Viewing page 185 of 283

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Report
J. H. Ford
Dec 14th, 1864

In reference to school matters


Dec 14/64.

Lt. E. M. Wheelock

Sir:

Yesterday I visited Mrs Williams' department, Coliseum St, to [[?]] volunteers for Miss Williams of Pleasant Street. I obtained 6 [[?]] with much difficulty. Mrs. Williams wanted their parents to be [[?]] [[?]], but I told the boys to inform their parents that we were the [[?]] judges of what their interests required. Although I [[?]] her that this removal of pupils was a great honor to her, [[?]] Cried when I was leaving. She had no less than 70 [[?]] the room. The Williams family are zealous; but this [[?]] of having an Overcrowded School is irrational, & [[?]] to the interests of the Children, and will not, I am sure, be [[?]] by the Board. At least 50 ought still to be [[?]] from the Various departments of this School. The [[?]] teachers on Louisiana Avenue have told me that this [[?]] family threaten or punish those who want to leave. [[?]] family is naturally self conceited and obstinate, and [[?]] Board will not Succeed in effecting any more removals [[?]] the following plan or some other, be adopted:

I believe it is very bad policy to allow this School to be [[?]] any longer, exclusively, by the Members of a Single [[?]] family. A Wedge ought to be inserted in the [[?]] a Strange teacher who does not belong to the family. [[?]] cannot see and know everything; and the excellent system Mutual reporting, in the Case of a failure in duty, [[?]] in the recent Instructions issued to the teachers, cannot be [[?]] out in a School where the teachers are Members of the [[?]] family. Therefore, at present, the Board Cannot Know, [[?]] the state of matters in this School. Although a White [[?]] May object to teach under the Williams family, Miss [[?]] or Miss Nahar could have no such objection.

If the Board, Authoritatively, placed this strange teacher in School, and put her in charge of a large department of boys [[?]]

Transcription Notes:
[[?]] indicates words lost in fold of paper