I do
not know how true it was, but there was no reason why it might not
be. It was exactly on a par with the rest of it. I do not mean to
say that there were no good schools in New York. There were some as
good as anywhere; for there were high-souled teachers who redeemed
even the slough we were in from utter despair. But they were there
in spite of it and they were far from being the rule. Let us hope
for the day when that shall have been reversed as a statement of
fact. No one will hail it more gladly than I. There is an easy way
of putting it to the test; we did it once before. Broach a measure
of school reform and see what the question is that will be asked by
the teachers. If it is, "How is it going to benefit the children?"
hoist the flag; the day of deliverance is at hand. In the battle
I refer to that question was not asked once. The teachers stood
shoulder to shoulder for _their_ rights, let the children fare as
they might.
However, that is an old grievance. We had it out over it once,
and I have no mind to rip it up again unless it is needed.
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