equally had streots in Union, ? and no one will hlame them. Give the work of putting the streets in good order to a i.ian that understands such work, pay him a fair price for it and make Mm responsible for its being well done. I believe almost every business man and property owner in the corporation would he willing for an extra tax to he levied on them for that purpose ,if, "when done'twere well done." T\X 1WYFR. ?? Reply to A B CMb, Editor:? Please allow mc to reply briefly to the article of "A. 11. C." which appeared in your last issue. In order to do so intelligibly I must quote the greater part, if not j all, of his artie'e. His first paragraph is as 1 follows : "Mr. Editor:?Please giro in your next paper the law in relatin to employing teachers iu the free schools. It is thought by some that the school Commissioner has the right to appoint and the trustee; to cmpioy any one not holding a certificate, whenever iu their opinion the uecessity for a school exists. I understand this has been done in several inslances, and to the j injury, it is said, of tpr>. t.?r<. I from the Kxamining Hoard." The burden of his complaint as expressed in the above paragraph is, that teachers havo been allowed to teach without certificates. This is true, and the ouly strange thing ubout it is that A. B. 1 has just found it out. It occurs in this way: Only two examinations arc allowed during the year?one in January and the other in July. Teachers find it very difficult, sometimes, to attend the January examination, on account of bad roads, bad weather or high water. In a few cases of this kind I have allowed the teacher to teach the Spring session without a certificate, with the understanding that lie will get no pay unless he gets a certificate at the July examination, and will be paid only according to the certificate he may get at that time. II*. therefor h I ^At hia??mi UJM><>99U>IC impossible for the public interests to suffer, because the children get the tcnching, and the tcncher takes the chances for his pay. Supposo I did not pursue this course ; suppose I would refuse to allow him to teach ; the result would be to deprive that community of a school during the very best part of the scholastic yoar^ simply for the sake of being considered nice and exact and martinet-like, wlnlc the little children would be suffering for teaching and wasting precious time. Mr. "A. U.C.," with all his stock of moral ideas, can't convince inc that such a course as I have last mentioned would be either wise or profitable. Again, it sometimes happens that a community does not organize and select ateaeher until after the crimination has passed, and that community may select a teacher who had not .until selected, thought of teaching, and consequently, has no certificate. In such a case I would allow him to teach until tlio next examination, and have done so in a few cases? the tcacher.4aking the risk hereinbefore mentioncil. Now how can the community suffer? It is simply the old rule of trying an article before buying. Tn thcordinary business transactions of life, it is considered an advantage to have the privilege of making a test before investing our money, nnd I am unable to understand why it should not be so in the matter of employing teachers. Again, I do not hesitate to issue a certificate to a teacher without any examination when I nm well satisfied that he is q laliffed for the position. A formal examination is not the only way nf iiiihrinrr n Inne'.ier nnd. ill filet it. is often tlio least sntisfac'ory, and whenever I become satisfied otherwise that a teacher is qualified I issue a certificate to him. I know this is not a popular w >y of doing, and open? the door for ncrv ons fault finders to raise the cry of "partiality'* and "favoritism" and all such horrible names . but I am in the hahit of adopting my own course and of pursuing it without regard to popularity or other consequences. I will add, however, that very few certificates, comparatively, are issued without a formal examination. This may servo as a sort of restorative for the nerves of such as are about 10 despair of the republic. "A. 11. C.'.s" next paragraph is as follows: "In a conversation recently with a gentleman living in Snntuc township he told me that his wife had a good school last year, holding a certificate from the examining board and employed by the trustees, that at the second session a lady not having a certificate set up a school near his wife, without the consent of the trustees, and got her pay from Maj. Townsend, notwithstanding the trustees refused to endorse her illegal claims-" Now this is all true except the allcgative that (hat "wife" had a "good" school, (she having had an average daily attendance of only nine pupils during the whole of her Session) and except, also, the allegation that the second lady had 110 certificate (she having had one at the time, and had held one and taught in that neighborhood for several previous years), and except, also, the allcgatin that she set up a school without the consent of the trustees (she having been expressly employed by them.) and except, also, the base insinuation that she surreptitiously obtained the signatures of tho trustees to her paper, in order to get her pay: the trustees who employed her having promptly approved her papers at the close of her school, and they came to my hands in tiic proper condition. From this the public may judge of the number of base falsehoods contained in the paragraph above quotcJ, and how recklessly "A. B. C." burls bis vile slanders at the character of better people, utterly regavdless of the truth or falsity of bis charges. "A. 15. Ce." next paragraph reads as follows : "My informant said there was money enough to run one school light or ten months, lint the funds were divided between the two, to the injury of the entire school, and in violation, as he thought, of the law. lie said the matter was before the Grand jury iti March but that the foreman said they had 110 jurisdiction in such violations of law." Ten months ! Just think of that! Or even \ eight months' "A. B.C." has unintentionally 1 passed a hisli compliment upon me. I know he diil nut intend to do it, and it will hurt him when he finds it out. Why, the average free school term at the place he speaks of has not exceeded three month* (I speak from (he record) fiom 1S77 to the time I came into office in Jan, nary 1881, and yet, according to "A. It. C.," tinder my management, there were sufficient I funds in 1882 to "run" that school eight or ten months ; the very thing the whole State has been trying to accomplish evor since the adoption of the free school system it is no wonder that the Grand Jury did not interfere with "such violations of law." A few more such "violations" will make Union the barjner County of the State. Of course, if thero were funds suf ficient to curry 011 that school ten months all tne other schools in that township couhi havo hecn carried on the sattc length of time, which all will admit to bs a vast ireprt vcment, since I took charge of the school business. "A. B.C." says, however, that the funds were divided between two schools at that place, &c. Sufficient has hecn already said, I think, to show how the matter was managed. Whether it was managed wisely, or not, men may differ, as they do about everything else; but no one except "A. B. C." nnd his informant will dcubt that what Jone was done with fir.net motive;-. "A. (J. C.'s" next paragraph is as follows : I have heard ?f several instances of persons teaching witliont Certiticntes. or getting a certificate without an examination?an undoubted piece of favoritism oil the part of Maj. Townsend. and one that is very unjust and unfair to , other teachers. We know of two persons teaching at this time in one township without any certificate. In a conversation with one of them he informed me that Maj. Townsend told him to go ahead, if the trustees were willing, and come up in July to the examination, get a certificate and he would get his pay all the same. This last is not only a case of favoritism, but one in which both the Commissioner nnd trustees have consented to squander the free school fund." I think I have already explained sufiiciently in reference to all the allegations contained in this paragraph, except that contained in the last sentence thereof, and that allegation I pronounce a base, tnilicioua and wilful lie. His next paragraph is as follows : There is a regular school within three miles with an average attendance of, perhaps, ten", scholars, vrfth a teacher at $20 a mon'li The other has an average attendance of about two and one half (2?) scholars, the teacher of which expects to get a first grade certificate, with corresponding pay, no doubt, while one of the trustees will require $10, at least, for the use of the niofrpr rnhin i n u l.i,.l. tl.n l i ?? ? oov" Miv troowff# cnc /tcuru. The precise nature of the complaint contained in this paragraph is not well defined. It seems to be a sort of complaint, nnd; in yrier *.o cover the *hole ground in my reply. I am compelled ft) write some things which otherwise would When I took charge of this office ^rckOo! commissioner) in January 1881, I saw the necessity of having better school houses, and moro of them. In many places the people had never had the benefit of a single dollar of the school fund, although they had been paying heavy taxes for that purpose for thirteen years. In other places they had had a school now and then, sometimes in a negro house and sometimes in some other sort of out house. This wos especially the case in certain corners of townships, where, because the children were few in number and isolated, or from some other cause, they had been entirely neglected, I considered this unjust, nnd determined to remedy it by putting school houses, so far ns I was able, within convenient reach of every child in (lie County. I expected trouble, and had plenty of it. I was charged witli "squandering the public funds," threatened time and again with law-suits and indictments ; but if I ever hesitated for a single mom.nt in my purpose I am not aware of it. I have built thirty school houses, and there ore a fow more to build ; and, in the mean time, the free school School term in Union Qounty lias been steadily increased instead of diminished. Now, having said this much to the County in genernl let us look nt the condition of things in the township of which A. B. C. speaks?his own township. There arc only fifty six whito school children in the whole township, nnd, of course, they ?? ? -cnttered all over the township. It is, thorefore, simply impossible to have large schools, and yet it would be unjust to deprive the people of that section of schools because the schools arc necessarily small. It would b? equally unjust and foolish to say to them, that they must put up with very cheap teachers because tlicscliools ate small. They pay their taxc? and, in my opinion, have a right to good teachers, if they can get them, and the teachers have a right to be paid for their services. Now "A. B. C."' mentions two schools specially, in his township. The first he says has an averageattendance of about ten, nnd the teacher gct? ?20 a month. I don't know whether he intends this as a compliment or not, but I will say here tl..W ....... ?..ll.. .( ll.. r... ..I...I i ... in 1882 I lie daily average attendance iu that school was 10 0-7 : So that its prcsen* average is about its usual average, lie mentions another school within three miles of the one just mentioned above, in which he says the average* attendance is only two and one hnlf (*2J). E know the locality ; nnd know also that the teacher is teaching on his own risk. That is the school that causes A. 11. C. so much anxiety and trouble and, no doubt, many sleepless nights^ That school was organized for the benefit of pupils who live in the corner of the township, also in the corner of the County. So far as I am now informed those people have never before had a public school, notwithstanding the fact that they nre, some of them, if not all, henvy tax payers. The trustees did not "squander the funds" by buildiugthem a comfortable house, but allowed them a teacher and the uoe of a negro cabin. If the teacher gets a certificate at the Inly examination, he will receive such pay as the trustees think just and proper : if he gets no certificate, he will get no pay. This is the extravagance which so exercises the soul of "A. 11. C.". He lives near the first mentioned school ~ house, which is a good one, but it chafes his spirit to think that then other people should have the luxury of a "nigger cabin," nnd bo allowed a teacher. But probably tho greatest scare of all is the ?10 which that trustee "will require" for the "nigger cabin." This is a veritable ghost, and one that Will not down at his bidding. Well, so far as I know, that trustee has never for a moment thought of charging any rent for that cabin. The next paragraph of "A. 11. C's." arhcle I will oinit, as it is nothing more than an exf reasion of his opinion, and a word of adviso to all whom it may concern. "A. U. C." concludea the whole matter with this sweeping declaration . "The whole thing is a farce, any way, and ought to be abolishtd, or the Commissioners and trustees be made to conform to the law governing them. This nnnounocroent. although dircoted against me, will no doubt startle our law makers and, | in fact, all the foremost educators of the day. ? What a pity the Legislature can't agree with ^ "A. 15. C.," and abolish the '^vhole thing."-*What a change has come over his dreams since tho times when lie used to set up in the school house nnd teach the public s?hool, and go about counting the children in his township, and drawing his pay thereto: f.t m the public f\i,nd. And now, when thoij*days and those scenes aro no more, he is fyndly changed, and wants tho "whole thing abolished." Now, Ictus see whether any progress has been ' v maio in ins own township in tho free school business, nn<) that will enable us to judge somewhat of the soundness of his views about abolishing the "whole thing." From 1877 to January 1881, when I came into oftioe, tho averago free school torin in his own township did not esceed throo and three-fourth months ; in 1882, under my management, the free schools in his township wero continued soven months, and will -ontiiiuo equally as long in 1881, wo think ; dn^> in the mean time, two new school houses iftve been erected. Here is another caso for ' ? and Jury ?another "violation of law," I